Local Power, Lasting Impact: Mobilizing Community Foundations Through Arts and Culture

Community foundations are uniquely positioned to catalyze change at the local level, even amidst shifting federal priorities and uncertainty. In partnership with CFLeads (Community Foundations Leading Change), this webinar will provide an overview of how community foundations organize to meet urgent needs and build long-term resilience. Through real-world examples, the session will highlight how arts and culture serve as powerful tools for civic engagement, connection, and community healing.

Join Dr. Leonard Brock (CFLeads), Sharon DeMark (Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation), and Yuki Numata Resnick (Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo) on Tuesday, July 22 at 2pm ET / 11am PT to explore how funders can strengthen local infrastructure and uplift grassroots organizations responding to today’s challenges with creativity and care.

This program was developed in partnership with CFLeads.

Live captioning will be available in English throughout the webinar. For additional accommodation requests, please contact GIA Senior Program Manager Jaime Sharp, at least three (3) business days prior to the event.

Speakers

Dr. Leonard Brock, CFLeads

Dr. Leonard M. Brock is the Vice President at CFLeads, the national network of community foundations advancing economic mobility and racial equity. A seasoned executive, leadership coach, and scholar-practitioner, Dr. Brock has over a decade of experience in nonprofit, corporate, government, and academic sectors. He holds a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University, along with degrees in Communication Studies and Public Administration from SUNY Brockport.

Dr. Brock has worked nationally to drive systemic change in education, workforce development, and poverty reduction. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant, delivering impactful workshops on leadership, organizational change, and strategic planning. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including Rochester Business Journal’s “Top Forty Under 40” and the New York State TRIO Achiever Award.

A native of Rochester, NY, Dr. Brock’s lived experience fuels his commitment to addressing social inequities. His leadership at CFLeads strengthens community foundations’ ability to create lasting change. Whether guiding national initiatives or mentoring emerging leaders, Dr. Brock remains dedicated to building pathways to opportunity and justice.

Sharon DeMark, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation 

Sharon DeMark (she/her/hers) is a program officer for the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, the F. R. Bigelow Foundation and the Mardag Foundation in the areas of arts and humanities, aging services, and legal services. For the past twelve years, she has been an active member of the Racial Equity Funders Collaborative, working with other arts funders in Minnesota to address inequities and injustice in the field. Prior to working in philanthropy, she headed education/community engagement departments for theaters and performing arts centers in the Twin Cities and New York City. In that work she was instrumental in founding international children’s festivals at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul and at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. She serves as a member of the board of directors of Grantmakers in the Arts. Sharon is also a watercolor artist. In 2020 she collaborated with poet Margaret Hasse on a book of poems and paintings entitled “Shelter,” published by Nodin Press.

Yuki Numata Resnick, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo

Yuki Numata Resnick is a violinist, nonprofit leader, and educator. In 2023, Yuki was selected as NY State Senator Sean Ryan's Women of Distinction Honoree for her commitment to equitable access to music education in her adopted home of Buffalo, NY. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Yuki holds violin performance degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Michigan. She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. As a violinist, Yuki has performed on stages from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall and is a passionate advocate for new music. A versatile musician, Yuki has also played with and recorded for artists and bands such as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, The National, Beirut, King Princess, and Lisa Hannigan. From 2019-2023, Yuki was the first paid Executive Director of Buffalo String Works, an organization she co-founded, steadily growing the organization’s capacity to serve over 150 refugee, immigrant, and historically-marginalized youth. At the time of her departure, Buffalo String Works employed 22 staff and faculty and had a budget of nearly $1M. Yuki is currently the Director of Arts and Culture at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Her role oversees a large portion of the Community Foundation’s arts grantmaking and strategy across Western NY. Yuki is dedicated to ensuring that the values of equity and access are lifted up throughout Western NY’s arts and culture community.