2022 New Year's Revolutions: Making Your Giving Plan January 14, 2022
WELCOME! GET SITUATED! ● Do what you need to get comfortable in your space. ● It will probably help to have a notebook handy or a fresh Google doc for notes.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF IN CHAT! ● Name, pronouns ● Share one word or phrase to describe your energy today
Kofo Anifalaje Development Director she/her/hers
North Star Fund is a social justice fund that supports grassroots organizing led by communities of color building power in the Hudson Valley and New York City.
Jillian White Donor Organizer they/them/theirs
We fund work that is led and enacted by people directly affected by an issue. If you see a group of New Yorkers on the steps of the state Capitol or in the streets demanding their rights, we probably fund them now or have funded them in the past.
1. We give grants through a process that shifts decisionmaking power to communities fighting for justice.
WHAT WE DO
1. We strengthen the leadership of grassroots organizers. 1. We organize people across race and class to mobilize resources towards social justice movements. 1. Challenge entrenched racism and power imbalances in philanthropy.
WHAT WE’LL COVER TODAY ● Welcome & Framing ● 2021 Giving Stories! (Breakout Groups) ● Creating giving criteria based in vision and values ● Moving from reactive to responsive giving ● Being a Trustworthy Donor ● **Q&A** ● Resources ● Action Steps
We will be using this Jamboard throughout!
GIVING PLANS
A Giving Plan is a living document that is your current best thinking on how you want to give with tools to hold you accountable. It helps you be intentional and responsive instead of reactive. It will change and evolve.
LIBERTY HILL DAF STATS Grantmaking trends in 2021: ● Electoral giving/voting rights (increased over 2020!) ● Racial justice ● Environmental justice ● Homelessness/hunger
Highest numbers of grants: ● Liberty Hill, Movement Voter Project ● Giving circles (E+J, XX, BLACC) ● EYCEJ, ANWOL, LA Food Bank, CoCo, LA Family Housing, LA CAN, ACLU SoCal
● 65% of grants in 2021 went to social change organizations ● 25 of 70 DAFs gave to Liberty Hill ● 59% payout rate
A LITTLE ABOUT YOU...
AND ONE MORE THING...
GIVING LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE! ● There are different amounts of access and giving potential in the room ● Money isn’t the only thing you can give: your time, your attention, and your network are key resources that you have ● The goal is for your giving to ○ reflect your values ○ be practical ○ be responsive ○ be sustainable
YOUR GIVING STORIES ● What is your family or community’s relationship to giving? In your breakout groups, take a moment to introduce yourself to the other members.
● What was your giving like in 2021?
Each person will have 2 minutes to share a piece of their giving stories.
● What is driving your giving at the moment?
● What’s bringing you here today?
● What is the world you want to live in?
WHAT IS A WORD OR PHRASE TO DESCRIBE YOUR GIVING IN 2021? Here’s what you do: ● ●
Time for Jamboard Slide #1!
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Click on the link Click on the “sticky note” on the bar to the left (it’s in the middle) Choose a color! Type your response: What is a word or phrase to describe your giving in 2021? Sit back, relax, and take a look at what other people share.
2020 GIVING IN THE USA # individual donors increased 7.3%
Greatest growth seen among small donors (those giving <$250) increased by 15.3% Source: Benefactor Group
WHO RECEIVED
HOW NORTH STAR FUND DEFINES COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: Community organizing is the process of bringing people together who have common problems to work collectively to find common solutions and build power to make real those developed solutions. Power is the ability to do something. In organizing, it is the ability to mobilize people and resources to gain influence to claim victories for the public interest.
NORTH STAR FUND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING CRITERIA
Led by the people most directly impacted.
Brings people together and develops the leadership capacity of the people they work with.
Works to identify, articulate and address the root causes of the problems they work on, not just the symptoms.
Has a strong vision for social justice and is committed to working towards a larger movement.
Creates systemic change through “campaigns,” a planned series of events or activities that alter unjust power relationships.
WHO REALLY FUNDS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORK Common Misconception: foundations and companies have the money AND are going to use that money to support social justice work. Reality: Foundations and companies have a bad track record of funding organizing work. A very small % goes to organizing and even less goes to work led by communities of color. Important Opportunity: Individuals are able to move dollars to emergent work before institutions catch up.
FUNDING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
The Civil Rights Movement was fueled by grassroots fundraising rooted in Black communities in the South. Community members gave thousands of volunteer hours - coordinating carpools, providing food, and raising funds. Much of the fundraising came through asks in Black churches. In Birmingham, for example, approximately $312,000 in today’s dollars was raised over three years from the local Black working class and poor community. Prominent African-American businesses, such as the Atlanta Life Insurance Company also donated money, supplies, and facilities. Most of the ‘outside’ money was raised by black churches, organizations and individuals in the North.
FUNDING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT The Civil Rights Movement received modest financial support from a very small number of foundations, such as New World Foundation and the Stern Family Foundation. Many foundations refused to fund the Civil Rights Movement or put pressure on the movement to downplay more radical strategies. For example, foundations were willing to fund voter engagement but unwilling to support community organizing efforts.
LIBERTY HILL’S VISION Liberty Hill envisions a society in which all people have a powerful voice, including those currently shut out of our democracy, people cut off from opportunities because they are poor, because of their skin color, because of their gender or sexual orientation, because of where they live, or where they were born.
LIBERTY HILL’S PRIORITIES ●We believe the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power. ●Our nimble, innovative approach to fueling organizing is based on current conditions, trusting relationships, and our deep understanding of Los Angeles social movements. ●We build a diverse ecosystem of partner organizations prepared to tackle today’s issues and stand ready to face the challenges of tomorrow’s movements.
LIBERTY HILL GRANTMAKING CRITERIA Liberty Hill supports models of organizing within existing and emerging organizations in lowincome communities of color that: ● Are driven by a broad and growing base of people who are directly impacted by injustice ● Develop leaders from a membership base for the purpose of furthering the organization’s mission ● Build power and increase impact over time ● Have a clear plan to win concrete systemic changes to policies and practices, regulations and laws ● Incorporate multiple organizing strategies such as engaging strategic allies, coalition building, inside-outside strategy, research, advocacy, communications and/or voter engagement ● Advance racial justice by addressing institutional policies and practices that cause racial inequities ● Link local efforts to broader social movements ● Are representative of the geographic and ethnic/racial diversity of Los Angeles County
VISION & VALUES ● What models of giving and receiving did I inherit from my family and community? What do I want to keep, change, or let go of? ● What people or organizations do I look to as my personal or political guides? What lessons do I want to take from them in my giving? ● What do I deeply care about and what impact do I want my giving to have?
What values or vision guide your giving? (word or phrase) Jamboard Slide #2!
Yes!!
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Activating and building on long term and newly emerging networks of care and mutual aid
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Individuals can provide flexible $ and resources fast for basic needs, bail funds, protest supplies, healing support, etc.
And...
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Overwhelming number of asks
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Doesn’t reflect long term work of organizing - one and done!
Responding to asks in your network can replicate existing power dynamics (not always!)
Long term Giving “Fund us like you want us to win.” -Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson
● Make a long term commitment to match the long term work of organizing ● Give before the next crisis hits (or before the next election cycle) ● Fill in the gaps
● Start with intention
From Reactive to Responsive
● Budget for rapid response and long term giving ● Follow movements, not just asks ● Remember: It’s an ecosystem, not a competition ● If your money is spoken for, mobilize other resources!
TRUST IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE VALUE ● Relationships are stronger when they are built on trust ● Centers equity, humility and transparency ● Reflects deep value in relationships ● Allows you to lean into innovation/risk
TRUST-BASED DONOR PRACTICES! ● Operate from a place of trust
○ MYGOD! (multi year general operating dollars) ○ Let go of control and perfection (avoid micromanaging)
● Practice being trustworthy
○ Be open to asks & transparent about your decision-making ○ Communicate & follow through on commitments
● Get involved (not just as a donor) ○ Spread the word ○ Fundraise and leverage resources ○ Ask what’s most helpful!
SOCIAL JUSTICE & REGRANTING FUNDS ● Shift decision-making power
○ Activist-led and/or participatory grantmaking processes
● Pool funds for greater impact
○ Give up individual decision-making in favor of collective wisdom and collective power
● They do the work for you
○ They do the research so you don’t have to! ○ Resource more different groups and emerging groups than you could on your own For more visit: trustbasedphilanthropy.org
TRUST IS POWER ● Huge imbalance of power in philanthropy (lack of trust)
Jamboard Slide #3!
● What does trust feel like to you? ● Who or what are some things in your life that you trust? ● How does trust play out in your current giving practices?
CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION… Disruption with Love: Practicing Trust-based Philanthropy and Black Equity Principles January 21 @ 10am PST REGISTER TODAY!
Q&A
WAYS TO GIVE Get Involved @ Liberty Hill • Monthly sustainer giving • Giving Circles – resources for giving in community! • Donor Advised Funds
ACTION STEPS What are your intentions for giving in 2022?
What's is one action step for your 2022 giving? Jamboard Slide #4
How can you build on commitments, relationships, and practices from 2021 and before? Who can you ask to support you or join you in building and sustaining your giving practice?
GIVING PLAN WORKBOOK & TEMPLATES ● North Star Fund Giving Plan workbook ● Template #1 - three categories of giving ● Template #2 - monthly sustainer giving ● Template #3 - tabs for different sources
Template #1 - GIVING BY CATEGORY
Template #2 - MONTHLY SUSTAINER
Template #3 - MULTIPLE SOURCES
WHERE TO GIVE ● Social Justice Funds & Movement Formations ● Liberty Hill’s Grantees by Issue Area ● Fund for Change and Liberty Vote! 2021 Grantees ● Stand Together Against Neighborhood Drilling - L.A. ● Our Kids, Our Future Fund ● Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Coalition *There are many places to give! This is just a jumping off point!
NEXT STEPS! 1. Sign up for a Giving Plan Follow-up 1:1 Email Shelley Kennedy skennedy@libertyhill.org
1. Join Liberty Hill for the other workshops in this series: ○ January 21: Disruption with Love: Practicing Trust-Based Philanthropy and Black Equity Principles ○ January 28: Leaving a Legacy: Getting Started on Planned Gifts ○ February 4: Understanding Nonprofit Financial Health (Tips for Reading a Form 990) ○ February 11: DAF 101: A Virtual Tour of Liberty Hill’s Online Portal and Donor Advised Funds