Weekly Reader – July 30, 2018
What we’re reading and recommending this week. We add to this post throughout the week and look for your suggestions in the comments.
Monday, July 30
In a New Era, a Conservation Giant Looks to Communities, Equity and Local Progress (Tate Williams, Inside Philanthropy) Strategic updates at foundations walk the (usually rather stodgy) line of making sure they’re not throwing out the rulebook along with current grantees, while also not being too slow to adapt to changing conditions. In 2018, however, such an update at a major conservation funder demands more.
Tuesday, July 31
Study Urges Philanthropy to Stop Playing It Safe in the South (Steve Dubb, Nonprofit Quarterly) If philanthropy invests in the sometimes hidden, but certainly real, networks of high-capacity organizations in the South, the whole nation “will reap the results.”
Wednesday, August 1
New First Nations Report Explores Why Philanthropy Continues to Underfund Native American Causes (Business Insider) Why does philanthropy continue to only minimally support Native American organizations and causes? That’s the crux of the issue that has plagued Native American nonprofits and causes for some time.
Thursday, August 2
Building Community Power: A Philanthropic Strategy And An End Goal (Caitlin Duffy, NCRP) What does it mean for funders to build power? As more and more grantmakers embark on or deepen journeys to embed values of equity, diversity and inclusion into their work, how can we incorporate a power-building frame to measure meaningful progress on equity?
Friday, August 3
Foundations Should Fund What Nonprofits Really Need (Anthony Richardson, The Center for Effective Philanthropy) In order to assist our grantee partners in reaching their greatest potential, we as funders must obliterate power dynamics and embrace our funder privilege from a genuine place of humility. If not, we will never fully understand our grantee partners’ work and/or needs.
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