What would it take to make equity real in Charlotte? That was the question posed to a powerhouse panel at the beginning of a Funder and Nonprofit Networking Event on August 11 in celebration of 2021 Black Philanthropy Month. In her opening remarks, renowned author and philanthropic consultant Valaida Fullwood talked about equity being both “an inside and outside game,” a theme that was echoed in the panelists’ remarks.
Tracey Greene-Washington facilitated the discussion and encouraged organizations in attendance to do three things: 1) focus on systems and structures, 2) apply an equity lens to everything they do, and 3) adopt an equity posture, meaning that the work to make equity real should be active, not passive.
Panelists Anna Barber of Barber and Associates, Dr. John Jackson of the Schott Foundation, and Sam Smith of United Way of the Central Carolinas talked about the relationship between funder and nonprofit in creating more equity and trust. According to them, funders need to:
- Trust in the collective vision of the community
- Trust in neighborhoods and individuals to develop their own solutions to issues they are facing
- Trust in nonprofits, especially BIPOC-led organizations, to effectively utilize philanthropic resources to implement these solutions
For their part, nonprofits need to:
- Ask for what they really need to achieve their goals, especially unrestricted dollars
- Invite more people with lived experience into the conversation
- Provide candid feedback to funders when asked
If you are interested in learning more about trust-based philanthropy and why it is so important to fund Black-led social change, please check out the following research:
Echoing Green/Bridgespan Report on Racial Disparity in Philanthropy
ABFE Case for Funding Black-led Social Change
Black Philanthropy Month’s 10 Global Black Funding Principles
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