NCG's Blog
March 20, 2020
Anxiety and fear are the body’s biological impulse to keep us safe. This fear is not purely personal, given my privileges of age, ability, proximity to resources, what science tells me. It is fear for my beloveds and all who do and will suffer: my elder parents, 3,000+ miles away; family members working in healthcare; loved ones who live with respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and immune-compromising conditions; neighbors and colleagues, laborers in the service industry and gig economy; and the countless numbers of us, known and unknown, who cannot access quality healthcare.
March 12, 2020
Studying public health, I learned that we are all as safe as the most vulnerable person in our communities. Viruses don’t care how rich or poor you are, or about the color of your skin: but our response to this crisis should take all of those things into consideration. The many interventions sparked by the COVID-19 outbreak, while essential and welcome, prioritize disease containment and the stabilization of a volatile economy over ensuring solutions that are rooted in equity and lift up those who most need it.
March 9, 2020
How can philanthropy best strengthen organizational resilience? To find out, Alan Kwok spoke with Ana-Marie Jones, who has spent her career transforming organizations with her leadership on readiness, preparedness, and disaster response. Ana-Marie is supporting Philanthropy California's work in creating a California that is ready to respond to disaster while advancing equity and justice in the most vulnerable communities. Read the Q&A below to learn more about our work internally with our state-wide membership.
March 5, 2020
March is about “springing forward” and with the daylight savings time, we’ll have more light to read articles that help us understand and interrogate systems that keep people from educational materials, financial capital, and basic care and support. Let’s pay attention to structural and institutional policies that don’t serve the collective well-being of our communities.
If you’re looking for an annual report, you’ve come to the wrong place. But then, who looks for annual reports anymore? If you’re into joy, it was a good year to be part of NCG.
March 4, 2020
Recommendations for philanthropic responsiveness to the anticipated effects of the Coronavirus on under-resourced and vulnerable communities.
February 27, 2020
A few weeks ago I was asked to help welcome NCG’s inaugural cohort of Rising Leaders with a few words on leadership. At first I was daunted, not sure exactly what I might have to offer on this topic. So I did what I always do when I am trying to get my head around something: I made a list. In the spirit of reflection and learning, here’s what I’ve learned so far.
February 27, 2020
It’s hard to believe that in just a few years, Ellen and the NCG team have transformed the organization into what it is today. With over twice as many staff and a budget that’s almost four times the size, NCG is a force to be reckoned with.
February 27, 2020
I asked five foundation executives—private, public, family, tech, small and large—if they’ve taken any special measures to ready themselves for the year ahead. In our third installment, we hear from Surina Khan, CEO of the Women's Foundation of California.
February 6, 2020
We’re leaping into this month with a list of articles about current events and how the past is framed depending on one’s viewpoint. Who has the power and privilege to name and frame ideas, historical events, and cultural practices? What’s our responsibility and willingness to address xenophobia, public health crises, or troubling policies? Finally, with an additional day for this month because of a leap year, we’re adding a timely bonus of census items.