Today “Big Philanthropy” has an outside influence on American life, on institutions, and on community growth and development. This course introduces students to an alternative—”Community Philanthropy”—in which local people, supported by outside donors, identify and define the projects and organizations that build a resilient community. Students will explore multiple strands of American philanthropy, and they will gain first-hand knowledge of a rural mountain community, its challenges, and the ways in which it can move toward flourishing in a collaborative way. Students will participate in a grant program that contributes $30,000 to community non-profit organizations. Open only to new first-year students.