March Board And Staff Learning Journey Experience
March 7 & 8 | Durham, NC
Purpose: Connect the reflections of our learnings to our Strategic Directions in a way that activates their progress forward.
Objectives: Envision our vision and mission in a series of THINK BIG vision snapshots. Share reflections from our 2023 EJI experience and their recommendations. Decompose our Strategic Directions and 2024 Organizational Goals.
Mood Check (In a word, describe your mood right now...) : 35 responses
Summary MRBF convened an insightful and compelling experience centered in grantees and the impact of their work. This learning journey had a number of illuminating moments on the context of their strategic direction, their 2024 Organizational Goals and their recommendations from their EJI experience last year. The observations from board and staff that partcipated and engaged the experience - in most cases, in a profound way, has offered up a series of lessons learned that are shared on the pages that follow in this report out. There are a number of questions and recommendations the board and staff might consider as they continue the purposeful movement of their work. Storytelling can be a critical capability and toolset for the full range of stakeholders - from board to staff to grantees. This learning experience surfaced a genuine interest in tools for this space as the rallied around the power of storytelling to advance their work. It would be well worth the time and effort of MRBF to mobilize around this opportunity and build it into their work. MRBF uniquely sits at the intersection of a number of moving parts in the American South that, with more recognition of that and thoughtful, intentional planning, can be a powerful accelerator of their work. Profiling grantee wins and shining a spotlight on their work with other grantees present while providing a learning experience for them to adapt and implement is a signficant opportunity. Bringing together these voices seemed to be a unique and heroic experience. Perhaps MRBF might aspire to make these types of group with added intention in learning common practice for their stakeholders. This learning journey experience is a unique additive in the philanthropy experience and presents the opportunity to make it a thoughtful, consistently managed (year-round) practice - complete with curriculums, learning objectives, stakeholder capability development, etc.
LEARNING REFLECTIONS: What piece of information stood out to you from yesterday?
RECURRING THEMES
CENTER PEOPLE IN OUR WORK
The importance of centering people in our power and learning work. Also, the power of multi racial training and political education.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES RETURNS AND GAINS
The benefit of long term investment in the North Carolina infrastructure has presented an opportunity to see deep growth and many lessons for the state and region
COLLABORATION AND ALIGNMENT AMONG GRANTEES
The intentionality of groups to create space to align and reflect on previous ways they defended or advanced work. The importance of alignment in strategy and working together for our grantee partners The intentional work to BUILD trust and alignment between partners through tough issues. The foundation consistently meets grantees in the moment. I was really inspired and excited to see the work happening in NC (my hometown). The intentional and genuine relationships between the NC grantees which have catalyzed aligned strategies. The way the NC organizations coordinated and connected with each other and built off of each other’s strengths stood out to me. Importance of genuine relationships as basis for strong infrastructure. Grantee partners are stretching to meet scale more than ever
RECURRING THEMES
GRANTEE LEADERSHIP GROWTH AND RESILIENCE
So many brilliant minds and passionate individuals leading change. Building a pipeline of senior leaders across the ecosystem The deep connection and trust among the groups The resilience of all of the grantees and their partners, the progress and looking ahead that they’re all doing, in spite of the stark data The narrative of inequitable mobility in the South is not being heard. The reports from grantees regarding the amount of internal (health/job) changes necessary for those org to continue the fight.” The intensity of the work - both the responsibility and the pace The impact our grantee partners are having in NC and how much they are in community and fighting for the community. Chris’ presentation was bleak at points, but hearing from our grantee partners lifted my spirits and restored a sense of hope. "The heat map regarding income mobility.
STORIES OF IMPACT
MUTUAL GOALS
There are a lot of talented people working towards the same goals that we are The need for a role in the ecosystem that holds a long-term (20-50 year) vision and the discipline to link short-term wins to the long arc.
POLITICAL POWER AND INFLUENCE
How dramatically political power is shifting to the South Severity of the rollback of rights The head winds are not in our favor Economic mobility in the region is more limited than virtually anywhere else in the nation
REFLECTIONS ON OPEN QUESTIONS: What questions are you still holding after yesterday’s conversations?
RECURRING THEMES
RESOURCING STRATEGIES FOR SCALE AND CAPACITY
How to resource the breadth and depth of capacity that already exist?! What amount of funding would give the NC orgs the runway to thrive and scale? Challenging environment makes it difficult and is the work & scale enough for the moment What is the most helpful thing funders can support? How can we get enough funding to cover the needs in 11 states? What is our role in being fundraisers for the region? Our resources are essential and distinct, but woefully less than what is needed for short- AND long-term needs What does it take to resource and scale the depth and breath required to matched the current threats and opportunities? Are any other states even close to NC in terms of organizational infrastructure? Is the foundation willing to consider investing in new approaches/capacities at state tables? Is North Carolina remotely replicable in the region because there is relative abundance of resources here? How are we seeing learning opportunities across states and connecting them with each other to build capacity and create new mentoring/support relationships? What org is telling the stories of our NC grantees?
INTER-STATE PROGRESS
POLITICAL OPPONENT PRESENCE
Still balancing all the good work but the power of the right in terms of narrative, money, and influence. Fighting misinformation
RECURRING THEMES
RACIAL EQUITY AND POWERBUILDING BEST PRACTICES
How can we continue finding groups committed to racial equity and powerbuiding in NC? #Basebuilding How to find new groups and leaders who are committed to racial equity and powerbuilding? How do we find new organizations and leaders who are committed to racial equity? How do we find more groups committed to racial equity and powerbuilding.
DEVELOPING OUR LEADERS
How can be support leadership development? Is our narrative-story telling meeting the moment?
As you reflect back on our learning journey yesterday, what observation, insight or new learning most resonated with you? What stood out as compelling?
RECURRING THEMES RESOURCING AND INVESTMENTS
Long term investments in movement orgs, leaders, and initiatives undergirds the achievement of Babcock’s mission. Helping to resource people and organizations doing important work in funding deserts – Alabama The need for long-term vision and commitment We need to invest in NC. The need for support to document organizations strategies and impacts as a way to retain knowledge and be able to reflect back on what strategies were used to defend or advance work. Donor table & BTC The need for organizations to build their capacity in the areas of internal oral history and storytelling. The fruits of the work in Eastern North Carolina and Babcock’s role in catalyzing the progress. 🍒🍓🍇🍎 Orgs being thoughtful about their people and their development with 2 year expectations on roles and ability to shift within org as people wanted Success relies on building strong relationships and connections. Marcus and Theo talking about one org not having any more space for fellows/interns/organizers-in-training; and being able to send folk Organizations working together takes a lot of work The shared challenges around talent acquisition and development capacity, support and resources. We have to find the resources to fund the coordinated efforts already happening in each state. Need more resources in more states Deep relationships are critical to the work
CAPTURING AND SHARING STORIES OF IMPACT
DEVELOPING PEOPLE, TEAMS AND RESOURCES
RECURRING THEMES
OBSTACLES FUEL DETERMINATION
when rights are taken away and injustices occur, the passion and fight from our grantee partners only grows stronger Despite the fact NC’s Supreme Court overruled rights restoration in the state, there are now 25k pissed off folks that are coming off parole ready to vote! And an even longer sustained fight ahead
PROGRESS IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION
The right wing is always one step ahead - hard to advance our agenda Fighting voter suppression with legal challenges
LONG RANGE VISION, PLANNING AND COMMITMENT
We need to hold a long arc that short term wins help deliver. Strong c4 capacity is required to build power. How do we incorporate that learning into our strategy recognizing the legal limitations C4 Electoral scaling is happening every 2 and 4 years, as long as NC maintains battleground status; base building still feels more hand to mouth Building power requires a long term view that acknowledges push back and attempts to neutralize that power. We have to invest and leverage resources at the scale required. I heard we need to invest in leadership that are committed to racial equity impact. How leadership development is core to all of this. There are no wins and no campaigns without a culture of leaders supporting each other and being supported to be creative and brave Recenter efforts that ensure people power is the affirmative goal. S over to the other org, thereby collectively building a leadership pipeline It takes time for folks to sort out roles/relationships when there is leadership transition. We’ve gotta be patient A picture of the 5-10 leaders we saw yesterday standing at the back of a crowd of 50+
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
new leaders who have stepped into leadership roles in the state/region We need to find and invest in leaders committed to racial equity.
What VISION SNAPSHOT from the future (five (5) years from now) might we see as an outcome of our work?
RECURRING THEMES LEADERS IN RACE AND EQUITY BASED POWER BUILDING
Mature_leaders Stronger_networks Inc_Southern_funding Leaders_R_not_burned_out More mature leaders, stronger networks and increased Southern funding. Leaders developed, supported and retained to deepen the work Leaders in organizations are not burning out because they remain in the ecosystem in various roles and continuous development A fully connected network of leaders working on a 20 year tatical plan to address anti- blackness in three key areas of life (policies/communications/economics). Strong leadership in the South supported by plentiful resources. Deeply developed people pipeline A picture of the 5-10 leaders we saw yesterday standing at the back of a crowd of 50+ org leaders who have been brought into a culture of leadership in the region
STRENGTHEND DEMOCRACY
Increased_voter_access Voter suppression dismantled in the South. Progress_wins
Political_maps_shifting Redistricting_teeing_up 10X_todays_funding LA Voters Demand People-Centered Policies from Current Candidates Weakening voter suppression and oppression across the region Civic infrastructures in all southern states support voters Rural communities in rural Eastern NC have easy access to polling sites and can make their voices heard. 75k former justice involved folks in NC celebrate victory on steps of the capital on an expansion of voting rights in the state Deeper, at-scale GOTV prowess.
RECURRING THEMES
SOUTHERN STATES POLITICAL PROGRESS
The South leads the nation as a bedrock of progressive, multi-racial governance that advances justice and equity for all. 6 million doors knocked in 2030, significant uptick in census completion rates Southern state celebrated for the strongest organizing infrastructure in the country Unusual elections: a slate of 30 community leaders run for local elections Changed the south, changed the nation” (taken from Caitlin Swain) North Carolina Launches Voting Rights Oral History Digital Archive for Grassroots Organizations Unprecedented # of ppl grassroots lobbying, flooding state capitol, phone lines and emails of electeds
RESOURCE AND FUNDING COALITIONS
Many_aligned_funders Resources_at_scale Well_coordinated_strategi Mrbf creates 100 million dollar impact fund Strong network of aligned funders scaling up resources needed in the South
1 Not meeting my expectations
4 On track with my expectations
7 Exceeding my expectations
HOW FAR ALONG ARE WE?
<4.5
4.5 - 4.75
>4.75
OUR STRATEGY
MISSION
VISION
VALUES COMMITMENTS OUR WHY
PATHWAYS APPROACHES AVERAGE
4.3
5.0
5.0
4.8
4.7
4.6
4.5
4.7
6.5 5.9 5.4 5.0 5.0 4.9 4.6 4.5 4.5 4.3 4.1 5.6 5.4 5.0 4.9 4.8 4.4 4.3 3.8 3.4
5.0
7 4 7 5 4 3 5 4 6 4 4
7 5 7 5 5 6 4 4 5 4 5
6 6 5 5 5 6 5 6 6 4 4
7 7 5 5 4 4 5 6 4 4 4
7 6 4 5 4 5 3 6 5 5 4
7 6 5 5 6 6 5 3 4 4 4
5 6 6 5 6 4 5 4 3 4 4
6 7 4 5 6 5 5 3 3 5 4
3.9
5.0
4.6
4.4
4.9
4.3
4.6
5.1
4.6
3 6 5 4 6 4 5 1 1
3 6 6 5 7 5 5 4 4
6 6 4 4 5 4 4 4 4
6 4 5 4 5 5 4 4 3
6 6 6 5 2 5 6 4 4
7 5 5 4 3 4 3 4 4
7 5 4 7 5 4 3 3 3
7 5 5 6 5 4 4 6 4
5.3
6
6
6
4
4
6
6
4
2.4
1
3
5
6
1
1
1
1
When asked “How do you feel about where we are on our STRATEGIC DIRECTION?” as it relates to each element, participants responded on a scale of 1 “Not meeting my expectations” to 7 “Exceeding My Expecctations” with 4 representing “On track with my expectations”
Net Promoter Score
Promoter
Passives
Detractors
4 of 11 / 36%
5 of 11 / 36%
2 of 11 / 18%
Net Promoter Score 18
On a scale of 0-10, would you recommend this experience for a friend’s or colleague’s board session.
9 Lots of good questions, good pedagogy, use of Menti, and great visualization. 10 Outstanding facilitation of our learning process. 10 Reggie was engaging and a great facilitator. 10 No comment
7 Loved the visualizing and
4 I don’t think this is an issue of the facilitator - more on us. I think we tried to do too much today. Other rec is to refine storytelling 3 Good conversations, but a bit over-facilitated and under- specific in guidance to us
storytelling components to strategic direction work, not an easy thing to do. Would like more structure and clari
8 Dynamic, participatory, relevant, thoughtful. 8 Loved the menti tool usage. Some processes a little over
complicated but a lot done in a short period of time!
8 Thank you! 7 No comment
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