On the Table

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On The Table Logo 2014

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.

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

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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

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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

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Location | Organization  | Initiative Name (If not On the Table) | Affiliation | 2014  | 2015  | 2016  | 2017  | 2018  | 2019  | Website

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Akron, OH | Akron 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, SC | The Library Foundation |  |  |  |  |  |  | October 4, 2018  |  | https://www.lowcountryonthetable.org/
Charlotte, NC | Foundation for the Carolinas |  | Knight City  |  |  |  | October 25, 2017  | October 24, 2018  |  | https://www.onthetableclt.org/
Chicago, IL | Chicago 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, GA | Community 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, MI | Community 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, IN | Legacy 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, KY | Blue Grass Community Foundation |  | Knight City  |  |  |  | March 15, 2017  | March 28, 2018  |  | https://www.bgcf.org/onthetable
Long Beach, CA | Long 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, FL | The Miami Foundation | My Miami Story | Knight City  |  |  | October 28, 2016  | October 17, 2017  | October 23, 2018  |  | https://miamifoundation.org/mymiamistory/
Milwaukee, WI | Greater 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, PA | Jefferson 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, BC | Vancouver 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

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1. ^ "Where Chicago meets up on a single day". On the Table.
2. ^ a b "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.