Taproot Institute

Taproot Institute is our answer to the complex world of Community Benefits Agreements, offering community groups the tools, templates, and training they need to navigate negotiations with private developers and cities. We know that these agreements can be transformative, ensuring new developments bring real, lasting benefits—like affordable housing, living wages, and open, accessible space—directly to the people who call these neighborhoods home. Through workshops, accessible resources, and one-on-one guidance, Taproot Institute helps demystify the process so communities can advocate for themselves with confidence and clarity. This is just one piece of the arts ecosystem we’re nurturing, recognizing that creative communities need not just inspiration, but real power at the table. With Taproot, we’re rooting justice and equity into every new project, one agreement at a time.