Woodson Center

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Transforming lives, schools, and troubled neighborhoods, from the inside out.

Woodson Center has headquarters in Washington, DC, but operates throughout the nation to help community and faith-based organizations with training, technical assistance, and linkages to sources of support. The Center chronicles and interprets their experiences to make recommendations for public policy and works to remove barriers that hamper their efforts to solve societal problems. The Woodson Center has provided training to more than 2600 leaders of grassroots organizations in 39 states. The principles on which Woodson Center was founded are:

1) Low-income individuals and neighborhood-based organizations should play a central role in the design and implementation of programs to address the problems of their communities;

2) An effective approach to societal problems must be driven by the same principles that function in the market economy, recognizing the importance of competition, entrepreneurship, cost efficiency, and an expectation of return on investment; and

3) Value-generating and faith-based initiatives are uniquely qualified to address problems of poverty that are related to behavior and life choices.

10/14/2026

10/13/2026

"The Golden 13 example and the example of the life of Robert Smalls are just a few examples of what I call Radical Grace in Action, and they really exemplify the best that is America." - Bob Woodson, 2020 interview with Hillsdale College

The Golden 13: the first black officers commissioned by the
US Navy who showed resilience and strength of character despite the unfair obstacles placed in their path.
Robert Smalls: he commandeered a Confederate gunship as he led his family to freedom, later becoming a US congressman and entrepreneur.

These are just two examples of lesser-known Americans who showed the integrity, courage, and resilience that embodies the true values of our country.
Learn these and other stories in the Woodson Center's K-12 Black History and Excellence curriculum.

Free Robert Smalls lesson: https://woodsoncenter.org/project/robert-smalls-part-2-1839-1915/

Free Golden 13 lesson: https://woodsoncenter.org/project/the-golden-thirteen-1944/

10/08/2026

A room in his honor💙

With our president Will Crossley and Mr. Woodson's wife Ellen in attendance, our wonderful CAN affiliate, The Master's Apprentice [Denver, CO], dedicated a space to our late founder: the Robert Woodson Community Room. Not only a profoundly kind gesture, but also a testament to the enduring legacy Mr. Woodson has left all of us.

The Master's Apprentice offers pre-apprenticeship programs in the trades, created to help motivated individuals from low-income backgrounds.
Learn more: https://themastersapprentice.org/

10/07/2026

FINAL REMINDER: You have until October 9th, 11:59PM to submit your applications to qualify for a Rising Leaders OR min-grant!
See graphics for information.

Apply for CAN: https://woodsoncenter.org/how-we-help/community-affiliates-network/

10/02/2026

"They just don't know black history. This is great even for my college students." - professor from ASALH

Exhibiting our K-12 Black History and Excellence curriculum in new spaces -like at the 111th ASALH: Association for the Study of African American Life and History conference, in honor of Black History Month founder Carter G. Woodson- allows us to hear on-the ground perspectives and insights into the world of education. It was wonderful interacting with so many thoughtful, enthusiastic participants! Thank you for having us!

09/30/2026

Join us for a tribute to the life and work of Mr. Woodson today, September 30, 2026 from 2:00 PM to 6:15 PM ET. Watch it live online at this link: https://www.aei.org/events/radical-grace-a-tribute-to-the-life-and-work-of-bob-woodson/.

Join AEI for an afternoon commemorating Bob Woodson’s triumphant legacy. We will reflect on his ideas, leadership, and example that transformed communities and inspired generations to become agents of their own uplift.

09/29/2026

Quantitative results are important, but many of our affiliates are doing meaningful community work that is qualitative--and therefore cannot be measured solely with numbers. In our spaces of influence, we mustn't overlook an individual, organization, or program simply because the yielded results don't show up in an off-the-charts graph. If lives are being transformed in untraditional ways, it's up to us to find ways to capture and promote these testimonies.

Learn more about our work: https://woodsoncenter.org/

09/25/2026

DEADLINE REMINDER: Submit your application(s) by OCTOBER 9TH.

The Woodson Center is awarding up to $5,000 in individual grants to organizations and that are doing transformative, mission-aligned work in their neighborhoods and communities.
We are also providing our Rising Leaders grant for individuals who do not have their 501c3 but have made invaluable contributions to their communities.

REQUIREMENTS>>>

Rising Leader: $1,000 grant available to those who join our CAN network but do not have a 501c3

Mini-Grant: Up to $5,000 available to those with specific project proposals and are 1) in our CAN network and 2) have their 501c3

Join our Community Affiliate Network here to apply and PLEASE SHARE: https://woodsoncenter.org/.../community-affiliates-network/

09/24/2026

The values that are the moral backbone of the communities and "mediating structures" we inhabit will shape - for better or worse- how we view history, and the "moral of the story" we attribute to what we're teaching.

[Will Crossley, President of the Woodson Center speaking at workshop session for National Council for the Social Studies 2025 in Washington D.C.]

Address

1625 K Street NW STE 410
Washington D.C., DC
20006

Telephone

(202) 518-6500

Website

https://woodsoncenter.org/

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