Oakland Promise’s Post

From this new Council on Foundations "Coming Together, Not Apart" report: "Division in the United States is certainly not a recent development, but for the past 15 years or so, the U.S. has seemed seized by a novel strain of discord. Particularly since the 2016 election, headlines about toxic polarization— defined here as an “us vs. them” partisan mindset and contempt for political outgroups—have been published ad nauseum. The dynamics of this polarization have been linked to the backsliding of American democracy, as well as a steep rise in political violence. While the connection between toxic polarization and these phenomena may be indirect, there appears to be something unique to the political, media, and societal systems of the United States that is causing toxic polarization to play out in these ways. "From 2016 to 2020, philanthropy invested $9.4 billion to promote democracy, more than twice the total from the previous five years, and philanthropic initiatives aimed at fostering belonging and social cohesion proliferated. "In an October 2023 survey commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation, more than 8 in 10 said they worry about how divided our society is becoming. But they are not resigned to division: Almost 9 in 10 (88%) also said people need to be willing to work together with those holding different beliefs, 2 out of 3 said we can overcome big challenges together if we try, and 8 in 10 said it’s important to listen to people with different opinions." #division #socialcohesion #communitybuilding #pluralism #interfaith #hatecrime #polarization #conflicttransformation #democracy #belonging #inclusion

Is your nonprofit helping Denver students prepare for postsecondary education? Your organization may qualify to partner with Prosperity Denver Fund to support your efforts in helping Denver students pursue education after high school. Learn how your organization could receive up to 75% reimbursement for scholarships AND support services for your students: https://buff.ly/3EvxuA9 #denvernonprofit #coloradononprofit #nonprofitresources #philanthropy #denvernonprofit #scholarships #scholarshipfund #highereducation #highereducationleadership #ProsperityInEducation #EducationMatters #AffordableEducationDenver #ScholarshipsForSuccessDenver

If you're unfamiliar with the Community Schools Model, which puts communities at the heart of education and schooling, or the work of Communities In Schools, the organization I work with which has been a beacon, a model and an active advocate of these ideals for decades, then start with this article. Now is the best time to educate ourselves about the benefits of this educational model so that we can advocate for policies and budgets that support this model of schooling during the current GA session and beyond! Reach out if you have questions! I love to share about the work we do! https://lnkd.in/eW8ukiJt

My work continues to focus on capacity building in the nonprofit sector, strengthening our infrastructure and building a pipeline of human capital for nonprofits in Texas. I just realized that I had not shared a talk I gave at the Texas Nonprofit Council. My thanks to research partners at Grand Valley State and to other colleagues' work I have cited for evidence in the presentation. Here is the presentation for discussion. Contact me if you have any questions or want to join in the work related to capacity building, human capital, governance, or infrastructure. Here is to a productive 2024! #philanthropy #choosenonprofitcareers

In our new report, the Council – in partnership with Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE) and New Pluralists – surveyed 133 foundations and conducted 43 in-depth interviews with philanthropic leaders to examine how organizations are counteracting polarization in their communities. Download the full report: https://hubs.ly/Q02Rvl3f0

Published this week: Companies That Care 2023! 🎉 This special report features 79 companies that have gone above and beyond for the OC community through philanthropic efforts and accomplishments. #OCBJ #OCNews #CompaniesThatCare #OCBusiness

Want to learn how our SEAT program can benefit you?    Whether you’re a Black or Latino community resident, a nonprofit organization or a philanthropic agency join us for this information session and hear the measurable impact our stakeholders have experienced by connecting with our SEAT program!  

This article is a needed take on the long momentum that has impelled LA’s philanthropic shift toward supporting trust-based giving practices, community organizing, and advocacy for policy change. The props to Liberty Hill Foundation are overdue and gratifying to see. This is the profound and difficult work of narrative shift and norm change, which is so particularly slow to occur in philanthropy—and is usually not owned up to publicly by private foundations to avoid the discomfort of a critical lens on their past benevolence. I admire these foundation leaders leading by a new example. One enormous oversight in the article is the omission of The Women's Foundation California, whose Solis Policy Institute has trained intersectional feminist and lbtqi community activists in cohorts at the local and state level for 15-20 years on how to develop and drive legislative bills and policy proposals. And there’s a Funders Policy Institute to train foundation staff across the state on the guidance for funding these vital, momentous change efforts. I expect that some of the staff at the foundations in this article have taken part in it. There are many examples of change that these bills have wrought in lives across Los Angeles and the state for racial, economic, gender, and lbtqi justice and equity (a few examples: the Dignity in Pregnancy & Childbirth Act, the Trans Wellness and Equity Fund, California Momnibus Act)—perhaps The Women’s Foundation California deserves a feature all its own.

Have you read the Johnson Center's 11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2024 yet? The three trends I found most interesting: 1) A Wake-Up Call for Investing in the South, 2) Affordable Housing is a National Crisis with a Distinct Local Impact, 3) The Artificial Intelligence Revolution Arrives in Philanthropy. What trends are catching your eye and imagination? #innovation #philanthropymatters #socialimpact

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