Building a Thriving Region: Moving to Action Roundtable
"We are the ones we have been waiting for” is true for almost everything we do in our fight for equity and justice here in the Bay Area and beyond. As we seek to dismantle some of the inequitable and short-sighted funding practices of philanthropy, the same sentiment is true. Many community leaders across Northern California have been calling for a system shift for decades. And now is the time to take action.
Here’s what’s happened recently:
- In August 2023, United Way Bay Area (UWBA) released a report on philanthropic funding disparities across eight of the Bay Area counties. This report builds on other countless reports, examining the inequitable funding in the Bay Area and beyond.
- Northern California Grantmakers (NCG) hosted a session at their Annual Conference in June 2024 on how we build an equitable thriving region by addressing our region’s interconnectedness and historical disinvestment.
- At a virtual discussion in July 2024, funders and community based organizations explored how funders can expand their reach, how funders can support a strong nonprofit ecosystem for overlooked regions, and steps philanthropy can take to increase overall giving.
Reflecting on these events, we’ve learned that funders are interested in the expansion of funding in new areas to help move philanthropic dollars where they are needed most.
Join UWBA and NCG for an in-person roundtable discussion to move us into action and ask:
- Who among us have made shifts in our geographic focus to concentrate on under resourced areas? What can we learn from them?
- What is keeping the rest of us from making those shifts and what can be done?
- How can we build a movement of Northern CA funders actively responding to community asks?
We invite funders exploring, actively expanding their philanthropic reach, or just beginning to dip into the idea to join us. This is an opportunity to listen, learn, and discuss how to make these shifts at your organization. We’ll hear the experiences of S.H. Cowell, Magic Cabinet, and Peter E. Haas Jr. Family Fund followed by space for participants to plan together and make this work actionable during roundtable discussions.
Speakers
Anu Cairo
Stephanie Martinez
