The leadership role of community foundations in building social capital

摘要

The concept of social capital is important in determiningna community’s ability to advance the healthnand well-being of local residents, respond effectivelynto natural disasters, and plan for the opportunitiesnand challenges that will present themselves in thenfuture. Communities differ substantially in the degreento which residents engage in civic affairs, participatenin organized groups, volunteer, contribute money toncharity, and trust one another, especially across racial,nethnic, and economic lines. In his seminal booknBowling Alone, Robert Putnam summarizes a largenbody of empirical science documenting that communitiesnwith a high level of social capital have betternphysical and mental health, stronger economies, andnbetter systems for educating and caring for youth.nOther factors such as monetary wealth and incomeninequality are obviously important as well, but therenis little doubt that social capital is an important independentnfactor in explaining which communities donwell and which communities struggle.