Enclosed in this progress report you will find updates from our Barton Institute team along with videos and articles about all of our program partners.
Commún Food Distribution
Letter from David Miller and Laura Barton
Dear Friends,
At a time when much of the world is in turmoil, we find inspiration by working locally. Our community is blessed with many, many wonderful people who are dedicated to making Metro Denver a better place to live.
As the Barton Institute enters its ninth year of existence and its sixth year of being an independent Colorado nonprofit organization, we’d like to take a little time to celebrate the work of our extraordinary program partners.
We passionately believe that positive social change can only come if it is based on community assets and led by those most impacted.
The Barton Institute plays two major roles. First and foremost, we are the fiscal sponsor for four exciting and important organizations: Colorado Safe Parking Initiative, Commún, Food Justice Northwest Aurora, and the Village Institute.
As fiscal sponsor, we provide business services, including accounting, human resources, payroll, and benefits. This frees up the social entrepreneurs who run the programs to focus more of their efforts on providing services to their communities. We also serve as informal coaches, helping our partners navigate fundraising, political, and operational challenges.
In 2025, the Barton Institute is beginning a new program: the Pathways Program. This program will assist mid-career social change leaders from historically marginalized groups with professional development, organizational capacity building, and strengthening connections.
This 2024 Progress Report highlights the work of our program partners and their communities. We hope you’ll learn about and be energized by their stories and that you’ll join them in striving to improve our communities.
The Pathways Program
The Barton Institute’s Pathways Program, set to launch in 2025, plans to engage social sector leaders with historically marginalized identities (BIPOC, LGTBQ+, and leaders with disabilities) in one-year mentoring relationships with a mentor who shares similar lived experiences and professional expertise. The program seeks to provide the next generation of leaders with creative, intentional, nuanced, and inclusive mentorship to advance social change.
Key Elements of The Pathways Program
Process
A process will be developed to select a small cohort of Metro Denver leaders and mentors with marginalized identities to participate in the Pathways Program.
Input
Leaders will have substantial input into who their mentors are and vice versa. Both groups may choose to be paired with partners who share some or all of their identities.
Connection
A variety of opportunities will be created for participants to get to know, learn, and work with each other over the course of a year.
Paid
Leaders and mentors will both be paid for their time for participating in the program.
Pathways Program
Wise Counsel
To ensure the program is grounded in the rich wisdom and experience that already exists within the sector, the Barton Institute has recruited eight individuals to provide “Wise Counsel” as we develop and implement the program. These exceptional leaders will help us shape a program that has deep impact and does not duplicate existing efforts.
