Weekly Reads—October 4, 2024

Enjoy PEAK’s weekly roundup of timely insights from the grantmaking community and beyond.

“With our roots in racialized capitalism, philanthropy should also be called to account [alongside the government and public institutions]. What if we investigated the wealth origin of philanthropy in our region? What if the wealth that created our endowment was extracted from Black genius, labor, and land, and should therefore be committed to fund repair?” [more]
Temi F. Bennett and Hanh Le, iF, A Foundation for Radical Possibility, for Nonprofit Quarterly

“If this backlash against racial justice has taught us anything, it is that if we do not practice a clear and consistent analysis of the ways that identity and positionality intersect to uphold oppression, we miss the opportunity to create a true multi-racial democracy where political power rests in communities that sit at the sharpest intersections of injustice. We risk never coming close to achieving our vision for a more equitable, sustainable, and democratic future.” [more]
Kathryn O’Neal-Dunham, Philanthropy New York

“In the wake of the recent devastating hurricane [Helene], many communities are facing overwhelming challenges. As these communities begin the process of recovery and rebuilding, the Forum network of nearly 100 philanthropy-serving organizations has an opportunity to support foundations and the broader sector by identifying and lifting up impactful ways to contribute to relief efforts. Together, we can help channel the philanthropy sector’s response to this crisis in a coordinated, impactful, and equitable manner.” [more]
Deborah Aubert Thomas, United Philanthropy Forum

“One of the most frequent questions we fielded … was: What systems change do you fund? And we realized we shouldn’t be making that determination; we should ask prospective grantees what systems they’re working to change and how. Our grantees have taught us that necessary systems change is best determined by the communities experiencing injustices—and because each community has a unique history, circumstances, and culture—part of our job as funders is to be constant and humble learners.” [more]
Karla Miller, Northwest Area Foundation