Making Reporting Work Session 3: Aligning Grantmaking with Learning & Change

Rachel M. Kimber, MPA, is a speaker, technology futurist, and nonprofit executive. She is committed to human-centered, data-informed, and technology-supported grantmaking and is passionate about advancing emergent nonprofit practices that support equity, access, inclusion, and technological innovation. Rachel has served on local nonprofit boards and within international nonprofits, both small family foundations and global grantmaking NGOs, and has volunteered in various capacities with PEAK Grantmaking, Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and Philanthropy New York. Rachel’s work has tackled conservation, global health, social justice, performing arts, and humanities grantmaking. No matter where she’s working or what cause she supports, she looks for creative ways to involve more stakeholders in the grantmaking process and ensure that good ideas stick.

Blanch Vance is an experienced strategist, systems thinker, and change manager.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Blanch witnessed the joy and power of community care and collaboration. She has worked in philanthropy for over ten years, supporting social justice leaders, organizations, and movements.

Since 2021, Blanch has co-led a funder working group focused on implementing and retooling grantmaking practices that are relational and responsive. She has designed and facilitated sessions for Grantmakers for Effective Philanthropy, PEAK Grantmaking, Philanthropy New York, the C4 Funder Peer Learning Group, and Fluxx. Today, Blanch works at the Grove Foundation, a private family foundation, and its 501c4 social welfare sister organization, the Grove Action Fund.  Blanch has held grantmaking positions at intermediaries, community, and family foundations. She has volunteered with local and national nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.  Before philanthropy, Blanch worked in fundraising for a Los Angeles social justice-focused nonprofit.

Blanch holds a master’s degree in Public Administration, a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Sector Management, Human-Centered Strategy, and a BA in History and Communications.
She is an alum of the Justice Funders Network’s Harmony Initiative, Southern California Grantmaker’s Emerging Leaders Peer-to-Peer Network, and the African American Board Leadership Institute. Blanch lives in the Bay Area with her husband and rescue puppy, Summer.