Designing Peace asks, how might we collectively put our creative forces together to envision a future we want to live in and take action to create it now? This book is an intersectional snapshot of the actions-culturally diverse and wide-ranging in scale-that are currently in play around the world. Offering perspectives on peace through essays, interviews, critical maps, project profiles, data visualizations, and art, this book conveys the momentum that design can gain in effecting a peace-filled future. From activists, scholars, and architects to policymakers, graphic, game, and landcape designers, Desiging Peace flips the conversation: peace is not simply a passive state signifying the absence of war, it is a dynamic concept that requires effort, expertise, and multi-dimensional solutions to address its complexity. Designers engage with individuals, communities, and organizations to create a more sustainable peace-from creative confrontations that challenge existing structures, to designs that demand embracing justice and truth in a search for reconciliation. This publication aims to expand the discourse on what is possible if society were to design for peace.

“Worth a read for anyone who cares about making change happen.”—Barack Obama A powerful new blueprint for how governments and nonprofits can harness the power of digital technology to help solve the most serious problems of the twenty-first century As the speed and complexity of the world increases, governments and nonprofit organizations need new ways to effectively tackle the critical challenges of our time—from pandemics and global warming to social media warfare. In Power to the Public, Tara Dawson McGuinness and Hana Schank describe a revolutionary new approach—public interest technology—that has the potential to transform the way governments and nonprofits around the world solve problems. Through inspiring stories about successful projects ranging from a texting service for teenagers in crisis to a streamlined foster care system, the authors show how public interest technology can make the delivery of services to the public more effective and efficient. At its heart, public interest technology means putting users at the center of the policymaking process, using data and metrics in a smart way, and running small experiments and pilot programs before scaling up. And while this approach may well involve the innovative use of digital technology, technology alone is no panacea—and some of the best solutions may even be decidedly low-tech. Clear-eyed yet profoundly optimistic, Power to the Public presents a powerful blueprint for how government and nonprofits can help solve society’s most serious problems.

By the People: Designing a Better America--the third volume in Cooper Hewitt's series on socially responsible design, which began with Design for the Other 90%--examines how design is effectively challenging poverty and social inequality across America. The book explores current social, economic and environmental issues in America with a particular focus on marginalized and underserved communities. By the People features design projects organized into six working themes: Act, Save, Share, Live, Learn and Make. It is a true manual--in format and content--featuring design solutions that expand access to education, food, health care and affordable housing; increase social and economic inclusion; offer improved alternative transportation options, and provide a balanced approach to land use between the built and natural environments. Cooper Hewitt Curator Cynthia E. Smith traveled to post-industrial cities, urban areas impacted by natural disasters, sprawling cities, places of persistent poverty and major metropolitan regions. Her research yielded nearly 400 potential projects from over 30 states and three indigenous nations (Navajo, Lakota, Pueblo). Smith met with local designers, community members and organizations. Her research was guided by the following questions: where does poverty exist? Why are poverty numbers increasing? What populations and communities are most affected? Who are the individuals, organizations and networks that are creating innovative and systemic approaches through design? What are the local, regional and scalable design solutions? In addition to the highly illustrated project profiles, By the People contains essays by, and interviews with, those designers and architects building the innovative and systemic approaches being developed through design.

This carefully curated collection of the writings and speeches of W. McNeil (Mac) Lowry will provide significant information about and insight into a remarkable period in the second half of the twentieth century, when the foundations of the arts as they now exist in the United States were creatively and firmly laid, primarily through Lowry's penetrating intellectual perspective and his strategic organizational acumen as Director of The Ford Foundation's unique Program in Humanities and the Arts. And many of the fundamental issues he raised and analyzed-why the arts should be valued and how they are best supported and governed-are no less pressing today. The significance of the material is framed and underscored by a foreword by Darren Walker, President of The Ford Foundation; an enlightening essay on "W. McNeil Lowry, the Arts and American Society" by the eminent scholar, Stanley Katz; poetic and powerful tributes to Lowry by Lincoln Kirstein and Peter Zeisler; and a context-setting introduction by the editor. Given the substantive variety and depth of the chapters, the volume will be of interest to a wide range of scholars and students, artists and administrators, both within and at the intersection of philanthropy, the arts, society, public policy and history.

"Worth a read for anyone who cares about making change happen."-Barack Obama A powerful new blueprint for how governments and nonprofits can harness the power of digital technology to help solve the most serious problems of the twenty-first century As the speed and complexity of the world increases, governments and nonprofit organizations need new ways to effectively tackle the critical challenges of our time-from pandemics and global warming to social media warfare. In Power to the Public, Tara Dawson McGuinness and Hana Schank describe a revolutionary new approach-public interest technology-that has the potential to transform the way governments and nonprofits around the world solve problems. Through inspiring stories about successful projects ranging from a texting service for teenagers in crisis to a streamlined foster care system, the authors show how public interest technology can make the delivery of services to the public more effective and efficient. At its heart, public interest technology means putting users at the center of the policymaking process, using data and metrics in a smart way, and running small experiments and pilot programs before scaling up. And while this approach may well involve the innovative use of digital technology, technology alone is no panacea-and some of the best solutions may even be decidedly low-tech. Clear-eyed yet profoundly optimistic, Power to the Public presents a powerful blueprint for how government and nonprofits can help solve society's most serious problems.

Charitable giving in the U.S. reached a new high in 2017 of more than $400 billion, with the majority of American households giving to charity. And every giver, from the tech titan to the everyday middle class citizen, needs to answer the same question: How do I channel my giving effectively to make the greatest difference? It's the fundamental question at the heart of philanthropy, whether givers want their donation to improve schools, prevent disease, or protect basic freedoms, and whether they are in a position to give $1 million or $1. Giving Done Right, by Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) President Phil Buchanan, arms donors with what it takes to do more good, more quickly, and to avoid predictable errors that lead too many astray. This is a crucial manual that will reveal the secrets and lessons learned - some painful, some powerful -- from some of the biggest givers. It will bust commonly held myths and demystify an opaque industry - setting donors up with both the practical "how-tos" and the inspiration that is needed for success. Giving Done Right offers the intellectual frameworks, data-driven insights, tools, and practical examples to allow readers to understand exactly what it takes to make a difference.