This white paper is the companion to our webinar, Philanthropic Strategy That Advances Equity and Justice: Five Principles, presented on June 1, 2021.
Philanthropy has a big responsibility and distinct role with uniquely flexible resources not available elsewhere. For decades, communities and nonprofit organizations have called on philanthropy to improve its practices, especially following the 2020-2021 pandemic and mass reckoning around systemic racism.
In today’s environment, good strategy can provide clarity and focus. Good strategy can help your foundation connect the dots, tell a coherent story across its streams of work, and accelerate progress along its diversity, equity, and inclusion journey.
We see most foundations undergo some form of strategy development. However, the typical philanthropic strategy approach is antiquated, flawed, and needs a significant refresh. At best, it leads to missed opportunities, reinvented wheels, and disjointed efforts. At worst, it leaves already disadvantaged communities further behind.
This white paper outlines a better approach to develop or refine your foundation’s strategy. The approach centers equity and justice for greater impact in program areas including health, education, economic opportunity, early childhood, healthy and fulfilling aging, and others. While targeted toward philanthropy, the approach applies to nonprofit advocacy and direct service organizations, intermediaries, and government agencies.