GreenLight Fund Kansas City, one of 13 GreenLight Fund sites around the country, has taken the national network’s community-centered grants process a step further. In addition to its Selection Advisory Council, made up of nonprofit, business, and philanthropy leaders who help pick organizations to support, GreenLight Kansas City also has a Community Consultants program. The funder describes the consultants as “natural leaders with lived experience from the communities where GreenLight Kansas City aims to have the most significant impact.”

In this video, GreenLight staff talk about their desire for deeper community input and how the consultants program, which is being picked up by other GreenLight sites, is informing decision making. We also hear from consultants, including Germarie Torres Santiago, who says the reason community voice is so important is because “we know what the people need … and want to see in the future.”