Building Movement Project

🔊 NEW REPORT: "Sounding the Alarm: Nonprofits on the Frontlines of a Polarized Political Climate" This latest installment of the Movement Infrastructure series finds that nonprofits that address issues such as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Education and Racial Equity; Reproductive Rights and Abortion Access; Immigrant Rights; LGBTQIA+ Rights; and make public expressions of support on current issues (such as solidarity with Palestinian rights) – are encountering a set of negative consequences, from reputational damage and threats to organizational safety to funding reductions. As nonprofits prepare for upcoming elections, leaders are sounding the alarm. Their experiences should serve as a wake-up call for the nonprofit sector and movement allies, urging philanthropic stakeholders to step in and provide critical support. ➡️ Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/4hn5AZ4 #MovementInfrastructure

Direct service organizations can drive social change by actively supporting our democracy during and beyond election season. Our latest blog highlights Communities in Schools in Memphis, a participant in BMP’s 2024 Security to Well-Being Cohort, on their first-ever civic engagement efforts. Learn how they applied what they learned from the cohort to make a meaningful impact in their community despite having no prior experience in this work. Through strategic thinking and implementation grounded in their mission and values, they ignited a vibrant response from the community and staff that led this new initiative. Read: https://bit.ly/3BZHcg8

Thank you to the Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective for recognizing BMP with the Impact Award at their recent gala! The Collective was born from a desire to build a supportive community inspired by BMP’s 2019 Race to Lead report findings. We're deeply grateful for this recognition and excited to continue producing impactful research and resources that strengthen relationships and drive our movements.

In October 2023, as the genocide in Gaza began and Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim community members began experiencing backlash and scapegoating here in the United States, Muslims for Just Futures and BMP started to convene weekly calls for organizations and to develop materials and resources, relying on our past experiences to bolster present rapid response efforts. The observations and recommendations from those calls led to the 100 Days of Building Power and Solidarity report, and now, one year since the genocide began, we take another moment to look back on the solidarity with Palestine not just over these last twelve months but the decades preceding as well. Read the full blog post by our colleague Priti Nemani on our website: https://bit.ly/3Yp6mxo

We stand in solidarity with and celebrate the strength and resilience of Indigenous people on colonized lands. Check out this #SolidarityStory highlighting Native Hawaiians' fight to protect Mauna Kea. In 2019, when the Thirty-Meter Telescope (TMT) project threatened the sacred Mauna Kea in Hawai’i, Presley Keʻalaanuhea Ah Mook Sang responded by founding Puʻuhuluhulu University. Located at the base of the mountain, the university became a space for teach-ins, workshops, and classes on language, conservation, activism, and culture for the protesters and allies. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gJcJTpC #IndigenousPeoplesDay #SolidarityInAction

DEI Still Matters! BMP’s former co-executive director, Frances Kunreuther, and BMP’s Director of Race Equity Assessment, Mercedes Brown Esq., recently penned a blog with Candid covering two key findings from our latest #BlockingTheBacklash report: - BIPOC respondents were more likely than white respondents to rate DEI strategies as effective. - The more DEI strategies an organization employed, the higher both BIPOC and white respondents rated their workplace experience.   Read it here: https://bit.ly/3U4gFUR

Happy #LatineHeritageMonth! From September 15th to October 15th, we celebrate the rich history, culture, and contributions of Latine communities, a period that coincides with the hard-fought independence days of many Latin American countries. This year, we honor the work and legacies of Emma Tenayuca, Sylvia Rivera, and Dolores Huerta—three Latine women whose powerful organizing and community building in the U.S. laid foundations for progress and continue to shape our collective future.

Building Movement Project celebrates and honors over 25 years of dedicated leadership by our founder and outgoing co-executive director, Frances Kunreuther. Without Frances' bold vision and conviction that nonprofits can and should strengthen communities and the individuals they serve, we would not be where we are today.  The BMP team approaches this bittersweet moment of Frances’ departure with a myriad of feelings, none overshadowing our deep gratitude for all of Frances' contributions to the nonprofit sector and our lives.  Read Frances’ reflections on her work and gratitude to the many that made it possible at https://bit.ly/4gIAomP.

This #BiVisibilityDay, we honor and celebrate the work, courage and resilience of bisexual movement leaders, both past and present. Their contributions to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, justice, and visibility have shaped our world tremendously. This post highlights three leaders in the LGBTQ+ community who identified as bisexual and whose advocacy, art, and activism laid the foundations for LGBTQ+ liberation, justice, visibility, and equity: 🩷✨ June Jordan — A poet, essayist, and civil rights activist, Jordan’s work focused on intersectionality, challenging systems of oppression, and lifting the voices of communities who faced violence as well as race and gender discrimination. She openly identified as bisexual and wrote about sexuality, race, and freedom. 💜✨ Brenda Howard — Often referred to as the "Mother of Pride," Howard was a bisexual activist and organizer of the first LGBTQ+ Pride march in 1970. Her dedication to organizing and her work in advocating for bisexual rights impacted LGBTQ+ movements worldwide. 💙✨ Lani Kaʻahumanu — Co-founder of BiNet USA, and co-editor of the anthology "Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out" (1991), Lani fights for bisexual visibility within both the LGBTQ+ and feminist movements. Her work challenges biphobia and pushes for a more inclusive understanding of sexual identity. #LGBTQHistory

Today is #NationalVoterRegistrationDay, an opportunity for individuals and organizations to support civic engagement. Whether you’ve recently moved, changed your name, become a citizen, or haven’t yet registered, take a moment to check your voter registration status, update your information, or register at https://bit.ly/47s3m6n. Nonprofits and organizations can play a vital role in our democracy by encouraging voter registration and participation. Building Movement Project recently released "The 2024 Elections and Beyond: Fortifying Ourselves, Our Organizations, and Our Ecosystems" toolkit, which includes frameworks and exercises that our team has utilized in trainings, workshops, and election scenario planning. We hope these offerings can be useful within your organizations and networks. You can download the toolkit at https://bit.ly/47w7QZF