On the Table

On The Table is an initiative started by The Chicago Community Trust.[1] On a single day individual hosts invite a small group of people (6-12) to a conversation over food. Hosts have included civic leaders and community organizations, but anyone can register to host, and who is invited is entirely up to the host. Ideally those invited do not know each other well except for their connection to the host. There is no agenda or pre-determined outcome of the conversation except to catalog what was discussed and what actions were suggested to address the concerns of participants. The results of the conversations are summarized and reported back to the community in a formal report.

On The Table Logo 2014

The Chicago Community Trust created and organized the first On the Table event in 2014 and since then more than 30 communities have held On the Table events. More than 250,000 people have participated.[2]

History

The Chicago Community Trust held a series of “Chicago Dinners” in the late 1990s and early 2000s in partnership with the Human Relations Commission, bringing together area residents from different races and ethnicities to talk about race relations. In 2014, the Trust organized the first ever On the Table to engage everyday residents in discussing ways to improve the community. More than 11,500 people participated and it has continued in Chicago every year since.

In the following year 25,000 participated, then 55,000 in 2016, and 100,000 in 2017 roughly doubling every year.[2] In 2016, the Trust added a new component, the Acting Up awards – small financial awards to sponsor ideas discussed during On the Table conversations.

Expansion and replication

In 2017, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation provided $2 million in new funding to expand the program to a dozen other cities.[3] In 2019, The Chicago Community Trust and the Knight Foundation partnered to launch the National Learning Network, a virtual learning community for foundations, civic institutions, and nonprofit leaders who have implemented or have shown interest in replicating the On the Table model.[4]

Events
LocationOrganization Initiative Name (If not On the Table) Affiliation 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Website
Akron, OHAkron Community Foundation Knight City





October 3, 2017 October 3, 2018 October 3, 2019 https://www.onthetableakron.com/
Bedford, MA AHA! (Art, History & Architecture) Our Story February 9, 2017 http://www.ahanewbedford.org/ourstory.php
Birmingham, AL Birmingham Foundation Kitchen Table April 8, 2014 April, 7, 2015 http://www.birminghamkitchentable.com/
Bozeman, MT Bozeman Community Foundation A Seat at the Table October 25, 2018 https://www.atthetablegv.org


Charleston, SCThe Library Foundation October 4, 2018 https://www.lowcountryonthetable.org/
Charlotte, NCFoundation for the Carolinas Knight City October 25, 2017 October 24, 2018 https://www.onthetableclt.org/
Chicago, ILChicago Community Trust May 12, 2014 May 12, 2015 May 10, 2016 May 16, 2017 May 8, 2018 May 14, 2019 http://onthetable.com
Cleveland, OH Cleveland Foundation Common Ground June 30, 2017 https://www.clevelandfoundation.org/news/common-ground/
Columbia, SC Central Carolina Community Foundation Knight City October 24, 2018 https://onthetablecola.org/
Columbus, GACommunity Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley Knight City November 7, 2017 October 23, 2018 http://www.onthetablechatt.com/
Columbus, OH The Columbus Foundation The Big Table August 1, 2016 May 17, 2017 August 29, 2018 August 28, 2019 https://columbusfoundation.org/the-big-table
Denver, CO University of Denver A Community Table September 17-20, 2018 April 10, 2019 https://www.du.edu/ccesl/ourwork/grand-challenges/act.html
Detroit, MICommunity Foundation For Southeast Michigan Knight City October 4, 2017 https://cfsem.org/initiative/on-the-table/
Franklin, TN Franklin Tomorrow October 30, 2018 https://franklintomorrow.org/onthetable/
Gary, INLegacy Foundation Knight City September 26, 2017 http://www.legacyfdn.org/onthetable/
Georgetown, TX City of Georgetown October 2, 2018 https://2030.georgetown.org/how-do-i-get-involved/ott/
Jefferson Hills, PA Jefferson Regional Foundation Around the Table South October 15-19, 2018 https://aroundthetablesouth.org/
Lancaster, PA Lancaster County Community Foundation At the Table May 20-21, 2016 https://atthetablelanc.com/es/indice/
Lexington, KYBlue Grass Community Foundation Knight City March 15, 2017 March 28, 2018 https://www.bgcf.org/onthetable
Long Beach, CALong Beach Community Foundation Around the Table Knight City September 27, 2017 December 3-4, 2018 https://www.aroundthetablelb.com/
Macon, GA Community Foundation of Central Georgia Knight City October 17, 2019 https://onthetablemacon.com/
Marshall County, KY Lexington Public Library Foundation The Community Table September 12, 2018 https://www.marshallcolibrary.org/resources/community-table
Miami, FLThe Miami Foundation My Miami Story Knight City October 28, 2016 October 17, 2017 October 23, 2018 https://miamifoundation.org/mymiamistory/
Milwaukee, WIGreater Milwaukee Foundation October 17, 2017 October 9, 2018 http://onthetablemke.org/
National Independent Sector Threads: Community Conversations March – August 2015 Independent Sector did a series of OTT's 2018 https://independentsector.org/resource/threads/
National SAGE Foundation SAGE Table May 18, 2017 April 26, 2018 http://www.sagetable.org/about-us/our-team/
Orlando, FL Southwest Florida Community Foundation October 17, 2019 https://floridacommunity.com/on-the-table/
Philadelphia, PA The Philadelphia Foundation Knight City May 23, 2017 November 8, 2018 https://www.philafound.org/OurWork/Updates/OnTheTablePhilly.aspx
Pittsburgh, PAJefferson Regional Foundation Around the Table South October 15-19, 2018 https://aroundthetablesouth.org/about/
Silicon Valley Region, CA Silicon Valley Community Foundation Knight City November 15, 2017 October 25, 2018 https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/onthetable
State of Colorado Colorado Foundation At the Table September 17-20, 2018 http://atthetablecolorado.org/
Toronto, ON, Canada Toronto Foundation 1000 Dinners TO October 14, 2014 https://rexdalelab.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/1000-dinners-toronto-2014-final-report/
Vancouver, BCVancouver Foundation September 13, 2018 https://onthetablebc.com/
West Palm Beach, FL Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Knight City October 24, 2018 https://www.yourcommunityfoundation.org/onthetable

References
  1. "Where Chicago meets up on a single day". On the Table.
  2. "On the Table History". On the Table.
  3. "Knight Foundation Renews 'On the Table' With $2 Million Grant". Philanthropy News Digest. March 3, 2018.
  4. "About". On the Table.
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