Westside Future Fund (WFF) is excited to be supporting thought leadership in the SaportaReport on Atlanta’s Historic Westside. At the October 15 Transform Westside Summit we announced the Westside Future Fund (WFF) PRI Program! A program-related investment (PRI) is low-cost capital that not-for-profit organizations can use to spur community development. Thanks to charitable support from […]
Author Archives: Westside Future Fund
Posted inThought Leadership
Reflecting on WFF Vision Statement
After a hiatus, the Westside Future Fund is back to supporting thought leadership in the SaportaReport on Atlanta’s Historic Westside. As the leader of WFF, I am grounded and inspired by WFF’s vision statement, to “help develop a community Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would be proud to call home.” Much of Dr. King’s life […]
Posted inThought Leader
Harnessing Arts and Culture for Responsible Placemaking in Historic Neighborhoods
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO of Westside Future Fund. Thank you to Dorian McDuffie for this week’s column. Dorian is the Public Art Project Manager at the Atlanta City Studio, an office of the Department of City Planning for the City of Atlanta. I’ve had the opportunity to work with Dorian. She is […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
What do Hank Aaron, Ivan Allen and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., share with the Westside? Scouting.
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO, Westside Future Fund Our guest columnist this week is Tracy Techau, Scout Executive/CEO of the Atlanta Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. Last month, we were fortunate to host Tracy along with a panel of Scout leaders and community partners as the featured presenters for the September 6th […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Making the Westside a community of choice
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO of Westside Future Fund Our guest columnist this week is Leonard Adams, Jr., Founder & CEO of Quest Community Development Organization, Inc. As the founder of Quest, Leonard leaned into developing affordable supportive housing in Vine City over 19 years ago. I am grateful to Leonard Adams because […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
YMCA Leadership & Learning Center is Focused on Creating and Delivering Innovative Research-based Programming to Westside Residents
Introduction by John Ahmann, President and CEO of Westside Future Fund This week’s guest columnist is Lauren Koontz, President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta YMCA. Her column is about an incredible new asset in Vine City, the YMCA’s new Leadership and Learning Center. In explaining the role of the Westside Future Fund (WFF), I […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Our kids are “At-Promise” for a better future. I know, because I am one of them
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO of Westside Future Fund This week’s guest columnist is Lakeisha Walker, assistant director of youth programs for the Atlanta Police Foundation. I was honored to hear Lakeisha’s personal testimonial as part of her speaking on a panel led by the Atlanta Police Foundation team at the July 19th […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Urban Agriculture in the Westside: Growing Community Resilience and Healing
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO of Westside Future Fund This week’s guest column is by Kim Karris, executive director of the Food Well Alliance. Thanks to the philanthropy of the James M. Cox Foundation, the Food Well Alliance was founded under the leadership of its current and inaugural chair, Bill Bolling. Kim was […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Atlanta University Center and Data Science: The Right Place at The Right Time
Introduction by John Ahmann, President & CEO, Westside Future Fund Our guest columnist this week is Todd Greene, executive director of the Atlanta University Center Consortium Inc. (AUC), the world’s oldest and largest contiguous association of historically Black colleges and universities. In his column, Todd expands on the critical importance of equipping students with data […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
Helping Men Who Struggle with Life Controlling Issues Gain Spiritual Growth and Total Healing
Intro by John Ahmann, President & CEO, Westside Future Fund This week’s column is written by John Barrow, Founder of A Better Way Ministries. I met John via his attendance at the Transform Westside Summits. John has a powerful personal story of redemption and service. You can read about it in his book: A Better […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Truly Living Well is Growing Food, People and Community
Intro by John Ahmann: Our guest columnist this week is Carol Hunter, Executive Director of Truly Living Well (TLW). I am grateful to Carol for sharing with us Truly Living Well’s impact and the organization’s innovative programs and activities in agricultural training, nutrition, education and job creation – all of which are mission-aligned with the […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
YWCA’s 36th Annual Salute to Women of Achievement
Intro by John Ahmann Recently, I had the honor of joining the YWCA of Greater Atlanta’ Salute to Women of Achievement, the annual event celebrating women leaders throughout Georgia whose professional and civic lives embody the organization’s mission to eliminate racism and empower women. I am grateful to this great organization, and the leadership of […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership, Uncategorized
Atlanta City Council District 3 Candidate Q&A
By John Ahmann, Executive Director, Westside Future Fund The Transform Westside Summit is the Westside Future Fund’s flagship community engagement meeting and has met bi-weekly (1st and 3rd Friday morning of each month) since October 2015. Our audience includes a diverse group of stakeholders, which is one aspect that makes these meetings unique. This past Friday, the […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
One Man’s Journey with Westside Works
Intro by John Ahmann: Demonstrating the power of We, this week’s column is a powerful personal testimonial by Nicholas Sherlock-Holmes, a successful graduate of the Westside Works’ Construction Ready program. Thanks to the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Westside Works for facilitating this week’s column. A partnership between the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and several nonprofits collaborating together, Westside […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
Grove Park Foundation’s Executive Director Talks About the Importance of Resident-Centered Community Engagement
Note from John Ahmann, President and CEO, Westside Future Fund Our last column was posted on December 10th, 2018 by Kathy Colbenson, President & CEO of Chris 180, on Building Community Through Partnership. We took a break from our weekly columns to celebrate the holidays, the New Year and the Super Bowl, wonderfully hosted by […]
Posted inHistoric Westside, http://leadership.saportareport.com/historic-westside/, Thought Leader, Thought Leadership
NFL Foundation, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation & Atlanta Super Bowl Host Committee unveil $2.4 million renovation of the Westside’s John F. Kennedy Park
By Westside Future Fund Each year, the NFL seeks to improve the surrounding communities of the Super Bowl host city, through the Super Bowl Legacy Grant Program, by giving an annual $1 million contribution from the NFL Foundation. This year, a $2.4 million grant – supported by funding from the NFL Foundation, Atlanta Super Bowl […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
It Takes a Village to Make a Park
By John Ahmann, Westside Future Fund’s president and CEO Under the leadership of Executive Director Michael Halicki, Park Pride has demonstrated the power of “we” in first leading to develop the Proctor Creek North Avenue Watershed Basin: A Green Infrastructure Vision and then helping to bring that vision to life with the recent ground breaking […]
