*Each Monday, Prophet’s Chief Curator and Provocateur, Andy Stefanovich, shares a Monday on-ramp with Prophet employees across the globe. We’ll begin sharing them here, and encourage you to join the conversation by answering questions and providing your own comments below. Happy Monday!

Despite the hardships visited upon Detroit with the decline in the U.S. automotive industry, the city and its residents remain resilient and committed to its renaissance and success. And as politicians and civic leaders struggle to find a “magic bullet” solution to Motown’s economic woes, one visionary program has managed to create a collaborative network of engaged citizens supporting ideas that help their hometown.

Once a month about 100 people from all walks of life pay $5.00 to gather in a downtown loft for the evening. It isn’t to see a movie or attend a show – at least not in the traditional sense. Participants are actually part of a dinner project called Detroit SOUP that funds micro-grants for artists creating projects designed to help improve Detroit. Organizers call it “a democratic experiment in micro-funding.” As part of the “experiment,” attendees enjoy a healthy dinner prepared by volunteers. Then once they’re full of hearty soup, the diners hear and see presentations from artists working on city improvement projects.

The group engages in a vigorous debate, trading ideas and perspectives around the merit of each project. The evening culminates with a vote to determine which project will be funded with the proceeds from that night’s dinner. Detroit SOUP is evidence of a resilient community taking clear steps to improve its situation – and it’s a testament to the power of interpersonal creativity in developing and delivering ideas in support of a vision (in this case, a revitalized Detroit).

Founder Kate Daughdrill says that authenticity, community, honesty, and rewarding participation are key factors in the co-creation of ideas that will reactivate growth in the city. “We’re figuring out how to engage civically, how to be engaged citizens,” she says. “We’ve been excited to create this practical experience in democracy.”

Entrepreneurial initiatives like Detroit SOUP are successful because they rely on the commitment of a diverse set of stakeholders to bring a vision to life. Though varied in background, the participants form a community with a shared passion for change, and that’s what keeps the movement and the vision alive.