TableTalk Phase 2: What to Expect
Featured Photo Credit: Emily Wray
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For 5 years, Central Florida Foundation’s TableTalk has served as a community day of civic engagement and an exercise in productive conversations. It has been an event that sparked new ideas, with some even being funded by the Foundation through its microgrant program, with the potential to make Central Florida an even better place to call home.
After many strategy sessions and data-driven decision making, TableTalk is entering into a new phase – and we’re excited to share it with you!
Where We’ve Been
Since its inception TableTalk has had four core elements.
Each element manifests in different ways, such as Innovative Ideation sparking from the actual conversations and Data Collection comprising of qualitative table host notes and anonymous survey results. Each element ensures that TableTalk stays on track with its goal of being a positive community experience that adds value to our region.
TableTalk’s current framework involves organized small group conversations of 6-10 people where participants engage in facilitated discussions on topics within the Thrive Framework – meaning that virtually any social issue has the potential to be a topic of conversation.
The results have been more than we could have ever hoped:
- More than 30 ideas sparked during past TableTalks were funded through the initiative’s microgrant program.
- Four (4) community reports have been produced through anonymous participant surveys; these reports have helped to guide CFF’s grantmaking and initiative building to better serve our community. The reports are also shared with the community so everyone can benefit from an improved understanding of our region. The most recent report also helped to inform CFF’s 2023-2024 Community Landscape, which outlines opportunities and challenges in each Thrive area.
- View the most recent TableTalk report here.
- A Letter to Leaders was shared this year with public officials who have a stake in Central Florida with 3 calls-to-action to encourage continued progress.
With these results in place and a true community backing of this initiative, TableTalk is ready for its next phase.
Before we dive into this new direction for TableTalk, let’s briefly reflect on Central Florida Foundation’s philosophy on the initiatives and projects it develops or helps to develop with other community leaders. No matter the project, CFF’s end goal is almost always to allow for these projects to be a part of the community itself, interwoven into the very identity of Central Florida.
It’s not a quick process, however, CFF’s team of philanthropic and community experts are especially skilled at taking an idea that has potential and helping it live and breathe on its own, so it is ready to go out into the community in a more nuanced way.
After TableTalk’s “pilot” period, we’re excited to share a plan with you that will allow TableTalk to be molded and customized even more into a program that reflects the diverse communities of Central Florida.
TableTalk Phase 2
The Details
At its core, TableTalk Phase 2 will be a more decentralized and “community-owned” approach, aiming to empower organizations who believe in the power of the TableTalk model to create their own TableTalk that is specifically tailored to the community that they serve. While CFF will still provide the backbone for TableTalk and a set of guidelines and support, this time around CFF will be working with 10 local organizations (those of which are yet to be determined) with the goal of developing a more nuanced TableTalk experience. Those organizations will be awarded a microgrant to aid in conducting their TableTalk and will have a core set of responsibilities so that a community report can still be composed based on those conversations.
Through this transition, CFF seeks to cultivate a sense of ownership and responsibility among community members, allowing them to tailor discussions to their specific needs and interests. This shift towards community ownership not only promotes inclusivity and diversity but also fosters a deeper sense of engagement and investment in the collective well-being of Central Florida.
As far as TableTalk’s core elements, all four continue to be an integral part of this initiative.
So, what exactly does this look like? TableTalk will still have its iconic logo, general structure, and support from the Foundation. (We’re not going anywhere!) However, what each of the 10 TableTalk events look and feel like – well, that will be largely based on the organizations and the communities they serve!
What does this mean for you?
If you’re an individual feeling like this direction doesn’t leave a seat open for you, we want to assure you that there will still be a place for a community-minded resident to get involved, but it will be through the organizations that are selected.
The most important step you can take right now, whether you are an individual who wants to stay involved or an organization that hopes to be a part of TableTalk Phase 2, is to make sure you stay connected to CFF for upcoming announcements on how to get involved – through social media (@cffound) and our newsletter. Sign up here! Details on how organizations can indicate interest in participating in TableTalk will be shared during summer 2024.
Together, we know we can take TableTalk to a new level of inclusion and effectiveness through a more nuanced and intentional experience.
Stay tuned for more announcements!
Tags: community landscape, community report, new tabletalk, phase 2, tabletalk, thrive