Thank you to all the loyal followers of Vanguard. As you may know, the Community Development Society has recently changed management companies. With that comes many changes to things we use on a regular basis, such as email and support programs. To ensure that you, the member, are kept fully up to date and never miss any of the vital communications from our organization, I encourage you to add This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to your address book. These are two main email addresses that our management team will use to send you information about upcoming events and engagement opportunities in CDS. If you use Gmail, you can simply drag the next issue of Vanguard from your "Promotions" tab into your "Primary" inbox. Gmail will then remember that you want to see Vanguard there and you won't miss a beat! 

Additonally, I want to apologize for the late publication of July's Vanguard. With all of these changes and with the many personal and professional responsibilities I have as an independent consultant and mom of littles, I simply was not able to get Vanguard out mid-month as usual. I'm sorry for any inconvenience that this may have caused and I appreciate your understanding and support. I love being the Vanguard Editor and sharing with all of you the exciting updates of our members and organization. Thanks for subscribing!

If there is any way that you see to improve Vanguard, please let me know by sending me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I'm listening to your feedback and am planning on updating the format of Vanguard in the near future so that it is more mobile friendly. I'd love to hear from you!

Here we are and it's January again. It's a time of renewal, or simply catch-up after the holiday season. I decided not to make any resolutions this year, but rather to focus on a few goals and areas for improvement. Many of these relate to my career as a community development practitioner, such as being more timely and to take on less responsibility. I want to focus on this things that are most important to me in 2014, namely my family and my career, which is why I started out with these simpler points. Likewise, I want Vanguard to continue to improve and be an important resource for me fellow CDS members and colleagues. Do you have any CD resolutions you want to share? Do you have any ideas on how Vanguard can improve to be more useful to you? Share your thoughts here!

The important niche that the Community Development Society holds for the field is bringing together scholars and practitioners.  Conferences and publications make that happen and CD Practice is where thoughtful practitioners can shine. 

Why should practitioners share their tools in a scholarly publication?  The answers to that question are more practical than you might think:

• Sharing the tools and strategies you use in a peer-reviewed publication provides an external opinion that your organization or program has merit. Funders and collaborators will appreciate that endorsement.
• The process of writing an article can help you think through your purpose and process in a way you never thought of it before.  This can ultimately improve your product, or at least the way you describe it to others. One practitioner said it well, “I’ve never been forced to put a lens like this to what we do. And we’ve been doing it for years.”
• Ever thought of forming a tighter relationship with your local university?  Creating scholarship from your practice can engage students, capstone courses or professors in your work. Again, that affiliation with your university can bring contacts and credibility with some new audiences.
• Moreover, CD Practice is a chance for you to influence scholars; to recommend that research questions be addressed. 
• And, of course, published articles are great networking tools.  They are an easy way to share your wealth of knowledge with practitioners and scholars alike across the country and the world.

Curious about how to get started with your submission to CD Practice?  Visit our website or call Joyce Hoelting at 612-625-8233.  

By Joyce Hoelting

Edited by Cindy Banyai