A new nonprofit--provisionally called Institute for Democratic Practice--will expand but not limit current work in Haiti. More than 180 people have made financial contributions to Beyond Borders' Circles of Change program. A new nonprofit will not change the way that people currently contribute financially to Circles of Change. They may continue writing checks out to Beyond Borders, earmarking them for Circles of Change. Institute for Democratic Practice will refer to it's Haiti activities as Circles of Change as well.
John Engle will continue to play a role in the leadership of Beyond Borders. He will also be a partner in Institute for Democratic Practices and fold most or all of his activities currently under John Engle Associates into Institute for Democratic Practice. The potential benefit to John's work in bringing Circles of Change and John Engle Associates' activities under one banner is 1) a more seamless message that makes clear the purpose and goal of all his activities 2) working with a team that can advise and better support 3) receiving grants and contributions to facilitate work in US and elsewhere as opposed to only in Haiti.
John Engle Associates has had roughly ten contracts during the past two years to organize and facilitate Open Space meetings. All of these contracts have been with nonprofit organizations and/or networks and all could have just as easily been with an entity called Institute for Democratic Practice.
Two initiatives John is working on currently would benefit from being identified as initiatives of Institute for Democratic Practice. They are [Haiti Salon] and [Intro to Touchstones & Exchange]