A Nonprofit Fire Brigade in Wildfire Country

Welcome to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s weekly newsletter highlighting stories and conversations from The Commons , our project exploring how philanthropy and nonprofits are working to close divides, repair the social fabric, and strengthen communities.

From editor-at-large George Anders : Talk about a recipe for tension. When wildfires rip through parched Western states — as they are at the moment — interactions between ranchers and federal fire-management specialists can go south in a hurry. That’s especially true if trust is low to begin with or if communication pathways are neglected or blocked.

But there’s a better way, as Oregon writer Geoff Nudelman explains in this fascinating feature story for The Commons from eastern Oregon’s Harney County. Over the past decade, Geoff reports, a philanthropy-supported nonprofit, the High Desert Partnership , has created ways for ranchers and federal officials to understand each other’s priorities better and to develop collaborative new approaches.

Catching a ride with rancher Gary Miller a few weeks ago, Geoff got a new appreciation of eastern Oregon’s vast skies, rocky ridges, and the surprises along the way. At one point on their drive, Miller stopped his silver Ford truck, walked over to a small pile of ruins — and uncovered a purple garlic bulb.

You’ll find that Geoff uncovered a lot of hidden truths in his reporting, too. As he points out, the ranchers’ way of life “is rooted in many of the same cares and concerns we all share” — maintaining a viable living for their families and the next generations.

Read Geoff’s story about this unlikely partnership.

Grantees Join the Inner Circle

One of the biggest divides in philanthropy is that between funder and grantee. The power dynamic of the relationship can make it quite fraught, and communication is often … well, less than authentic or honest.

Senior writer Jim Rendon , however, discovered a grant maker that’s trying to bridge that divide — and diversify its leadership. Founded in 1998 by philanthropist Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen , the Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund - SV2 recruits former grantees to its board as part of an effort to increase its grant making to groups led by people of color and focused on equity.

People of color now represent 70 percent of board members — up from 33 percent. Philanthropists on the board say they can no longer see themselves as riding in on a white horse to save the day — quite a mind-set change.

Read Jim’s story about the fund and its convention-defying change.

Of the Moment

• Shamil Idriss , head of Search for Common Ground , an international peacebuilding group that began work in the United States a few years ago, talks about polarization, the five vital signs of a healthy society, and where the country falls short. He joins the Work in Progress podcast with actress and advocate Sophia Bush.
• Partisan animosity among voters fell as they watched videos with political leaders from opposing parties promoting civil dialogue, according to new research . The study, by the Polarization and Social Change Lab at Stanford, examined a yearlong “Disagree Better” ad campaign featuring 20-plus governors and led by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox . (Cox wrote about the effort for The Commons.)
• Gloria Laker Aciro , director of the Peace Journalism Foundation of East Africa and a reporter who covered civil war in her native Uganda, joins the podcast of the nonprofit Making Peace Visible to talk about how journalists can help bring peace to high-conflict regions.