Yi-Ching Lin’s Post

Great tips for program officers who care about listening to community from Mary Coleman.

NEW on the CEP blog, Mary Coleman of Voqal considers the limitations of the program officer role, and how to innovate within it to integrate effective listening practices into their work. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eFd-mGzt #listening #philanthropy #programofficers #funders #relationships #community

NEW CEP RESEARCH: In the wake of the June 2023 U.S. Supreme Court rulings against affirmative action at universities, there was concern about a possible "chilling effect” on philanthropic efforts that support racial equity. A new CEP Research Snapshot (a brief report covering a timely issue for funders) reveals that most foundations responding to a survey in the fall of 2023 reported that, so far, they had not made changes to their grantmaking in response to the Court’s rulings. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eUsNpjiE   #research #equity #racialequity #philanthropy #SCOTUS #affirmativeaction

Hi everyone! Exciting news - I'm bringing back my open-door mentoring sessions for the next two weeks! This time, I'm hoping to make a difference by raising money for a good cause. As a member of the board of NY Urban League Young Professionals, we are raising funds for the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Scholarship - an initiative to help deserving high school seniors in the community alleviate the financial burden of higher education. Here's how it works: In exchange for a donation to the cause, you'll get 30 minutes of my time to use as you wish. In previous sessions, I've given resume feedback, interview tips, answered questions on how to progress/pursue a career in strategy or advertising in general, and in some cases just offered some kind words & life advice. To participate, simply donate what you can to the cause using this link (every amount is welcome even if it is just $10 or $20): https://lnkd.in/eyQdeiXe. Be sure to select me as the team lead you are attributing your donation to so we can see our collective impact! Then, find a time on my calendar at this link: https://lnkd.in/efxK7za4 Finally, when it's time for your appointment, please bring a list of questions/topics you'd like to discuss. If you're not looking for mentoring, you can still help make a difference by donating to the fund directly or sharing this post with your network. Let's work together to support the future leaders in our community🖤

A recent Lender Center for Social Justice symposium in Atlanta brought scholars and community leaders together to discuss how targeted philanthropy can help bridge racial wealth disparities and lead to the practical implementation of economic equity. Learn more! #RacialWealthGap #philanthropy #giving #community #SyracuseUniversity

With racial equity under fire, will grantmakers sustain their commitments? As we celebrate Juneteenth, it's crucial to reflect on the promises made and the actions taken towards racial justice. Our latest article on Inside Philanthropy examines the current landscape and the steadfastness of grantmakers in supporting racial equity. 🔍 Martha Ramirez Reports: Analysis of current commitments to racial equity Challenges and successes in sustaining these commitments Insights from key leaders in the field Join the conversation! How can grantmakers ensure long-term support for racial equity? Tagging Center for Effective Philanthropy Schott Foundation for Public Education Democracy Frontlines Fund Heising-Simons Foundation California Black Freedom Fund #Juneteenth #CommitmentToChange #RacialEquity #Grantmakers #SustainedCommitment #SystemicInequality #MarginalizedCommunities #Philanthropy #SocialJustice #EquityInitiatives #CommunityEngagement #TransparentReporting

We find ourselves on the precipice of a key milestone in our nation’s history, as we approach 250 years of democracy and 70 years after the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Public education is the cornerstone of that great promise of democracy–it’s the most powerful tool we have to build generations of engaged leaders and citizens and has ripple effects that impact the futures of families and communities. But as leaders committed to a multiracial democracy, we can’t assume its existence and power as a foregone conclusion. Redesigning our public education system into one where every child has the resources, supports, and opportunities necessary to succeed and thrive inside the classroom and outside of it has the power to make that promise from 250 years ago a reality, but each of us has to understand and commit to our role in making it possible. We believe our power to enact change lies in our communities. The compounding crises of the past four years pushed us to make quick pivots, offering time-bound, smaller grants to address immediate needs–and that approach was right for that moment. This current moment requires that we demand more of ourselves as individuals and more of philanthropy as a whole. In the immediate term, that includes:  -Partnering with the NYU Metro Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools to engage you and other partners to better understand this work, how it’s evolving, and what leaders on the ground need more of from education philanthropy;  -Launching our Capacity Building Accelerator, which will support grassroots youth, educators, and community organizations across New England, to strengthen their organizations and expand their reach; -Prioritizing $10 million in grants to support community-rooted solutions—youth and community organizing, advocacy, direct action partnerships, and coalitions of grassroots/tops focused on advancing education justice and equity—starting in July; and -An additional $5 million in grants for resources, infrastructure, and capacity, in response to what we’ve heard from you about a desire for more targeted support. What we are up against can feel like swimming upstream, but look at what can work: community trust, leveraging our convening power to strengthen relationships across lines of difference, and meaningful investments in systems change through community-rooted solutions and innovation anchored in community genius. At Nellie Mae we’re moving general operating support grants and activating reinforcing support that grantees time and again say they need to make our shared vision a reality. Prior to 2020, we were making serious gains–those successes are why we continue to face renewed pushback. But we know that when we lean in and focus on community levers that can affect change, it works and we win. Together, we can be the people to transform our education and youth-serving systems to make real the promise of our democracy. https://bit.ly/43NA5kE

I would like to extend my gratitude to to Eshaan Sarup and the The Arizona Republic | azcentral.com | La Voz for the opportunity to highlight my story on their platform. As a student with as much commitment and sacrifice that I’ve given to my endeavors , moments like this are beyond rewarding and motivating; especially when they are as well written as this article! To learn more about SEED Philanthropy and my passions outside of the classroom , please check out the link below! https://lnkd.in/g6fmn2MX

NEW on the CEP blog, read insights from EdTrust-West's approach to building power through partnerships with grantees, leaning into an intermediary role that goes beyond providing monetary support.   Read it here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eb2HQEvV #reading #blog #insights #philanthropy #education #collaboration #relationships #power #partnership

This share by John B. is a must read, and while a firework of thoughts is going off in my head, the first thing that came to mind is this excerpt below from an essay by Frederick Douglass in 1867. “…if American statesmen could be moved by a simple appeal to the nobler elements of human nature, if they had not fallen, seemingly, into the incurable habit of weighing and measuring every proposition of reform by some standard of profit and loss, doing wrong from choice, and right only from necessity or some urgent demand of human selfishness, it would be enough to plead for the negroes on the score of past services and sufferings.” I refer to this excerpt often because it captures the notion that we do good because it’s right, it’s restorative, it’s treating people with dignity and humanity. And while Douglass is referring to the sin of slavery, this notion applies to many communities today. And if you need to measure human value …then I don’t know what to tell you.