Woods Fund Chicago is a private grantmaking foundation committed to funding community organizing and public policy advocacy that advances racial equity and economic justice. A core principle of Woods Fund is that people most impacted by structural racism and economic injustice lead the process of defining problems and developing solutions. This case story tells the … Continued
Brooklyn Community Foundation (BCF) is dedicated to building a fair and just Brooklyn for everyone, with a particular focus on addressing racial disparities through grantmaking, advocacy and organizing, leadership, and training. “Because BCF took to heart the input of individuals in the borough, it does not just fund communities that are historically underinvested in, but … Continued
This case story is an exploration of the Building Healthy Communities program at the California Endowment, which aims to hear local voices, build trust, and ensure power resides within the community. Building Healthy Communities (BHC) is a 10-year, $1 billion comprehensive community initiative launched in 2010 to advance statewide policy, change the narrative, and transform … Continued
At the Barr Foundation, narrowing the power gap begins with their mission statement and stated values, by thoughtfully focusing on potential, and being a catalyst and steward. “Modesty and humility come from seeing what grantees are doing in the community, and that our role is a helping role: The impact that our grantees are making … Continued
The principles guiding one grantmaker’s successful efforts to tie practices to values, including practical methods for getting staff involved in the process and gathering the most relevant insight into your practices. Like many family foundations, the Bainum Family Foundation has been guided implicitly, from the start, by the life story and core beliefs of its … Continued
Lessons modeled by a pair of grantmakers committed to living out their values, including the ways they’ve integrated beneficiaries into their decision-making processes and empowered their grants management team. As an organization that excels in tying practices to values, they explain why it’s so important to be guided by explicitly stated and publicly shared values, … Continued