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Navigating philanthropy requires more than a deep understanding on how to use equitable grantmaking practices, it requires a holistic approach. New Grantmakers Institute (NGI) supports new grantmakers to sharpen their analysis on the role of philanthropy in social change movements, root into their purpose and work towards impact, and cultivate a sense of belonging, in their institutions and the field at large.
Sometimes a name only tells part of the story. When people hear that I lead Northern California Grantmakers, they often envision a membership that serves the greater Bay Area. It’s understandable, as people frequently use the two terms frequently, presuming that NCG is synonymous with Bay Area. It is not. To be clear, our 220 institutional and 4,000 individual members are distributed throughout and serve the 48 northernmost California counties, from Kern County to the Oregon border. This region is larger than any U.S. state, save Alaska and Texas, and its home to nearly 16 million people.
Communities across the country – especially those continuing to struggle with economic and health impacts from the pandemic – are hoping to access part of the billions of dollars in economic recovery dollars deployed to support economic recovery. However, it is groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including rural, historically underserved, and BIPOC communities, that need to secure the funding that will have a generational impact on community climate resilience, public health, and other crucial systems.
When I started at Hirsch Philanthropy Partners, I had a few impressions. First, I was sensing a desire for big change in Bay Area philanthropy that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was engaging in conversations about race, power and decision making, which were the kinds of conversations I was having previously in the nonprofit space. I also discovered that several Bay Area grantmakers were already doing grantmaking differently, bringing diverse communities closer to the center of their work and challenging power dynamics. It felt like a ripe time for change.
A two-part event series, the second of which will include in-person tour of flood affected communities in the Central Valley, including Tulare Lake. We strongly recommend funders attend both sessions, as in-person connections with communities and with other funders are critical at this time.
Young people are fired up! They see injustices in their communities and existential threats to their futures - a severe housing and homelessness crisis, inflation and stagnant wages, democracy under threat and a loss of rights, and extreme climate impacts - all of which are felt disproportionately by Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other people of color communities.
The Bay Area Homelessness Funders Network provides philanthropy a space for strategic thinking and intersectional opportunities for collective action. Learn more about engaging with the network here.