Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s Post

The outcomes from a recent cocreation hosted by Systems Innovation on Rethinking Philanthropy with Systems Thinking, flick through the slides to see the key takeaways. Learn more about the Si Social Hub on our site here: https://lnkd.in/eU25zite

How can nonprofits prepare their staff to have hard conversations about race? 🔍 Check out our latest blog which addresses the challenge nonprofits face in having meaningful conversations about race despite increased DEI efforts. BMP identifies a set of skills that are key to effectively holding conversations that help organizations become more racially equitable: building trusting relationships, handling conflict effectively, and ensuring accountability to prepare staff for these discussions. Learn more about improving internal culture and creating meaningful change in organizational practices towards race equity through our Building Blocks for Change race equity assessment tool. Read the blog by our Race Equity Assessment Director, Mercedes Brown, Esq.: https://hubs.la/Q02qCMN30

Were you ever curious about how our team and Foundation live out our values and mission? View our 'Vision in Action' sheets to learn more about our investment strategy, Black-led power building, racial equity and shared leadership, trust-based philanthropy, and our spend-down strategy! You can find them here: https://lnkd.in/gnuTZyWS #advanceequity #buildcommunity #trustbasedphilanthropy

One of the most informative projects I worked on at the Texas Association of Museums was the Finding Alternative Futures initiative. Funded by the Houston Endowment, this three-part project included self-paced learning online, one-on-one virtual coaching, and resource sharing and networking. Our modules covered the following topics: Online Programming: Virtual visitors are here to stay. Designing desirable online experiences and supporting them effectively through digital means is now a core program need. Operational Capacity and Continuity: Transitioning towards increasing digitally-enabled operations requires establishing new priorities and policies for business continuity. Community Engagement: Museums must use digital platforms to connect with and grow stronger in their community collaborations. Digital-Savvy Leadership: Managing today requires agile thinking, continuous and varied communication efforts, and other responsive actions. Understanding how digital tools and platforms support these key functions is critical. I've synthesized and portaged my learnings from this important project to benefit my new clients in the nonprofit world. Shout out to the team that made it possible: Deborah Howes, Koven Smith, Kate Livingston, MS, PCC, Kevin Diaz, Brian Crockett, Noël Harris, Ph.D., Katie Jackman, Brittany Petrilli, Emmy Laursen, Ed Rodley, and Ruth Ann Rugg. And Advisory Board: Dreanna Belden, Kippen de Alba Chu, Nik Honeysett, Hope Kandel, Dr. Kim McCray, Holly Witchey, Eric Lupfer, and Kathryn Mitchell. More at: https://lnkd.in/gnHBUpqP

In the realm of social change and justice, our journey requires us to question: What are, and how do we navigate our relationships with the concepts, systems, and people that shape our world? Check out our latest post on our Medium page where we reflect on the last six months of our peer learning program, All Together Bold, and how this question lies at the heart of this journey of introspection and intention. Read more: https://lnkd.in/giD9qEKS #power #identity #Philanthropy #SocialImpact #alltogetherbold #ChangePhilanthropyBoldly

🌟 In our 2023 Annual Impact Report: Rising Together - A Year of Growth and Collaboration, we celebrate Freedom Equity Inc. for their impactful work in improving access to capital for Black and minority-owned businesses in Central Ohio! Since 2021, FEI has disbursed nearly $1.3M in 2023 alone, creating or retaining 130 jobs. Under the leadership of J. Averi Frost, FEI focuses on sustainable funding and empowering communities. Read more about it in our annual report here: https://lnkd.in/epCWveUD #CDFIs

This is an excellent read, which pretty much encapsulates in a concise and accessible manner the very same conclusions I have reached in my own research over the past 20 years. When will we finally change how we talk and measure 'impact'? How many more times will we need to make this point compellingly as in this article?

💭 Can you imagine a Greater Victoria for our grandkids and future generations? Local impact advisor and philanthropy champion Jim Hayhurst says he can! But it starts with understanding what today’s young people value. 🏖️ Read the Vital Signs 2024 online feature article on ‘Redefining quality of life for future generations.’ https://bit.ly/3BdpMMw

From the start, we set out to build a different model, one that would catalyze change by shifting power to smaller, community-led organizations as the experts. Five years in, we’ve come to learn that the most valuable lessons come from the unscripted moments and go way beyond the grantmaking process. More in our latest blog! https://lnkd.in/g3B3HQFy

The world has been changing for decades and we don’t engage with the community like we used to; it's a fact of life and we won't be returning to that. Impact data (read: investor-grade data) is quickly becoming a gateway to funding; I don’t agree with this, but in our data-centric society I’m not surprised. In my opinion, with or without data, funders have every reason to give generously, because of tax incentives. Also, funders are risk-averse. Even though there are calls for foundations to serve as our “risk capital”, trying social innovations that the market or state cannot bear (because of accountability time). And yes, I question the accuracy of impact data, but am encouraged by places like Impact Genome that at least try and tie program services to measurable outcomes, like home ownership, decreases in emergency room visits, etc.. In addition, impact forces nonprofits to focus on donor’s needs and not on services. He's right on all of these points. However, to the point about “whether evaluation is necessary at all..." (referenced in "Counting Alone" essay); yes, indeed it is. In one very crucial respect: We want to ensure that the generous tax subsidies we give are worth what we get in return. That can't happen without data. #philanthropy #socialimpact #corporatephilanthropy #fundraising