Still My Brother's Keeper: How the Obama Foundation is Carrying on a Racial Justice Initiative

Still My Brother's Keeper: How the Obama Foundation is Carrying on a Racial Justice Initiative

My Brother's Keeper was Barack Obama's signature racial justice initiative, and it brought in a ton of foundations. Here's how the effort is living on as part of the former president's foundation.

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Looking Inward: The New Fund Seeking Racial Equity in the Nonprofit Sector

Looking Inward: The New Fund Seeking Racial Equity in the Nonprofit Sector

Nonprofits rarely resemble the communities they serve, which can limit both their impact and legitimacy. A new fund backed by two top foundations aims to change that. What’s the strategy and where are grants going?

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How Can Funders Help Nonprofits Become More Diverse? Do Nonprofits Even Want Such Help?

How Can Funders Help Nonprofits Become More Diverse? Do Nonprofits Even Want Such Help?

A Center for Effective Philanthropy survey of nonprofit CEOs found that foundations and grantees alike have a lot of work to do to advance diversity in the sector.

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Looking to Grow: New Avenues Emerge for Muslim American Philanthropy

Looking to Grow: New Avenues Emerge for Muslim American Philanthropy

Giving by American Muslims spikes during Ramadan. Over recent years, new funds have emerged to channel their philanthropy. The goal: confront Islamophobia, yes, but also build up this community’s giving.

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Fierce Urgency: Funders Confront Underinvestment in Black Communities

Fierce Urgency: Funders Confront Underinvestment in Black Communities

Race is back on the radar of many funders these days, along with support for movement building. But philanthropy’s investment to fight anti-black racism still lags. These funders aim to change that.

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Overlooked and Underfunded: Why a Hollywood Actress Is Stepping Up for Latinas

Overlooked and Underfunded: Why a Hollywood Actress Is Stepping Up for Latinas

While still filming Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria went back to school to receive a master’s in Chicano Studies. Now, the Eva Longoria Foundation is laser-focused on empowering Latina women. Here’s the backstory.

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A K-12 Funder Reviews Its Strategy, With an Eye on Racial Equity

A K-12 Funder Reviews Its Strategy, With an Eye on Racial Equity

The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, a leading K-12 funder in New England, has lately been engaged in a strategic planning process that puts race front and center. How’s it changing as a result?

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As a Funder Takes on Structural Racism in Oakland, Where Are Grants Going?

As a Funder Takes on Structural Racism in Oakland, Where Are Grants Going?

There just aren't a lot of foundations that are dedicated to eliminating structural racism and have a local focus. The Akonadi Foundation is among them. What's it been up to lately? 

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"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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