Foot Soldiers Park Selected as a Trust for Civic Life Civic Entrepreneur grantee!

We are thrilled to announce that Foot Soldiers Park has been selected to receive a Civic Entrepreneur grant from the Trust for Civic Life, a new grantmaking collaborative working to create opportunities and spaces for communities to find common ground, connect in new and meaningful ways, solve problems together, and feel confident in a shared future.

This funding will help us deepen our civic engagement efforts and power-building strategies. We believe that community power starts with informed, connected, and active citizens, and this grant allows us to cultivate exactly that.

We will expand our work to create a more civically engaged community by hosting neighborhood-led forums, youth civic education events, and organizing training sessions that equip residents with the tools to lead and advocate for lasting change.

“This investment in Selma is not just about a program—it’s about honoring our legacy while building a future where civic engagement is vibrant, accessible, and transformational,” said Foot Soldiers Park CEO, Kimberly Smitherman. “We can’t wait to put this grant to work for the people of Selma.”

The Trust for Civic Life’s Civic Entrepreneur program supports over 100 grassroots projects in rural communities each year, helping bring people together through innovative and locally rooted ideas. From canning clubs to bike repair initiatives, these projects demonstrate what’s possible when communities are trusted to lead.

Foot Soldiers Park was nominated for the grant by dozens of local leaders and community members close to our work. Of the over three hundred nominations received, only 52 were given grants to activate in their communities.

“Each of the Civic Entrepreneur grantees is using their creativity to get more people interested and involved in their communities,” said Charlie Brown, Trust for Civic Life Executive Director. “These grantees know what their community members want and what resonates with them, and we are excited to provide the resources that will help bring their ideas to life.”

We are excited to partner with the Trust for Civic Life to spark local civic participation and get more people in Selma involved in working together to tackle the community issues that they care about.