Making Sense of Meaning

MAKING SENSE OF MEANING: HOW CREATIVE DOCUMENTATION ENHANCES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The effort to document and research the Community Development Investments initiative grew up alongside the program itself, and the analytical approach reflects a balance between conveying the unique features of six distinct experiences and producing lessons of broader relevance to various fields of practice. This essay describes the ways in which the PolicyLink team, in close consultation with ArtPlace America, the grantees of the program, and a number of advisors, created and carried out an approach that was suited to the unique features and dimensions of the initiative.