Skip to content
ADVERTISEMENT

Meet the Nonprofit Innovators

The Sweet Water Foundation, led by Emmanuel Pratt, has created a two-acre urban farm in a long-neglected section of Chicago’s South Side. “It’s an active re-rooting of the neighborhood,” Pratt says.
The Sweet Water Foundation, led by Emmanuel Pratt, has created a two-acre urban farm in a long-neglected section of Chicago’s South Side. “It’s an active re-rooting of the neighborhood,” Pratt says.

Creativity abounds in the nonprofit world. Every day dedicated leaders question the accepted way of doing things and argue there has to be a better approach. They make bold, unorthodox connections between problems and pioneer cutting-edge solutions. Not afraid to go against the grain, these trailblazers sometimes turn to the past for inspiration to build a new future.

It isn’t easy to be ahead of the curve. People often struggle to understand their ideas. But mavericks keep fighting, even when it’s a struggle to rally grant makers and donors.

This month, we celebrate nonprofit and foundation leaders who are forging a new path for the common good. We hope their courage and ingenuity inspire you in the vital work that you do.

A version of this article appeared in the Dec. 3, 2019 issue.