Are You Really Community-Centered? How to Become a More Responsive, Effective, & Equitable Grantmaker

Foundations effect greater change in the world when their funding decisions are shaped by the people and communities most harmed by inequities. While many funders agree with this notion, there is often a struggle to invest in systems change and to actualize community-centered funding. This session will discuss effective vs. extractive listening practices, provide a  framework to implement power-sharing, and  highlight lessons learned from regional grantmakers to evolve their practices.

What is it? 

In this 90-minute virtual session participants will also learn key best practices for meaningfully grounding their community engagement efforts and tools for self-reflection on current listening, shifting, and sharing power strategies. Through a dynamic mix of presentation, guest funders and nonprofit leaders sharing their experiences, and interactive small groups, participants will Identify strategies and next steps for bringing listening practices that shift power to life in their own foundations.

What will funders learn?

• Promising practices and framework for practicing equity-centered listening on a personal and organizational basis
• How to access new tools and resources that can support funders to center community in their work, and shift and share power with community and individuals with lived expertise
• Real-life examples highlighting a range of funder listening practices that center the experiences and voices of the people and communities at the heart of our work.
   

Who should attend?

Open to all interested members and designed with the following roles in mind:

• CEOs, Presidents, Executive Directors
• Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning teams
• Grantmaking team members
• Program teams
• Member, Nonmember Funders, & Nonprofits