Mobilizing residents for action: the role of small wins and strategic supports

Yes we can! is a community-building initiative funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation that aims to improve educational and economic outcomes in Battle Creek, Michigan by mobilizing low-income communities and resident leaders and building their capacity to influence the decisions and policies that impact their lives. This paper describes the strategies pursued during the first phase of this initiative to foster resident mobilization by building small wins within the neighborhood. Primarily through a neighborhood-based mini-grant program and staff supports to encourage collective action, Yes we can! has started to increase levels of resident mobilization within the seven economically distressed neighborhoods that initially partnered with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation on this effort. The specific programming components and how they were implemented as well as the initial successes experienced are described. Lessons learned are discussed.