Get Involved! MSDI seeks diverse groups of people to design solutions for the future of the Delta. To learn more, click below: - Fact Sheet PDF - Design Work Groups - Frequently Asked Questions - Apply to Get Involved - Meeting Calendar

Design Work Groups

The next phase of MSDI will primarily be designed by residents of the 55 counties and parishes of the region. To get started, the Foundation is organizing design work groups, a research and design process that will be launched during the summer of 2006. Three design work groups—one each on youth, grassroots, and leadership—will be created in the Delta areas of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

Over 450 people have applied for the 180 openings. These applications are currently being reviewed to select a diverse group of community consultants that best reflects the diversity of geographic location, race, age, education, and work experience of the participants. The MSDI office will send communication to all applicants this summer to inform each individual about the process and final selections. We anticipate that the Design Work Groups will launch with a “kick off” event in late September.

Each design work group will have approximately 20 members, and participation will be open to any interested individual, organization, or community group. Each state-level design work group will survey the current situation related to the area of focus, get input and ideas from people and specialists as needed, and develop a set of strategic recommendations. The groups will meet as often as the participants deem necessary—most likely once or twice each month for the state-based design groups. Each state-based group will also select members who will serve in a regional group, which may meet monthly.

MSDI will also recruit a cross section of individuals and organizations from the Mid-South Region to participate in two other work groups. There will be a regional design work group to develop a new fund for community improvements, the Flexible Fund. This work group will research, design, and recommend structures, policies, and approaches for ways in which mini-grants could trigger community change and have a positive impact across the region.

The Kellogg Foundation will also develop a regional policy design work group that will explore new approaches to local, state, and national policy that creates more opportunities for low-income people in the Delta communities.

Periodically, people from all these groups and networks will be invited to attend gatherings in a Regional Alliance to share ideas and prioritize issues.

These groups will begin by answering a set of basic questions:

• How can we organize and engage young people ages 15 to 30 to participate in and lead the economic, social, and political renewal of our region?

• How can we mobilize and organize the most vulnerable (and often disenfranchised) residents to engage in a community development process that works for them and leads to a positive future for their children?

• How can we mobilize and organize a new leadership culture that (1) brings young people, nontraditional and grassroots leaders into collaboration with business, nonprofits, elected officials, and faith-based leaders and (2) sustains a society of equity and opportunity for all?

• How can we create opportunities for leaders to build skills and reshape policies that lead to A Culture of Possibilities?

• How can we create a mini-grant fund that local leaders can use to improve communities, support youngsters and seniors, and promote creative solutions to difficult problems?

MSDI expects these groups to be quite busy for a year, so MSDI will provide small support stipends for individuals and for organizations whose staff members are invited to participate.

Occasional Participation: Interested individuals who are unable to participate in the design groups are invited to attend and participate in MSDI regional gatherings; become a resource to a design work group offering research and other data to the work effort; organize or join a learning community around transformation and other issues critical to creating A Culture of Possibilities in the Delta; attend a meeting or focus group, complete a survey, or provide feedback; keep informed through the MSDI website and newsletter; or find your own path to A Culture of Possibilities.