“Funders who choose to dream big know that the examples for “good” philanthropy are the starting points of changing the landscape. We need those funders who are willing to go beyond those starting points to reimagine the system of funding–building power to cede power.”
Read MoreFind ways to learn the uncomfortable truths that BIPOC leaders can share about grantmaking practices and grantor-grantee interactions that might unintentionally stifle voices and limit innovation. The fact that these negatives are unintentional does not give us a pass on taking steps to do better.
“Founding a company is like parenting - there are many books on the subject; it looks easier from the outside than actually having to live into your responsibilities everyday; it is totally consuming. And even on the hardest days you love this other thing more than you love yourself.
What I’ve come to believe is that just as children don’t belong to parents, that companies do not belong to founders. We’re entrusted with a gift that life has given us. And that one day we must give it back.
It is time for me to give the gift of Camelback back so that someone else can lead.”
“…to effectuate change within your own organization and in the world of philanthropy, partnership between board and staff is critical. We recognize there might be skepticism in doing this work collaboratively. I can only speak for myself, and I know every relationship is different, but doing this work together was truly transformational for our foundation. If you have a safe, trusting, and transparent relationship with your board members, or even just one, I highly recommend considering going through a journey like this together.”
Read More“When we truly center equity and justice, we'll still be working toward outcomes, but we'll know the outcomes are driven by and for the people we are serving.”
“I joined the Capital Collaborative is because I'm new to the philanthropic space and was seeking a peer cohort experience that allowed me to explore the intersection of racial justice and philanthropy.”
“When I applied to the Capital Collaborative cohort I was hoping to join a career-centered space to build community and find accountability as a white woman working to advance racial equity and justice in all aspects of my life. After our second and final Summit in New Orleans, I am hoping to continue to change and learn…”
“I saw the Capital Collaborative as an opportunity to be in community with other philanthropy professionals that might be finding themselves in a similar place, learn best practices, and to be held accountable by folks inside and outside of my organization. If we want the philanthropic sector to have its greatest impact, it is important for White-identifying funders to proactively engage as this is not work that will happen on its own.”
“It’s great for White funders to learn and hold knowledge, especially about the historical and current systems that perpetuate racism and inequity, but knowledge is not the measure of our success, nor is deepening our understanding sufficient. My success is and should be measured by action - the way in which I support and resource the leaders best positioned to develop their practices and lead on change.”
Read More“We know that only 4% of the $76 billion foundations gave out in the U.S. in 2019 went to Black and Latiné entrepreneurs even though they represent 29% of the population. We also know that 76% of foundation staff identify as White and White Americans’ social networks are 91% White. All of this led us to the creation of the Capital Collaborative.”
Read MoreThree steps to demonstrating metamorphic legacy as a board member or trustee of a funding institution.
Read More“To move towards building more equitable systems, we must also be willing to take a deep look at our history. The value of knowing your history is like a bow and arrow, you must pull back to be able to spring forward. We must pull back and really acknowledge the ways different groups of people have historically been (and continue to be) marginalized, in order to spring forward and build a future that centers the liberation of us all.”
Read More“…the system that currently governs how philanthropy flows upholds white supremacy. And if everyday citizens and communities of color don’t know how that system works—or, more accurately, doesn’t work—we can’t agitate, advocate for, imagine, design, or demand change to a system that quietly affects us all.”
Read More“Across the Deep South, we see examples of foundations and philanthropists creating complicated grant applications and reporting requirements in order to dole out small sums of money to communities upon whose backs their wealth was built in the first place. Imagine the trauma of applying for funds from a foundation that bears the name of the people that enslaved your ancestors. And then being forced to center the shortcomings of your community in order to convince them that your request is justified.”
Read More“Racism works to separate people - to undermine human relationships through fear, violence, and misinformation. Relationships are an antidote to these insidious, confusing ideas and building them is an essential skill in order for racial equity in philanthropy to become reality.”
Read More“Money is constantly flowing and it is unbelievably abundant…when it is not being hoarded. In a capitalist society where folks are ‘perishing on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity’, love looks like access to abundant capital.”
Read More“When we incorrectly label the money in foundations and donor-advised funds as still belonging to the founders, we then also act like the money – and the foundation – belong to them, which perpetuates a concentration of power at odds with our sector’s aims. Words matter. Our words influence who holds power.”
Read More“I believe White funders have a place to support equity insofar as they continue their own journey and continue to build authentic relationships with a diverse group of leaders.”
Read More“I would describe myself as a systems thinker, and yet I realized that to some degree I was complicit in helping the philanthropic ‘system’ - the accumulation of financial capital, social capital, and power along race and gender lines - seek stasis and self-perpetuation. But why? I was hungry to do better.”
Read More“Many individual donors and foundation leaders are thinking about why they might get involved and also how to pursue racial equity in their grant-making. As a philanthropy leader and fellow traveler on this path, I am offering up some discussion questions that were helpful within my organization, and I hope they might be helpful to others as well.”
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