MRBF's definition of "grassroots leaders" and reasons for investing in them and their communities:
"As the 'roots' part of the name implies, grassroots leaders know and celebrate where they come from. At the same time, they hold a vision for personal and community development. Their roots intertwine with neighbors in bonds of mutual accountability. And, like the roots of any living organism, they use local assets (human, social, political, economic, and physical) to nurture growth and development in their communities. They create networks of support and knowledge, including both other grassroots leaders and mainstream leaders, upon which those communities can stand, and from which new growth and development can spring. They connect with partners outside the community to build investments and assets in the community, often beginning with struggles to establish parity in negotiations and then progressing to working partnerships."