definition /wīld/ noun: 1. uncultivated
At the core of Wild Project workshops is an approach utilizing five basic organizing leadership practices that draw upon a rich history of community organizing, social movements, and campaigns. This framework is taught at the Harvard Kennedy School by Dr. Marshall Ganz, a celebrated civil rights organizer, and has been adapted in cultures and contexts launching grassroots efforts around the world.
Participants are intentionally recruited in small groups of 5-7 people where they will learn together and explore campaigns that will make a meaningful impact within their own organization, community, or cause. Each participant will learn the following five practices with the goal of returning home to apply their learnings:
- How to articulate a story of why you were called to lead, a story of those whom you hope to mobilize, and a story of action: self, us, and now.
- How to build intentional relationships as the foundation of purposeful collective actions.
- How to structure a team with shared purpose, ground rules and roles for effective leadership.
- How to strategize turning resources into the power to achieve clear goals.
- How to translate strategy into measurable, motivational, and effective action.
The workshops are coordinated by Dan Grandone, who brings 20 years of experience as a community organizer and leadership trainer. Dan has adapted this framework in cultures and contexts across the country and internationally, and served as a Teaching Fellow with Professor Ganz. Additional trainers are recruited from the Leading Change Network—a global community of practice with extensive experience leading workshops.
A priority of the Wild Project is building capacity of new trainers in this framework. Since launching, we’ve seen the growth of an expanding number of trainers who with coaching support have taken an active role in leading training sessions!
Workshop opportunities include:
leadership & training team
leadership & training team
leadership & training team
Trainers are recruited from the Leading Change Network, a global community of practice that brings extensive organizing experience in leading workshops and developing local training capacity. Hundreds of workshop participants have also been developed to take active roles in facilitating small group work and leading training sessions.
partner organizations
partner organizations
partner organizations

We have intentionally engaged a diverse spectrum of communities, including African American and Latinx leaders, the Hmong community, Native American tribes, small family farmers, high school and college students, and neighborhood organizations and groups working to impact education, health care, racial equity, economic justice, mass incarceration, and the environment.
special thanks to our funders
special thanks to our funders
special thanks to our funders