Introduction The purpose of this memo is to present findings from a scan of innovative practices in the field of philanthropy with a particular focus on Racial Equity practices. This scan may help GFNRE staff understand how to strategically plan for near term and long-term goals. This memo is organized by the following sections: • Innovative Racial Equity Foundation Collaborations • Racial Equity Pooled Funding • Racial Equity Funder Experiences • Bright Spots in Racial Equity Philanthropy Innovative Racial Equity Foundation Collaborations: While collaboration is far from a new concept in philanthropy, it’s clear that the size and complexity of foundation partnerships are changing. Below are a few examples of funding collaboratives, including community, private, and corporate foundations that exist to promote racial equity & racial justice. The Racial Justice Investing Coalition: RJI comprises a mix of asset managers and family foundations that exist to promote best practices in racial equity investment. RJI exists as a google listserv and is led by a Leadership Team: Lisa Hayles (Trillium Asset Management), Renee Morgan (Adasina Social Capital), Rachel Fagiano (Nathan Cummings Foundation), and Mary Beth Gallagher (Domini). RJI’s vision is to push individuals working in capital markets to be bolder about racial equity investments. RJI conducts zoom calls and shares resources on impact investing, justice-oriented societal outcomes, and ESG practices. - Mission/Vision : Racial Justice Investing (RJI) is a group of investors, asset owners, and business leaders who are taking action for racial justice within our own organizations, as well as in our engagements with portfolio companies. Justice Funders: Justice Funders emerged in 2009 as the Bay Area Justice Funders Network. Local funders sought spaces to bring the philanthropic community together with front-line leaders following the murder of Oscar Grant by BART Police. Today, Justice Funders provide thought leadership, leadership development, coaching, and consulting for individual donors and philanthropic partners centered on racial justice. - Mission/Vision: Justice Funders is a partner and guide for philanthropy in reimagining practices that advance a thriving and just world. Justice Funders envisions a world that honors the sacredness of our natural resources and recognizes the inalienable rights of all. Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE): PRE aims to increase the amount and effectiveness of resources aimed at combating institutional and structural racism by providing capacity building, education, and convening for grantmakers. - Mission/Vision: The goal of the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE) is to increase the amount and effectiveness of resources aimed at combating institutional and structural racism in communities through capacity building, education, and convening of grantmakers and grantseekers. Funders for Justice: Funders for Justice is a national network of funders increasing resources to grassroots organizations addressing the intersection of racial justice, gender justice, community safety, and policing.
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- Mission/Vision: Justice Funders is a partner and guide for philanthropy in reimagining practices that advance a thriving and just world. The Justice Funders envision a world that honors the sacredness of our natural resources and recognizes the inalienable rights of all.
Solidare Network: The Solidaire Network works to fundamentally change economic, political, and cultural power systems by growing and nurturing a network of donor organizers to accompany social and racial justice movements. Solidaire’s members move money to the frontlines of social change movements to fund urgent needs, support bold and innovative ideas that others may not fund, and help build long- term infrastructure for the movement. - Mission/Vision Statement: Solidaire envisions a world where racism, economic exploitation, and disregard for the wellbeing of the planet no longer destroys whole communities to benefit a few; a world where all people have power to shape the decisions that affect their lives, and to flourish. Racial Equity Pooled Funding: Pooled funding is a strategy that leverages pooled capital to solve complex issues. Currently, there are more than 160 funds that explicitly seek to improve the livelihoods of individuals who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and their communities. Bridgespan pooled a list of over 100 Racial Equity Funds. They define racial equity as directing capital toward creating equitable opportunities for BIPOC individuals and communities. That often requires shifting decision-making power and redefining risk so that capital flows more freely in service of those opportunities. Other Notable Examples: Blended Capital: Racial Justice Collaborative- RSF's Racial Justice Collaborative (RJC) is a philanthropic initiative that provides diverse forms of capital to social enterprises that are: owned and led by BIPOC entrepreneurs, use a stakeholder approach (supporting community, employees, customers, and the environment), and based in the U.S. RSF leverages multiple forms of capital (loan guarantees, mission-related investments, technical assistance grants, participatory grantmaking, recoverable grants) Fellowship & Venture Philanthropy: Echoing Green Racial Equity Fund- EG created a three-year Philanthropic Fund (2021-2024) to ensure that today's heightened awareness of racial inequity translates into sustained action in the social innovation field. Over three years, EG will scale at least 500 social entrepreneurs to refine and scale their work toward racial justice in the U.S. and globally. Multiple Pooled Funds: Borealis Philanthropy Funds- Borealis Funds are made up of nine funds that work collaboratively to enhance collective impact within movements across the country. Collaborative funds offer funders an opportunity to work together on central issues and combine their resources, energy, attention, and expertise to exponentially increase the impact of their work. One of Borealis' Funds, the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund, helps organizations bolster a strong, diverse, and independent media sector that increases civic engagement for communities of color by reaching them with vital, relevant information. Place-Based Approach: East Contra Costa STRONG Collaborative Fund-The East Contra Costa STRONG Collaborative Fund (STRONG) aims to increase racial equity and economic justice in East Contra Costa County by strengthening the capacity of nonprofits, supporting leadership development, and building community voice and power. Racial Equity Funder Experiences: In the last few years, several resources and funder experiences have been created to support donors in embracing racial equity practices. Below are a few essential experiences to engage donors. Conferences & Events :
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Yale Philanthropy Conference | Feb 24, 2023, | New Haven Connecticut: The Yale Philanthropy Conference is an interdisciplinary forum for current, and future leaders focused on the business of social change. Now in its eighteenth year, the Yale Philanthropy Conference is hosted by the Yale School of Management and is the only convening of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector planned entirely by graduate students. This year’s focus and theme is heavily rooted in racial equity philanthropic practices. Strengthening Democracy and Building Black Futures | February 28, 2023: The California Black Freedom Fund (CBFF) is partnering with the Northern California Grantmakers to gather funding institutions, individual donors, community partners, and special guests to consider ways to strengthen democracy, expand Black possibilities, and advance racial equity. The goal is to prompt conversation on race, history, politics, and the role of philanthropy in advancing a vision of democracy for all.
Trust-Based Philanthropy at the Funders Network Conference: Seeding Power by Ceding Power | March 20, 2023: This interactive conversation and skill-building workshop will examine ways that grantmaking practices can evolve to prioritize values-based storytelling practices and influence broader change in arts and culture funding.
Webinars : Measuring Progress: Philanthropy and Racial Equity Metrics | February 23, 2023: This workshop will support philanthropic organizations in embedding racial equity, both internally with staff and boards, with their foundation members, and explore questions around metrics and identifying indicators of progress . North Carolina Network of Grantmakers: Foundation Values: Part 1 – How do they show up? | February 28, 2023: This session will provide the opportunity for NC Funders to pause and consider their organization's values and priorities and how those are reflected throughout their work – in grantmaking practice, community connections, racial equity, and communications with partners. Grantmaking with a Racial Equity Lens - 2022 Foundations of Racial Equity Session 5 | January 24, 2023 to February 2, 2023: The guiding purpose of Philanthropy California’s Foundations of Racial Equity (FRE) Series is to provide training for philanthropic practitioners to understand how anti-Black racism and white supremacy influence the field of philanthropy and to provide opportunities for action in organizations. Learning Communities: Healing Summit for Donor Advisors – Heal with Us | Feb 23, 2023: This experience is designed to provide space and recognize that donors, grantmakers, and fund advisors serve a key role in transforming and liberating concentrations of wealth. This community recognizes that this role carries its unique challenges, burdens, and complexities and provides opportunities for reflection. Foundations of Racial Equity Series 2022 | June 14, 2022 to March 15, 2023: This small learning groups of 4-5 funders will meet at least to work through opportunities and challenges to advance racial equity in their organization and/or in their grantmaking, and to build relationships with others who are committed to advancing racial equity.
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Fellowships: The Funders Network PLACES Fellowship: The Network’s PLACES Fellowship (Professionals Learning About Community, Equity, and Sustainability) uses learning, coaching, and reflections to explore structural racism, community empowerment, and equitable grantmaking practices. Racial Equity Action Institute: The Racial Equity Action Institute (REAI) was developed by Northern California Grantmakers in 2019 to offer a useful virtual experience with interactive convenings for those who want to advance REDI (Racial Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) within their institutions . One sector on its own cannot solve the challenges of racial inequities – this cohort learning program connects racial equity specialists from philanthropy, business, government, and nonprofits. Tools, Tactics, and Bright Spots in Racial Equity Philanthropy: Below are interesting bright spots and innovations furthering Racial Equity Philanthropic practices. Racial Equity Resources for Philanthropy: A guide for resources, articles, reports, and networks that promote Racial Equity practices in Philanthropy. Guiding a Giving Response to Anti-Black Injustice: This memo offers funders potential paths to invest in organizations and movements within the Black-led racial justice ecosystem. It provides principles for giving and highlights priority investment areas and example organizations within those areas. REPAIR: Racially Equitable Philanthropy Aimed at Initiating Reparations: A $25M commitment from the Seattle Foundation based on a study released in 2020 that offered high-level insight into the triumphs and capacity-building challenges that Black-led organizations (BLOs) and their leaders regularly experience. The critical gaps left by historical and current underinvestment in King County’s Black nonprofit community were laid bare, but through the invaluable responses of Black leaders who participated in the study, a blueprint emerged for the role philanthropy can play in helping to close those gaps. The Imperative Fund: A recently created Atlanta-based fund that seeks to build a new philanthropic institution solely focused on promoting the Wealth, Health and Connectedness of Black people. The Fund is establishing a permanently endowed fund to make strategic investments that improve wealth and health while increasing the social and economic ties of Black people globally.
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