"Do the Right Thing." Why This Top Higher Ed Funder Is Getting Behind Racial Justice Work

"Do the Right Thing." Why This Top Higher Ed Funder Is Getting Behind Racial Justice Work

Last summer's violent white nationalist rally-turned-riot in Charlottesville has spurred the Lumina Foundation to back racial justice work on campus, with the hope that other funders will follow.

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"A Goal of Justice." Behind a Push for Racial Equity in Arts Funding

"A Goal of Justice." Behind a Push for Racial Equity in Arts Funding

As funders accelerate efforts to boost racial equity across the arts sector, we chat with a former grantmaker who's now focused on driving faster change in this space. 

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Propelling Change: A Venture Philanthropy Shop Gets Behind Progressive Organizing

Propelling Change: A Venture Philanthropy Shop Gets Behind Progressive Organizing

By now, it's a familiar story: funders feeling compelled to change tactics by the rise of Donald Trump. For some, like Propel Capital, that's meant backing hard-hitting grassroots activism in new and bolder ways. 

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In a Tough Year, New Strides on Funding Intersectional Work Against Bigotry

In a Tough Year, New Strides on Funding Intersectional Work Against Bigotry

Could progressive funders finally be getting serious about movement building after years—actually, decades—of giving lip service to this idea while sticking to silo-ized grantmaking? Maybe. 

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Network Power: Giving Circles Are on the Rise and Engaging New Voices

Network Power: Giving Circles Are on the Rise and Engaging New Voices

A new study on giving circles shows the networks have tripled in the last decade, and they're including people often left out of institutional philanthropy. America's biggest foundation is cheering on this trend.

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Strange Bedfellows? Ford and Walton Join Forces on Arts Diversity

Strange Bedfellows? Ford and Walton Join Forces on Arts Diversity

At first, it seems a bit jarring to see Ford partnering with the Walton Foundation around the issue of curatorial diversity. But a closer look reveals Alice Walton's fingerprints all over a big new initiative. 

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A Funder Takes on Maternal and Infant Mortality Here At Home

A Funder Takes on Maternal and Infant Mortality Here At Home

The U.S. is one of the few wealthy countries where the rate of women who die from childbirth complications is going up—with women of color more likely to die. The Groundswell Fund wants to do something about that. 

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No Silver Bullet: Behind an Effort to Tackle the Racial Wealth Gap in Urban America

No Silver Bullet: Behind an Effort to Tackle the Racial Wealth Gap in Urban America

The University of Chicago's Urban America Forward initiative has won support from a range of funders—including corporate backers. It's now offering grants on a thorny issue: racial wealth disparities.

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After the Fires: How a Funder Mobilized to Aid Latinos Devastated by Disaster

After the Fires: How a Funder Mobilized to Aid Latinos Devastated by Disaster

Latinos, who make up much of the workforce in California wine country, have been among the hardest hit by fires that charred the region. The Latino Community Foundation tells us how it stepped up to help. 

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A Racial Justice Funder’s Different Take on Rapid Response

A Racial Justice Funder’s Different Take on Rapid Response

Rapid-response funds have become common since November. One foundation based in Oakland has sought to make sure that moving fast also acknowledges the entrenched nature of racial inequities. 

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Does Long-Term Support Hold the Key to More Diversity Among STEM Professors and Researchers?

Does Long-Term Support Hold the Key to More Diversity Among STEM Professors and Researchers?

HHMI is known for putting researchers on its payroll. Its latest fellowship expands its commitment to diversity, providing up to eight years of support for young researchers from underrepresented backgrounds.

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Fortress Mentality: Which Funders Are Working Against Immigration?

Fortress Mentality: Which Funders Are Working Against Immigration?

With Trump in the White House, lots of funders have been lining up to support immigrant populations. But what about the other side? Here's a look at how philanthropy has been engaged to keep newcomers out.

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Toward Liberation: A Staunch Social Justice Funder Puts Women of Color Up Front

Toward Liberation: A Staunch Social Justice Funder Puts Women of Color Up Front

It's been a challenging year for the social justice movement, to put it mildly. But this funder is undeterred in its efforts to elevate women and LGBTQ people of color as grassroots movement leaders.

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Defending the Dream: Who’s Giving Grants for DACA Right Now?

Defending the Dream: Who’s Giving Grants for DACA Right Now?

With the clock ticking for 800,000 young Dreamers now facing deportation, a number of funders are mobilizing to help with legal fees, litigation, advocacy and more. 

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Beyond Buzzwords: In Stressful Times, These Funders See Hope in Intersectionality

Beyond Buzzwords: In Stressful Times, These Funders See Hope in Intersectionality

A major gathering of social justice funders just took place in New Orleans. One takeaway: working across boundaries is more than a nice idea; it's become a strategy for survival. 

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A Racial Lens and More: What Field’s New Strategy Means for Chicago Nonprofits

A Racial Lens and More: What Field’s New Strategy Means for Chicago Nonprofits

The Field Foundation is certainly not the largest funder in the city, but it’s a very locally focused one, and it's lately made some big changes. Here's a look. 

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An Anti-Hate Effort in San Francisco That Brought Together Grantmakers and Small Donors

An Anti-Hate Effort in San Francisco That Brought Together Grantmakers and Small Donors

Funders have demonstrated quite a bit of nimbleness since Trump's election, rolling out various rapid-response grantmaking initiatives. Here's an example of such grants also stimulating small donations. 

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A Growing Wave: The Startling Rise of Chinese-American Alumni Giving

A Growing Wave: The Startling Rise of Chinese-American Alumni Giving

The emergence of Chinese American giving over the past 10 years has been striking. We dig into its causes and ramifications in the field that has received the most support: higher education.

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Positive: How a New Initiative Aims to Help Women of Color With HIV

Positive: How a New Initiative Aims to Help Women of Color With HIV

Women of color account for 80 percent of new HIV diagnoses. But stigma and isolation can make it uniquely difficult for these women to get treatment. A pharma funder is working the problem. 

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A Low-Profile Funder Gives New Attention to Race and Community Violence

A Low-Profile Funder Gives New Attention to Race and Community Violence

William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust isn't a well known name in philanthropy, but it's made some sizeable grants lately to address community violence and advance racial equity more broadly.

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