Building on what’s working and making it thrive will be the theme of The Greater Clark Foundation’s fourth annual AMBITIONFest! later this month. 

GCF will kick off the new year with the free community event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Campbell Junior High School.

Internationally-acclaimed speaker and author Rich Harwood will share the results of a recent project conducted by The Harwood Institute which looked at Winchester and Clark County to learn more about the community and identify strengths that can be built upon to move forward.

Topics will include rethinking how we improve politics and public life, generating the civic capacity needed to move the community forward and getting things done that work for the whole community. 

GCF has partnered with The Harwood Institute on a three-year project, announced in October, to help Clark County-area residents become better equipped to work together on moving the community forward.

The Harwood Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Bethesda, Maryland, that teaches, coaches and inspires people and organizations to solve pressing problems and transform how communities work together. Founded by Rich Harwood in 1988, the Institute partners with some of the world’s largest nonprofits and its tools and frameworks have spread to all 50 states in the U.S., across Australia and Canada, and have been used by individuals in more than 40 countries worldwide.

The Institute develops community leaders called “public innovators” to “turn outward” — to develop a deep knowledge of their community and use that knowledge to make more intentional choices and judgments to solve problems and create greater impact. In Dec. 2015, GCF sponsored five area residents to learn about the Institute’s approach to change at their national Public Innovators Lab.

“The information gathered by The Harwood Institute will lay the foundation for the up to 100 people who wish to join the Public Innovators Lab later this spring,” Jen Algire, GCF president and chief executive officer, said. “The insights will guide community members’ efforts as they look at ways to build on what’s working and make it thrive.”

 The Institute undertook a series of conversations with people from different neighborhoods and areas across Winchester and Clark County during the fall of 2016. The cross-section of people included community leaders such as elected officials, leaders of government agencies, non-profits and religious institutions, as well as high school youth and Clark County residents. People were given a chance to share more about the kind of community they want to live in, the challenges they see in making progress and possible ways to move forward. 

In addition to Harwood’s presentation, GCF will provide a short update about the Foundation, including recent What’s Your Ambition?! grants and Project 1107. 

For more information, visit ClarkAmbition.org or call 859-355-9054.