Grant Making with a Racial Equity Lens
www.grantcraft.org grant PRACTICAL WISDOMcraft FOR GRANTMAKERS
2 What is a racial equity lens? 4 How a racial equity Grant Making lens works
9 Applying a racial a equity lens
13 Implementing a h commitment to Racial racial equity
22 Looking inward: using a racial
equity lens inside wit your foundation Equity In partnership with Lens
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS PAGE 2 race and ethnicity, and of their What Is a Racial impact on access to power and Equity Lens? opportunity, is a distinct asset For grant makers and founda- when applying the classic skills tion leaders, using a racial of effective grant making. equity lens means paying grant making disciplined attention to race PAGE 13 and ethnicity while analyzing Implementing with a problems, looking for solutions, a Commitment and defining success. Some use to Racial the approach to enhance their Equity: Policies racial equity own perspectives on grant and Practices making; others adopt it as part When a foundation decides of a commitment endorsed to focus on racial equity, how lens across their foundations. does that commitment get translated into the organi- zation’s goals and routines? PAGE 4 Foundation leaders and pro- How a Racial gram staff share examples of Equity Lens what they have learned about Works applying a racial equity lens to A racial equity lens is valu- their programming, operations, able because it sharpens grant and external affairs. makers’ insights and improves the outcomes of their work. PAGE 22 People who use the approach Looking Inward: say it helps them to see pat- Using a Racial terns, separate symptoms Equity Lens from causes, and identify new Inside Your solutions for their communities Foundation or fields. Grant makers who have cham- pioned racial equity within PAGE 9 their foundations describe a Applying a handful of tactics for getting Racial Equity over the predictable hurdles. Lens: Skills and Ground the discussion of racial Strategies equity in the foundation’s Where, specifically, does a mission, they say, be open to racial equity lens get put to use learning, and be upfront about by individual grant makers? your goals. But don’t lose sight The answer is simple: every- of the possibility of resistance where. A keen awareness of and setbacks. Special Features
8 Your Race/Your Role: Reflections from Grant Makers
19 Racial Equity Resources IN THIS GUIDE, grant 20 Three Foundation makers explain why a focus Tools for Activating on racial equity gives them a a Racial Equity Lens powerful “lens” for understanding 27 Questions to and advancing their work. Ask Inside Your Foundation Drawing on firsthand experiences, the guide offers advice on 28 Ways to Use This Guide promoting and deepening your This guide was developed by GrantCraft in partnership with the foundation’s commitment to racial Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE). It was written by equity, both internally and in the Julie Quiroz-Martinez in collaboration with Lori Villarosa for PRE and programs you support. Anne Mackinnon for Grantcraft. It is part of the GrantCraft series.
Underwriting for this guide was provided by the Ford Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Publications and videos in this series are not meant to give instructions or prescribe solutions; rather, they are intended to spark ideas, stimulate discussion, and suggest possibilities. Comments about this guide or other GrantCraft materials may be sent to Jan Jaffe, project leader, at [email protected].
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GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS What Is a Racial Equity Lens?
or grant makers, a “racial equity lens” brings into focus the ways in which race and ethnicity shape experiences with power, access to oppor- tunity, treatment, and outcomes, both today and Fhistorically. It can also help grant makers think about what can be done to eliminate the resulting inequities. Today, an increasing number of foundations are discussing and addressing racial inequity, both internally and within their fields or communities.
Many grant makers say that a commit- the fray when we should be deeply ment to equity for people of all racial or involved in it.” ethnic groups is essential to effective So, what’s a good way to get thinking philanthropy, yet embracing that com- and discussion started? How do grant mitment explicitly can be difficult for a makers make the case for racial equity foundation. Why is that true? First, as as a priority in a foundation’s grant one grant maker of color explained, the making agenda? problem of racial inequity can seem so complex and intractable that it’s hard One approach is to begin by describ- to imagine how a foundation could ing a racially equitable society. Here’s address it. Second and more simply, a useful definition: a racially equitable race is a difficult topic to discuss; society would be one in which the people avoid it in foundations just as distribution of resources, opportuni- they do in other sectors of society. A ties, and burdens was not determined white foundation executive put it this or predictable by race. A white grant way: “My concern,” he said, “is that maker at a Midwestern community foundations are not pushed, nor do we foundation translated that vision into push ourselves, hard enough on the practical terms for his region: “When issue of racial equity. We stand above we look in the long term, 20, 30 years
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY RACE? This guide treats race as a social construct, not a biological one. We understand the term “race” to mean a racial or ethnic group that is generally recognized in society and, often, by government. When referring to those groups, we primarily use the terminology “people of color” (or the name of the specific racial and/or ethnic group) and “white.”
We also understand that racial and ethnic categories differ internationally. In some societies, ethnic, religious, or caste groups are oppressed and racialized. These dynamics can occur even when the oppressed group is numerically in the majority.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS down the line, we hope to see no a question about objectives: “How are involves statistical differences in key indica- existing racial disparities standing in A racial equity lens many components, including: tors — such as education, or health, the way of the goals we seek to fulfill?” or economic opportunity — based on Then, perhaps the more challenging ■ Analyzing data and information race.” His explanation makes clear and unspoken questions are, “What about race and ethnicity that a racial equity lens is not about do we see as the forces behind those ■ Understanding disparities — particular groups; rather, it is about disparities? And what forces are per- and learning why they exist how race shapes the allocation of petuating them?” The questions seem power and the distribution of benefits simple, but they often go unasked. An ■ Looking at problems and their and burdens among all groups within Asian American program officer at a root causes from a structural society. It also illustrates why diversity regional family foundation explained, standpoint and inclusiveness are important com- “Issues of race are all over the work. ■ Naming race explicitly when mitments — but ultimately not power- But people approach their grant talking about problems and ful enough to drive the changes his making as if they’re not.” Without an solutions foundation hopes to advance. explicit line of questioning, solutions may be elusive or incomplete. “Racial equity” stands in contrast to the notion that the best approach to Thinking of racial equity as a social issues of race is “colorblindness.” A outcome measure also highlights the Latino grant maker who set out to reality that one cannot know whether reorient his foundation’s education or not solutions have been achieved, or programming to address racial inequi- are even being approached, without an ties ran up against that perspective ability to measure racial or ethnic data. repeatedly. He recalled: “We were By examining data and openly asking told left and right, ‘You’re looking at the right questions, some grant makers it the wrong way. Why don’t you take are putting a racial equity lens into a rising-tide-raises-all-boats sort of operation in developing strategy approach?’ The problem is, we have and programs, shaping guidelines such deep segregation in our public and criteria, working with grantees, and parochial school systems that the and promoting racial equity within boat the black and brown kids are in their institutions. isn’t good to begin with.” As he sees it, This guide draws on the experiences despite undeniable progress over the of grant makers and foundation lead- last few decades in dismantling state- ers who are attempting to apply a sanctioned racial discrimination in the racial equity lens in a range of fields United States, affirmative efforts are and institutions. It outlines some core necessary to counter long-term pat- issues and ideas they’ve grappled with terns. Seemingly race neutral practices and gives specific examples of what will simply keep in place historical some have done to put a racial equity advantages and disadvantages. lens into practice within their founda- As many grant makers explained it, tions, in their grant making, and in racial equity grant making begins with their communities.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS How a Racial Equity Lens Works
A racial equity lens helps grant makers teaching infrastructure and greater look at a problem more clearly so that access to the teaching profession for new solutions to old problems become young people growing up in urban visible. Here’s how it works: communities of color.
■ A racial equity lens sharpens the The same grant maker pointed to focus on outcomes. A racial equity another example from education: lens can help grant makers clarify “The education reform discourse their real objectives, then shape has been dominated by the idea of strategies and align resources to ‘raising standards.’ But the standards meet them. This is an area where a movement has not paid sufficient colorblind or race-neutral approach attention to unequal access to high- often falls short. quality educational experiences and curricula — an inequality that For example, a grant maker at a is highly correlated with race. The large national foundation told about absence of a race lens often leaves watching two grantees tackle the this basic question unattended to. same issue — teacher retention in Some community organizations, urban public schools — and come up many of them led by people of color, with completely different strategies. have responded in recent years by One considered the problem and fighting for college-bound curricula decided to advocate for incentives in their public schools.” to keep teachers in their jobs. The other, looking with a racial equity ■ A racial equity lens uncovers pat- lens, discovered that teachers with terns of inequity. A racial equity short tenures were often white lens helps reveal how society’s teachers who gained their initial benefits and burdens are distributed experience in inner city schools but such that race predicts privilege and then relocated to jobs nearer their disadvantage. It also aids in thinking suburban homes. The latter organi- about what can be done to change zation funded a strategy to create a the equation. “teacher of color pipeline” to recruit A woman of color described using a and develop teachers with roots in racial equity lens when she designed urban communities. a program for a national founda- The first strategy, the grant maker tion that would champion artistic explained, could easily have the excellence while also reflecting the unintended consequence of directing changing demography of the United resources to mainly white subur- States. As she began her research, ban communities: the incentives she looked for structural explana- might persuade teachers living in tions for the lack of diversity in the the suburbs to stay in urban sys- foundation’s existing arts grant tems somewhat longer, but in all making. “In the arts,” she noted, likelihood those teachers would “cultural diversity is concentrated in eventually seek jobs close to home. small and mid-size organizations. The second strategy would direct That’s the result of racial inequities. resources to the creation of a lasting Most large arts institutions have not
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS been very diverse, and most diverse color are treated with bias and say, communities have not had access to ‘Okay, let’s reduce bias.’ It’s harder the funding and other assets that are to see that ‘bias’ is endemic to the needed to create large institutions.” health care system, so that nothing but poor quality is available in some She therefore structured the pro- communities.” Understanding racial gram to focus specifically on small health disparities means looking at and mid-size organizations, where how patients are treated, she main- “In the arts, cultural artists of color are more numer- tained, but it’s also important to look ous. She combined that structural diversity is concentrated at systemic forces that determine decision with guidelines asking arts patients’ options. in small and mid-size organizations to reflect deeply on “how [their] work is responsive to organizations. That’s the To illustrate, she told a story about demographic and cultural changes” engaging a grant seeker in consider- result of racial inequities.” in their communities. Artistic excel- ing both individual and structural lence, not inclusion, remained her explanations: “A network of health primary goal: “I wanted to promote care providers was finding racial dis- imagination about the future, not just parities in the quality of care for dia- ‘representation’ of people of color.” betes. The aggregate data showed ■ A racial equity lens separates that some groups were doing badly symptoms from causes. Individual but Latinos were doing okay. Rather attitudes and behavior are often than just looking at how individuals easier to describe and understand were treated in the system, I encour- than structures and systems, yet aged them to look at the site of care attitudes and behavior are usu- to see if where people go makes a ally symptoms, not causes, of racial difference. The city is very racially inequity. An African American grant segregated, and Latinos were going maker at a national health care foun- to one particular facility for care. It dation explained how the distinction turned out that the facility acces- applies in her field: “We’re often sible to Latinos happened to have looking for a ‘magic bullet’ to deal a nutritionist on site. We found that with disparities in health based on an organizational issue was making race. It’s easy to see that people of a difference and that we needed to
WHERE THE EXAMPLES COME FROM
This guide was developed by GrantCraft in collaboration with the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE) and draws on interviews with grant makers, consultants, and foundation executives working in all parts of the United States, in many fields, and in a wide range of international, national, community, and family foundations. GrantCraft and PRE also convened focus groups of grant makers in New York and Chicago to gather stories and ideas for making the guide as useful as possible. In addition, many grant makers, foundation executives, consultants, and other colleagues generously shared written reflections on their own work and commented on drafts of the guide. A list of people who contributed to the guide’s development appears on page 29.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS focus on providing nutritionists at Recognizing the significance of race other sites.” In this case, applying a can be challenging for grant makers racial equity lens opened the door and grantees in regions or fields to an intervention with potential with few people of color or where benefits to all racial groups. racial equity seems far removed from their work. The white director ■ A racial equity lens reveals how of a community foundation serv- “People would tell us that race is relevant to all groups. ing a predominantly white region racism was not a problem “Like everyone,” said one program of the United States described the officer, “grant makers sometimes fall bewildered reaction of many local because there were no back into very narrow definitions organizations when the founda- people of color in their of racial equity.” As an example, tion took on racial equity as a core she cited the reaction within her focus. “People would tell us that community.” foundation when a Korean Ameri- racism was not a problem because can organization applied for a grant there were no people of color in for a grassroots advocacy project. their community.” The foundation “The response from the funding responded by trying to be as clear committee was really surprising,” and explicit as possible about the she recalled. “They didn’t think the relationship between racial equity grant request fit our racial justice and the foundation’s mission, asking criterion. They asked, ‘How is this grant seekers to respond to racial a racial justice issue? What oppres- equity questions in their propos- sion does this community face?’” als, and offering grantees technical The questions prompted an internal assistance in the form of anti-rac- discussion of “the myth of Asians as ism training. When it came time the ‘model minority.’” to renew grantees’ funding, the foundation asked them about the The same grant maker told about a training. “Offering those workshops grant to an American Indian tribe has contributed to some real suc- that sought to regain its recently cess stories in this predominantly revoked U.S. government recogni- white region,” the director reported. tion. “It was the first time we’d done “Groups showed what they learned a grant to a tribe,” she explained, and how they tried to act on that, “and at first it didn’t seem to fit that even if it was baby steps — like an well with what we’d usually think AIDS group that decided to do a of as community organizing. They’re conference on minority health dis- a tribal government that provides parities or a coal miners group that services and carries out basic decided to urge the public library to governance functions. They have a get more black history books.” very sophisticated analysis of tribal sovereignty and what it means for A grant maker of color, working in tribal communities. It’s very different the area of international human from a ‘civil rights’ framework, but rights at a US-based foundation, it’s very much about racial equity for made a related point about the role a colonized people struggling of whites in the United States and for sovereignty.” members of dominant cultures in
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS other societies: “The struggle for Another grant maker told about racial equity is too often relegated providing a grant that helped an to people of color, but it should not anti-poverty organization enhance be their burden primarily. If privi- its racial equity analysis and its lege is going to be redistributed, connection to communities of color: those with privilege must be part of “This was an extremely effective the discussion.” organization that had won impor- tant state policy victories on hunger. ■ A racial equity lens can be used They came to us for a three-year with other lenses. A racial equity capacity-building grant to deepen lens sheds light on racial dynamics their understanding of racial equity that shape social, economic, and and its connection to the class-based political structures. Other lenses work they were doing.” The grant illuminate other important dynam- enabled the organization to expand ics that shape issues grant makers its staffing and work in communities seek to address. “Intersectional- of color. The organization went on ity” — of race, class, gender, sexual to campaign successfully for a city orientation — is key to identifying ordinance to provide public financing the dynamics at play in a particular for grassroots electoral candidates, a situation and how they combine victory that was widely attributed to and converge. an expanded constituency. One grant maker described how gender and racial equity lenses can A danger of intersectionality is that intersect to provide a more complete race can get lost in the interplay. view of a complex situation, such as As Rinku Sen, co-author of Short the response to Hurricane Katrina. Changed: Foundation Giving and Funders need to understand the Communities of Color, observed in a influence of racism, she argued, yet recent dialogue, “Most of the issues “a gender analysis complements our we’re dealing with in low-income understanding of what is happen- communities of color and marginal- ing around race and helps inform ized communities are about a com- funding strategy in really important bination of race and class and often ways. If you apply a gender lens to gender as well.” Yet, Sen pointed Katrina, you see that black women out, a class lens often gets used to are having the hardest time return- the exclusion of others: “People tend ing to New Orleans. Many of them to start with race and class and end have children, so they need up only with class. I see that much to have the infrastructure rebuilt more than people starting with race around things like childcare and and class and ending up only stable schools.” with race.”
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Your Race/Your Role: Reflections from Grant Makers
From interviews with grant makers of color From interviews with white grant makers
On raising issues of racial equity — On raising issues of racial equity —
I’m often the only one [at the community foundation] raising The messenger matters, and we can all hear different things issues like, “Why don’t we try to develop more upper middle from different people, so the question for me is how I can class donors of color, rather than only extremely wealthy use not only my position but also my race to help people see people who are generally white?” Engaging donors of color things they might otherwise not be able to see. would have an impact on who we support, what relationships White people need to be challenged to take this issue on. I we build, who we are accountable to. try to be as forceful, explicit, and persistent as I can be be- People often think that raising race issues is divisive and un- cause I think that’s what people need to see. It helps prevent necessary. When I raised issues of race at my previous founda- the issue from getting marginalized as an issue for people of tion, I was told, “We are not a diversity foundation,” meaning color to deal with. we took a colorblind approach. The colorblind approach goes hand in hand with unconscious racism. Because people don’t On the role of race in professional interactions — realize their biases or society’s, they don’t feel there is any- Racial equity grant making takes a much higher tolerance for thing to correct. personal discomfort and ambiguity than most grant making. On the role of race in professional interactions — You feel vulnerable to criticism that isn’t just about what is traditionally thought of as “good grant making,” but also There are times where I feel the pressure as being “the Latino.” criticism about your entire view of the world, from both white I’m expected to answer on behalf of my community, and my people and people of color. community expects me to give resources that it may not have gotten in the past because I’m the one they go to. I’m getting more confident in my understanding of racial equity and more comfortable, even when I’m criticized by On the risk of being pigeon-holed — people of color. This is my struggle, too. As people of color we need to avoid becoming “Johnny one- On developing a racial equity lens — notes” by making race issues the only thing we speak up about. We need to build our credibility by also succeeding My experience is that you need to start from within the in other ways as a program officer. foundation first and really examine all aspects of your work. Programming is only part of that examination. When you hit In taking this job, I basically defied all the advice I got from my resistance, it’s possible to move forward using a step-by-step community, which was, “Whatever you do, don’t let them pi- process based on values that reflect equity and inclusion. geonhole you and only work on Latino issues.” I said, “I don’t care. I’m going to work on these issues no matter what.” As my I try to find opportunities where I can be in conversations role expanded, it was no longer a question of wading in deep with people of color talking about race. The main thing I do is water and watching out for the sharks. It was about learning to just listen. I’ve never lived racial injustice in the same way as swim smoothly, knowing I had the support of leadership. a person of color.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Applying a Racial Equity Lens: Skills and Strategies
A focus on racial equity can increase color was not marginal, but central to a grant maker’s effectiveness at every our social justice work.” stage of the grant making process, from information gathering to working Use it to � Get people talking with grantee organizations to evaluat- Asking grantees and grant seekers ing impact. As the following examples if they’ve thought about how race illustrate, some foundations support contributes to outcomes can lead to those grant making skills with explicit new ideas. A white grant maker with policies and procedures, applied both a national foundation argued that it’s inside and outside their own insti- up to foundation staff to take the lead tutions. But the habits of mind and in opening up issues of race. “Grant tactics of racial equity grant making seekers are often scared to talk about are valuable even when your founda- race with a foundation,” she explained. tion hasn’t made a clear institutional “They assume it will not help them get commitment. funded. In that power relationship, a program officer ‘authorizes’ whether Use it to � Scan the landscape race can be talked about or not.” Understanding the “racial landscape” “What we’re finding,” said a grant can help grant makers frame ques- maker whose foundation has embarked tions in new and productive ways. on an explicit course of racial equity For example, one African American grant making in education, “is that program officer intentionally used a we’re getting more people and different racial equity lens to scan for new work people to the table. By engaging in this outside her existing group of sustain- conversation, we’re getting people who able agriculture grants. “We wanted would have been afraid on their own to see where new ideas and strate- to come forward” to talk about racial gies were emerging in the field,” she disparities in student performance. explained, “so we did a survey of community organizations focused on Raising explicit questions about race access to healthy food to see if we doesn’t mean testing grant seekers could find people of color who were or being dogmatic. “We don’t believe working on sustainability in a way that we have all the answers,” one grant was accountable to their communi- maker noted, “and we don’t expect ties. Initially we didn’t find many, but grantees to have them, either.” A grant it opened the door to looking at food maker in the health field described a security issues and how people of color gathering her foundation organized were defining the field.” to get grantees talking: “We recently held a grantee convening on cul- A community foundation commissioned tural competency, which we called a a research report that looked at the ‘conversation,’ to connote a low-key demographics of its region, a program approach. We didn’t have any ‘experts,’ officer explained, “which is viewed but we asked grantee organizations to as predominantly white. It was pretty talk about different aspects of orga- basic stuff, but it showed that the pres- nizational cultural competency they ence and growth of communities of had worked on. Some grantees in the
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS audience who had done little think- Use it to � Cultit va e new ing about race and culture saw that leadership their peers were doing much more Effective grant making can’t happen than they were and learned a lot. without the inclusion and leader- Most importantly, they received a clear ship of people-of-color organizations message from the foundation that this contributing perspectives and solutions is an important issue and that there’s in a field. But, depending on the field, an expectation that they be thinking finding their voices may require extra about it.” effort to get beyond well-recognized networks and strategies. “Every year I Use it to � Encourage new do a calendar check,” said one white approaches grant maker. “Who have I met with? Making a public commitment to racial Who have I had lunch with? Am I equity grant making can stimulate really engaging people of color?” innovation. As a grant maker work- Another grant maker told a story about ing in education reform recalled, after diversifying a field by looking to people learning that arrests are disproportion- of color in grantee organizations, per- ately common in schools with heavy haps in positions below the top level of concentrations of minority students, leadership, for new ideas and innova- she began to ask grantees if they saw tions: “My portfolio was teen preg- a connection between arrests and aca- nancy prevention. My strategy was demic achievement. Those questions related to documenting and evaluating led to projects exploring the impact best practices in the field. One very of arrests on the school experience of influential organization — which was youth of color. white-led, like most of the field — had an African American associate direc- Another grant maker found that her tor. I met with her to find out her ideas foundation’s recently adopted racial about where the field should be going, equity focus enabled her to be “there what she thought would bring value at the right time” for a white-led orga- to the work. She wanted to see more nization that was beginning to exam- research on social and cultural compe- ine how a racial equity commitment tence to bring more African American would strengthen and change its work. and Latina teens into teen pregnancy Knowing of the foundation’s willing- clinics. I invited a proposal on that and ness to invest in racial equity, the ended up getting out a significant grant organization approached them for sup- that the associate director headed up. port in undergoing a three-year transi- It led to new knowledge and enabled tion that resulted in new organizational her to take up a greater leadership role leadership and increased leadership in the field.” by communities of color in developing programs and setting priorities for the Use it to � Rethink “merit” and organization. “Our explicit commitment who gets to define it to racial justice affirmed and supported their decision to move in this direc- Some grant makers said that a racial tion,” she said. equity lens helped them reassess more
10 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS rigorously their own assumptions about An easy call, perhaps, but the pro- what constitutes “quality” or “merit” cess took time and reflection. “It was and in the process see that certain important,” the grant maker explained, supposedly “objective” criteria actu- “that we were able to go through the ally reflected deep-seated racialized discussion together and not blindly norms. It’s common, they explained, for dismiss any of the dynamics about who foundations to use criteria for assess- had the power to define what was ing projects and grantees that privilege ‘merit’ on the part of the subcontractor, “If there’s going to be some groups and disadvantage others the associate director, or myself as the genuine change, there has without actually encouraging mean- foundation representative. I was able ingful consideration of what will make to change the risk factors somewhat by to be measurable change a strong project. clearly communicating both internally on indicators of racial and externally what was valued in that In the case of the teen pregnancy project: a more accurate accounting of equity.” project mentioned above, for example, teens’ views.” the associate director needed to select a subcontractor to conduct a set of Use it to � sAs ess impact focus groups. She was struggling to For a grant maker running a national choose between an established, white- initiative in juvenile justice reform, a led, Washington, DC-based marketing racial equity lens helped identify a firm and a new marketing firm led rigorous way to trace the impact of a by relatively young people of color. program intended to improve “a broken While the people-of-color organization system that relies much too much on offered unique expertise with youth of incarceration and does not produce color and had made a name for itself good results, either for kids or for pub- in understanding the “hip-hop genera- lic safety.” tion,” the other group had a longer track record and was well-known and Given the foundation’s underlying respected by the predominantly white objective, he explained, “it would be advocacy and research field. very easy to reduce the number of kids in detention just by treating the white The grantee asked the grant maker, kids more leniently. That was some- also a woman of color, for help in mak- thing we were really concerned about ing the decision. “If part of the goal was when we started this initiative — that lifting the associate director’s profile judges would say, ‘Okay, we want to among her peers,” the grant maker have fewer kids detained? We’ll have recalled, “it might have been easier to fewer white kids detained.’” He and his go with the established group, whose colleagues realized that “if there’s going reports might have been more polished to be genuine change, there has to be and, by some definitions, higher quality. measurable change on indicators of But, in reality, since the true deliverable racial equity. There has to be less dis- was having the information about what proportionality and fewer disparities.” teens of color were thinking, the odds that the marketing firm with hip-hop Collecting and discussing data on experience was going to draw that out juvenile incarceration by race and more accurately made it an easy call.” ethnicity has become the norm within
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 11 the initiative, but that didn’t happen folks because they realize that every- automatically. “Sometimes,” the grant thing else we’ve tried hasn’t worked maker recalled, ”we would get push- in our community. When we focus back from folks within the system, like exclusively on early education or some judges or prosecutors or the people other issue, we can get certain things who ran detention centers, who would done over a three- or four-month time say, ‘Look, we’re just catching the period. We move the needle a little bit. “Applying a racial equity action that the cops bring to us. We But a year later, our community leader- lens upfront [is] taking didn’t decide who got arrested. Once a ship is sitting there scratching their kid gets arrested and comes to us, we heads, asking, ‘Why did everything a more systematic look try to deal with them in a colorblind devolve and degrade?’” way.’ But in most jurisdictions, that’s at problems.” “A big part of it,” he continued, “is not what happens. … The disparities, that we hadn’t addressed the basic in fact, typically worsen. So one of the underlying issues in our community things we tried to do was data analysis and the racial divide that’s here.” that enabled people to examine how Moreover, the failure to identify those the disparities grew or didn’t grow issues explicitly has tended to provide once kids got brought into the system.” an excuse for inaction: “When we bumped up against challenges and Use it to � sAddre s s eemingly problems that seemed intractable and intractable problems unsolvable, usually people would walk In some communities and fields, away from the table saying, ‘You know, a racial equity lens has renewed it’s race relations.’” Applying a racial people’s willingness to attack difficult equity lens upfront made it possible to problems — especially problems that engage community leaders in getting seemed intractable precisely because beyond the “race relations” explana- they had a racial dimension. As a tion and taking a more systematic look grant maker at a community founda- at problems like poor housing, job tion reflected, “I think this racial equity loss, or the underperformance of the approach is having some traction with school system.
12 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Implementing a Commitment to Racial Equity: Policies and Practices
When a foundation adopts a racial program perspective in sequence. “It equity focus, it makes sense to institu- was never our intent to just set up a tionalize that decision in policies affect- separate program,” noted the grant ing internal operations and external maker who manages the stand-alone affairs. No single set of “best policies” program. Although successful, that pro- works for every foundation and situation, gram has not yet made itself felt across but grant makers did offer some guid- the foundation’s programming to the ance for thinking through the choices. extent the president had hoped. She therefore plans to establish discretion- Structuring racial equity ary funds within each program area programming for work connected to the dedicated program. “It was critical,” the program A foundation that decides to pursue a officer reflected, “that we had the focus racial equity focus will almost certainly and time we needed to develop the face what might seem like a tough new definition and structure. Now that decision: create a dedicated program we have those in place, we can think on racial equity, or infuse the commit- about integrating them across other ment across all its programs. Several program areas. But if we had focused grant makers made a strong case for on integration right at the start it doing both. wouldn’t have worked.” “A foundation really needs to have a A community foundation embraced dedicated program on racial equity and racial equity as an overarching goal a racial equity lens that informs all pro- but began by focusing on its education grams,” one argued. “Unless you have portfolio. “We had to start somewhere,” a dedicated program that goes deep a grant maker explained. “Although on racial equity, you won’t have the we’d like to tackle everything from tools and knowledge to apply to other homelessness to health, right now areas. If you start out looking at every we’re really focusing on education as a program area, the consciousness gets start. We recognize our limitations.” watered down because applying the lens takes real skill and experience.” Gathering data on grantees and One large national foundation oper- grant making patterns ates a race and equity program while Many foundations take time to analyze also requiring staff in every program patterns in their own past and current area to address race and equity in their grant making. As one program officer work. According to a program officer described, “In order to focus on racial there, “We’ve been able to infuse a equity, we knew we needed better, race/equity lens across all portfolios. more accessible data about the racial For example, we have a mandate on all composition of our grantees. budget write-ups that asks each pro- We decided to go through all the gram officer how his or her work will grants and see what percentage of address issues of race and equity.” grants made were focused on people- Another national foundation introduced of-color-led organizations. The results a dedicated program and a cross- gave us a useful picture and a
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 13 baseline with which to measure maker at a large, national foundation, our progress.” “is that several foundations, including ours, collect this data but haven’t yet Gathering data consistently isn’t figured out how to use it well to pro- necessarily straightforward or easy. mote the end result of racial equity.” A grant maker at a regional founda- Referring to the growing practice of tion admitted that, despite their good asking all prospective grantees to intentions and fairly extensive efforts, “Considered alone, submit a diversity table along with he and his colleagues still lack a “stan- their letters of intent, a consultant diversity or inclusiveness dard, uniform way to collect diversity and former grant maker said, “Often, data from grant seekers and funded figures tell us nothing these forms are an opportunity missed. organizations. Sometimes we ask ques- Potential grantees are required to fill about whether a grant tions about board diversity and make them out, but it sometimes seems as increased diversity a grant condition, is going to challenge if they’re submitted into a void. The but it isn’t something we do routinely. grantee never gets any feedback, racial disparities in For organizations that explicitly identify positive or negative, about what’s pre- themselves as serving a specific racial a community.” sented in the form. I think there needs or ethnic population, we ask them to to be more attention given to ensur- give us a break out of who they serve. ing that program staff have skills and But if the organization doesn’t identify strategies for reviewing the data and itself that way, we don’t actually ask.” asking constructive questions.” A national foundation recently revised its intake form and intentionally made Several grant makers argued that diver- information on institutional diversity sity figures don’t mean much on their the first thing it asks grant seekers to own but can be an important first step provide. “Some people are really taken toward examining whether program- aback,” reported a grant maker who matic strategies are addressing racial helped develop the form. “They’ll say, equity goals. As one grant maker noted, ‘I’ve never had to do this before!’ and “Considered alone, diversity or inclu- think that the conversation is hap- siveness figures tell us nothing about pening because the program officer whether a grant is going to challenge is a person of color. One of our objec- racial disparities in a community.” tives is to begin this from the very first It’s also a mistake, said another grant conversation to make sure it isn’t seen maker, to assume that racial equity as an afterthought.” It also helps, she organizations are more likely than acknowledged, that the impetus for the others to do well in terms of diversity. new questions had come from the top. To illustrate his point, he described an “It’s good,” she said, “to be empowered organization that specializes in racial to say, ‘Our president has asked us to justice litigation but has very few examine these issues.’” people of color on its board. The prob- The larger and more important ques- lem, he explained, is that the grantee tion, several grant makers noted, is tends to draw its board members from this: What does a foundation do with a group in which people of color are race or ethnic data once it has been underrepresented — law firm partners. gathered? “My sense,” said a grant That recognition led the grant maker
14 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS and grantee to ask a further ques- the numbers, you should fly through tion: Assuming that board diversity is the numbers. You want people on your a worthy goal, how might their board staff and board who really, truly get it recruitment practices be modified? and buy into the direction.” Then, he went on, “that direction needs to be Some foundations are seeking to solidified within the institution in your go deeper, attempting to assess not strategic planning, from tactical plans only patterns of grantee diversity but at the staff level to regular discussion the diversity of grantees doing dif- at board meetings. It should be part of ferent types of work. As one former the performance measures of the insti- grant maker noted, “We need to ask tution, just as any other commitment ourselves, Are we primarily funding would be.” Or, as a former foundation people-of-color-led organizations to do CEO put it, “tinkering does not work.” services, or are we also ensuring, for example, that they’re getting advocacy An Asian American grant maker grants so they can play a role in shap- warned, however, that “diversifying ing public policy?” Examining grants to takes an extremely conscious effort to see which organizations get multiyear reach into different networks and re- funding or what size grants go to orga- evaluate the often unconscious biases nizations led by people of color versus that are built into the hiring process predominantly white-led organizations and selection criteria.” can also reveal important patterns. Once a foundation hires people of color Modeling Diversity and onto its staff, she continued, it takes Inclusiveness intentional strategies to retain them. Fortunately, retaining a diverse staff “As you’re unpacking this issue and and reaping the benefits of diversity are trying to figure out what to do,” a closely related: “The value of diversity is white grant maker suggested, “it realized only when a foundation allows makes sense to start by asking, ‘How staff to bring to bear skills, abilities, and do we increase diversity in our own insights that are directly related to their organization? Do we need a more cultural, racial, linguistic, economic, diverse board? Do we need a more gendered, or other experiences. By diverse staff? Do we need a more combining what staff members know diverse vendor base? Do we need a from their respective perspectives, more diverse fill-in-the-blank grantee foundations can come up with solutions base?’ But ultimately,” he concluded, that are more effective than what a “the issue is not about numbers. If you single person could generate. Too often, don’t have a welcoming environment, however, this doesn’t happen. Some- if you don’t have an environment that’s times the problem is in the way we culturally competent, you will turn make decisions — for example, when away folks pretty quickly.” we erroneously assume that it’s most A Latino colleague concurred: “At the efficient to allow a single person to end of the day, the foundation should come up with a solution to a problem. reflect what your community looks Sometimes, it’s that what’s valued like. You should probably not just hit most in a program officer is her ability
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 15 to present grants in a way that appeals your thinking about racial equity to the board of directors.” Program staff inform how you develop and imple- who “spend time building relation- ment programs?’” As a result, she ships in the community and are highly observed, the foundation is doing a regarded by grantees” may find that better job of assessing proposals and those efforts gain them little recogni- at the same time learning more about tion or reward within the foundation. the actual practice of racial equity and how it is evolving. Reviewing proposals Communicating consistently A few foundations have built racial equity questions into the scoring Foundations with a strong racial equity systems they use to screen proposals. commitment routinely scan their com- “We established a criterion that makes munications, especially their websites up about 25 percent of a grant seeker’s and annual reports, to ensure that overall score,” said one foundation they’re communicating clearly and executive. “The criterion requires that sensitively about race and ethnicity. In the organization work for or benefit fact, just about everything a foundation communities that experience oppres- does — from gathering information from sion or discrimination and have that as a prospective grantee to publishing a part of their analysis.” report on a completed project — has powerful communications potential. Some foundations have gone farther and struggled explicitly with how to To be effective, a foundation’s message interpret what’s in a grant proposal. on racial equity should reflect a com- As a program officer at a foundation mitment that is clearly understood and with a major commitment to racial demonstrated across the entire orga- equity observed, “We often get propos- nization. As one grant maker warned, als that are very weak in their discus- “unless a foundation takes the time to sion of racial equity, then find that the create value statements, the focus tends organization is actually using a racial to be on political correctness” rather equity lens in interesting ways.” This than real objectives. “Without dissecting sort of disconnect makes sense, she what you mean” by racial equity, said contended, if grant makers remember another, “you can’t communicate.” that “foundations rarely ask organiza- Others argued that, bottom line, a tions to talk about racial equity in a foundation’s commitment to racial proposal. It’s not surprising that so few equity needs to be demonstrated at the are good at it.” top. The white former CEO of a West Keeping that larger issue in mind, Coast community foundation explained the foundation searched for ways to what it took to get the message across: ask grant seekers about racial equity “I basically put myself on the line and that would encourage organizations said to the board, staff, donors, grant- to describe both their thinking and ees, vendors, and other stakeholders their practice. “Now,” she explained, that we were going to lead on this “instead of asking, ‘What’s your racial issue. I spent years pushing it. It was equity analysis?’ we ask, ‘How does not easy, nor was I always success-
16 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS ful. But, by the time I left, the founda- Others, including a consultant who tion had moved from being concerned advises foundations on racial equity about equity and inclusion to being issues, agreed that a foundation with committed to operating with a racial a commitment to racial equity can equity lens. That commitment was make a genuine contribution by using reflected in our board and staff.” its “convening power” to bring people together to talk about racial equity — Exercising community and even invite comments about “Instead of asking, leadership what the foundation could do to be “a ‘What’s your racial responsive community stakeholder — Bringing a racial equity lens to bear one that supports the community being equity analysis?’ we within a community or field is another equitable and inclusive.” way to make a difference. As the ask, ‘How does your white director of a community foun- Collaborating with other thinking about racial dation pointed out, “We have a lot funders of resources that go well beyond our equity inform how you grant making” — resources that include Some foundations have formalized their develop and implement personal and institutional credibility desire to expand racial equity grant and relationships. making in their communities or fields programs?’” by establishing funders’ collaboratives His foundation has used those resources that explicitly embrace racial equity thoughtfully to change the racial equity principles and goals. A consultant who picture in the city and region. For works frequently with foundations example, after commissioning research explained that joining a collaborative on community needs and develop- can be reassuring to grant makers or ing recommendations, he and his staff foundations new to the field of racial presented the results to other local equity, since they “know they’re in donors, especially corporate funders. good company with other mainstream, “We started off with objective informa- respected funders. Being aligned with tion,” he recalled, “so it wasn’t just me others allows them perhaps to take coming with my personal or profes- on risks that they may not have been sional bias toward this issue. What I able to on their own.” A funders’ col- brought to the table was an ability to laborative can also be “a place to have push others in the community on what’s discussion and ask difficult questions important to their organization or cor- about racial inequities” in a field poration, what is it that they’re trying to or community. achieve. If I had gone in there and said, ‘You know, here are 10 things that we Yet one white grant maker cautioned think you ought to give to,’ it wouldn’t that “collaborative grant making offers have worked. They would have shut both pros and cons to someone who’s down and said, ‘You know what, that’s newer to race grant making and less great but it’s not us.’ I just had a two- sure of themselves and their analysis. hour conversation with the leadership On the one hand, it can be a fantas- of a major corporation in town, and tic experience to join with others and we talked about racial equity in a very eavesdrop on how such challenging direct way.” issues are handled. On the other hand,
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 17 there’s a learning curve to this type of need peers with whom they can hon- work, and a newer grant maker might estly sort out their strategies and biases. easily feel overwhelmed and unsure The need is infinitely greater when of themselves, and therefore uncertain the subject is race.” As an alternative about how to contribute and explore, to a funders’ collaborative (or, bet- when grouped together with stronger ter yet, in addition to a collaborative), voices on race.” she endorsed the idea of developing joint projects and convening informal Still, she thinks the opportunity to learn conversations about racial equity grant is too valuable to pass up: “All funders making on a regular basis.
About the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity
The list of resources on the facing page was compiled by the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE), our partner in developing this guide. Produced by and for foundations, the resources are intended to help grant makers learn more about how to apply a racial equity lens in particular aspects of their work. Check PRE’s website (www.racialequity.org) for frequent updates to the list.
PRE is a national, multiyear project intended to increase the amount and effectiveness of resources aimed at combating institutional and structural racism in communities through capacity building, education, and convening of grant mak- ers and grant seekers. Since its inception in January 2003, PRE has conducted numerous local, regional, and national events, through which it has engaged hundreds of foundation representatives (including program staff, managers, board members, and individual donors) in discussions of racial equity. Those discussions have yielded a wealth of new understanding about how an emphasis on racial equity can strengthen philanthropic efforts and advance foundations’ overall mission. PRE is based in Washington, DC, and is a project of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Educa- tion, which works to increase public awareness about the need for strong civil rights and social justice policy. PRE gratefully acknowledges major funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
18 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Racial Equity Resources
INTERNAL DIVERSITY, INCLUSIVENESS, AND EQUITY
California Tomorrow and CCFY. Leading by Example: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in Community Foundations. www.ccfy.org.
Community Foundations of Canada. Building Bridges: A Tool for Engaging Diverse Communities. 2006. www.cfc-fcc.ca.
Donors Forum of Chicago, Minnesota Council on Foundations, New York Regional Association of Grantmakers, and Northern California Grantmakers. Building on a Better Foundation: A Toolkit for Creating an Inclusive Grantmaking Organization. 2001. www.mcf.org.
Effective Communities. Becoming a Catalyst for Social Justice: A Tool for Aligning Internal Operations to Produce Progress. 2006. www.effectivecommunities.com.
Expanding Non-Profit Inclusiveness Initiative.Inside Inclusiveness: Race, Ethnicity and Non-Profit Organizations. 2003. www.denverfoundation.org
CREATING WILL OR MAKING THE CASE FOR A RACIAL EQUITY LENS
Annie E. Casey Foundation. Race Matters Toolkit: “Is It About Race?” (chart). 2006. www.aecf.org.
Community Foundations of Canada. Diversity Scanning Tool for Community Foundations. 2006. www.cfc-fcc.ca.
Effective Communities Project. Moving Past the Silence: A Tool for Negotiating Reflective Conversations About Race. www.effectivecommunities.com
Expanding Non-Profit Inclusiveness Initiative.Inside Inclusiveness: Race, Ethnicity and Non-Profit Organizations. 2003. www.denverfoundation.org
DEVELOPING RACIAL JUSTICE GRANT MAKING STRATEGIES
Applied Research Center. Racial Justice Leadership Training Institute. www.arc.org.
Annie E. Casey Foundation. Race Matters Toolkit. 2006. www.aecf.org.
Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change. Project on Structural Racism and Community Building: Racial Equity and Society Seminars and Learning Forum. 2004. www.aspeninstitute.org.
Effective Communities Project. Choosing Promising Ideas and Proposals: A Tool for Giving that Closes the Gaps. 2006. www.effectivecommunities.com.
MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS
Applied Research Center/Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity. Racial Justice Grantmaking Assessment Tool (Piloted in 2007; final version available in 2008. Contact [email protected] for information.)
Effective Communities Project. Choosing Promising Ideas and Proposals: A Tool for Giving that Closes the Gaps. 2006. www.effectivecommunities.com
COMMUNICATING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS
Annie E. Casey Foundation. Race Matters Toolkit. 2006. www.aecf.org.
Center for Social Inclusion, a Project of the Tides Center for the Kirwan Institute. Thinking Change: Race, Framing, and the Public Conversation on Diversity. 2005. www.diversityadvancementproject.org
Hunter Cutting and Makani Themba-Nixon. Talking the Walk: A Communications Guide for Racial Justice. 2003. www.akpress.org.
Source: Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity (PRE), www.racialequity.org.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 19 Three Foundation Tools for Activating a Racial Equity Lens
How does a foundation make racial equity a priority — and do it consistently? One approach is to introduce policies that get people thinking and talking regularly about race and ethnicity through activities such as collecting diversity data from applicants or, at a deeper level, discussing diversity objectives with grantees. For a more systemic approach, foundations may create tools that encourage reflection on racial equity when considering program strategy.
The tools shown here demonstrate what three foundations have done to establish routines that help everyone get on the same page and build a common understanding and practice. Although not a recipe for racial equity grant making on their own, tools like these (and others listed on page 19) can promote explicit discussion of race — an important first step, said many grant makers, in taking up a racial equity lens.
Table for Collecting Diversity Data THE San Francisco Foundation
More and more foundations are routinely collecting data on the diversity of current and prospective grantee organizations — an activity that invites exploration even if it doesn’t necessarily lead to explicit racial equity grant making. The San Francisco Foundation, for example, asks organizations intending to apply for funding to supply information on the race or ethnicity of people to be served by the project they have in mind, people served by the organization as a whole, and the organization’s staff and board. The data inform the application process and help the foundation keep current with the diversity of the local nonprofit sector and its constituencies.
# people % people # people % people # people served by served by served by served by # people on board of project project organization organization on staff directors
Racial /ethnic
African American/Black
Asian American
Hispanic/Latino Native American
Pacific Islander
White (Non-Hispanic)
Other
Total
Gender
Female
Male
Transgender
Total
20 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Protocol for Discussing Racial Equity Diversity with Grantees Programming Ford Foundation Check-up
The Ford Foundation articulates its commitment to diversity in terms of Annie E. Casey Foundation the quality it seeks to achieve, both in desired results and the “talent pools” from which it draws. In reviewing proposals, program To build a commitment to racial equity into staff work through a set of open-ended questions with potential grant- their work, grant makers at the Annie E. ees on a case-by-case basis to clarify the connection between diversity Casey Foundation routinely rate aspects and quality. Grant makers may also take certain steps, including provid- of their programming for alignment with the foundation’s overall commitment to ing additional support, to help grantees meet diversity goals. eliminating disparities in children’s well Questions for discussion being. The ratings help the foundation develop thoughtful policies, which in turn n What forms of diversity (gender, racial, cultural, religious, enable staff to design programs and make immigrant/refugee background, linguistic, etc.) do you think are individual grants that address racial and important for strengthening the quality of the work ethnic disparities. proposed and why? Does your organization’s staff and governance reflect this diversity? On a scale from 1 to 7, please indicate the extent to which you agree with each n How do you propose to draw upon diverse perspectives in the statement: community or field that the proposed work will serve? n We have access to data on racial/ ethnic disparities to guide our work and n What diversity challenges does your organization face in its work investments in this area (that is, the overall? data on relevant indicators of well being are broken out by race). n What progress has your organization made to increase its diversity in the last two to three years? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Menu of support strategies n There is an explanation and/or theory of change regarding disparities specific to n Establish specific goals for increasing the representation of under the intent of grant making in this area. represented groups in the organization’s board or staff 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 n Ask the organization to form a project advisory committee that better n Our grant making in this area incorpo- represents underrepresented groups rates investment strategies that address disparities specifically based on the n Make a linked grant to an organization that better represents under- theory of change (for example, close the represented groups to promote its participation and involvement in gap, gap plus, race-based strategies, the project etc.). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 n Provide support for staff and board recruitment activities designed to improve the diversity of the organization n Our grant making includes performance measures to determine how well our n Work with other grant makers supporting the organization to investments are addressing racial establish expectations and support work to improve the diversity disparities. (Please list the performance of the organization measures used.) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 n Condition subsequent grant payments on progress toward diversity goals n Our grant making includes people (grantees, TA providers, etc.) with n Involve senior foundation leadership in discussions with the specific skills or experience in reducing organization to highlight the importance of diversity and the disparities. (Please list who they are.) inclusion of underrepresented people in foundation-funded work 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 21 Looking Inward: Using a Racial Equity Lens Inside Your Foundation
Whether you’re hoping to introduce shared language and ideas they had a racial equity commitment or sustain gained to develop activities relevant one, encouraging people inside your to each sector of the foundation. For own foundation and on its board of example, they prepared a special directors to think deeply about racial session for the board, in which the equity can be challenging, grant mak- directors viewed a video (the commit- ers said. Their universal advice was to tee chose excerpts from Anna Deveare ground the work continuously in the Smith’s Twilight) and participated in a foundation’s explicit goals and priori- discussion afterward. For administra- ties. Or, as an African American grant tive and financial staff, the commit- maker suggested, try to “engage your tee focused on promoting community institution in a conversation about events and dialogues where their what you are trying to achieve pro- concerns as local community members grammatically and the role race plays could be identified and addressed. in preventing that outcome.” Bring the outside in. Some grant mak- How have grant makers gotten the ers have brought in outside perspec- conversation started with colleagues tives to inform the internal discussion. and board members? How have they For example, a Latina grant maker kept it going, even when the process involved in developing a program to seems slow and incremental? And how increase the engagement of women of have they built from talk to under- color in public policy advocacy recalled standing to real commitment? Here are that she and her colleagues learned their words of advice. a lot at the beginning by holding a Don’t look for “one size fits all” series of “listening sessions,” in which solutions. “Remember that a founda- women activists around the country tion is made up of people with many shared their ideas and concerns with different roles and responsibilities,” the foundation. Once the foundation urged one grant maker. “They are at decided to create a new program, it different levels of readiness to use a invited women of color from the racial equity lens.” She learned this listening sessions to serve on a lesson while working with an internal steering committee to develop and committee responsible for develop- oversee it. ing a new program area focused on As this example illustrates, structured race relations and racial justice. “We input and leadership from communities knew that we wouldn’t be successful of color can be an important ele- unless our committee members had a ment both in planning new work and chance to establish shared experience in keeping ongoing work on course. and language around issues of race Another grant maker concluded, “Foun- and racial justice,” she recalled. “We dations can talk about racial equity also knew that whatever we did would until they’re blue in the face, but they need broader institutional support in have to find ways to bring perspec- order to move forward.” tives of communities of color into their Committee members attended a train- thinking and decisions if they really ing session together, then used the want to make a difference.”
22 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Frame the strategic opportunity. that abortion rights work would be Grant makers told of various ways to strengthened by connecting it to make the case for a racial equity lens. broader issues and growing constitu- For many, the process began with encies. Finally, she argued that their evidence from an existing or emerging small foundation could make little program area. difference in the mainstream world of reproductive rights but could have One program officer described her a disproportionate impact by leading “We started to work success in moving her foundation to the way in supporting women-of-color expand its reproductive rights commit- together to bring in organizations. ment to include the emerging field of speakers who could reproductive justice. Most reproductive Create space for learning. Because rights funding was going to predomi- racial equity is such a charged issue, frame the issues. . . . nantly white-led organizations that grant makers often need to create Our meetings were also focused on resisting attacks on abor- opportunities to explore issues of racial tion rights. At the same time, a small equity with each other. Ideally, those an open space for but growing movement of women-of- should be structured so that they can candid conversation.” color-led organizations was focusing eventually seed larger institutional on reproductive justice issues, such as investments in racial equity. the right to affordable health care, the One grant maker recounted the process right to have children, and freedom by which an internal affinity group from sexual violence and abuse. ultimately emerged as an institutional The white women on the foundation’s catalyst: “A number of black program board of directors were not closely officers, including myself, were feeling connected to women-of-color repro- uncomfortable about the capacity of ductive justice issues and organiza- our foundation to understand black tions. In addition, some board members families in our overall commitment to argued that funding reproductive jus- families. We wanted the foundation to tice organizations would “take atten- look at issues of black families in terms tion away from pro-choice efforts.” of race, class, culture, and power, so Others were concerned that investing we started to work together to bring in in a small number of tiny organizations speakers who could frame the issues would have little impact. in that way. Our meetings were also an open space for candid conversation. The program officer addressed these Other staff of color began to join us. challenges by drawing on external Later, when the foundation’s strategy expertise to present an analysis of moved toward place-based community women of color as central, not mar- change work, our group was in a stra- ginal, to the field and frame a stra- tegic position to influence the institu- tegic role for the foundation. First, tion in a more formal way.” she brought in a series of respected speakers to help make reproductive An African American grant maker justice issues familiar and compelling at a regional foundation found that to the board. Second, she presented a expressing concerns of her own led solid rationale for funding reproduc- to structured discussion within her tive rights as “smart and strategic”: foundation. It began, she said, when
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 23 she decided to explain to her white color. As other grant makers of color supervisor that she had been disturbed cautioned, it’s important not to be a at a foundation-sponsored theater lone voice — or “to be seen as predict- fundraiser to see that all the charac- able, with only one note to play.” ters played by women of color were in supporting roles: “I’m tired of being Interpret grant guidelines from a in settings that are supposedly ‘for all fresh perspective. Because a racial women,’ but they’re not.” At first, her equity lens reveals new ideas, new boss “couldn’t understand and seemed forms of work, and new networks, it totally put off by what I was saying. can prompt foundation staff to rethink The conversation sort of grew from their funding guidelines and criteria. there, and we ended up developing For example, an African American grant a staff dialogue on what worked and maker who inherited grants for work didn’t work in the show. As it turned in sustainable agriculture found that out, a woman of color donor also raised few grantees were focusing on equity concerns, so there ended up being issues. Foundation resources were not a focus group on it that included our reaching new sectors, such as the fast- board chair.” growing population of Latino farmers. Moreover, it appeared that a narrow Some people look to colleagues in interpretation of the foundation’s other foundations. As another African guidelines was excluding work in com- American program officer described, “I munities of color and limiting impact in sent out a memo to an affinity group the field. “I realized I needed to expand and said, ‘I’m having a hard time how we were thinking about the field,” bringing diversity and racial equity she recalled. into my portfolio. Are you?’” The memo She began to examine the foundation’s sparked several conversations, through guidelines for ways to broaden their which she identified allies in her field application. She found, for example, with whom she can now strategize. that the foundation generally funded Yet several grant makers noted that groups organizing for policy change at people of color can be particularly state, regional, and national levels — a vulnerable within their foundations if practice that had the unintended effect they become known for raising racial of disqualifying many people-of-color- equity issues. “In particular,” said one led groups, which tended to work at grant maker, “we saw that the person a more local level. The foundation’s identified as leading the racial equity board approved a change to allow committee would get marginalized.” grants to be made to local groups if His foundation’s committee therefore they showed an interest in engaging established protocols to safeguard with state, regional, and national net- individual staff — for example, specify- works and if their engagement would ing that the chair must rotate every diversify the field. She also saw that two years. At another foundation, a the foundation’s definition of “policy” committee on racial equity was jointly work might be expanded beyond chaired by two members of the pro- traditional legislative advocacy. Using gram staff, one white, one a person of a new, wider definition, the founda-
24 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS tion now funds projects such as a ist, analytic, and policy-focused youth Latino farmworker group that promotes organizing groups” revealed that they a social justice label certifying fair had come to believe that it was impor- prices for farmers and decent wages tant, in working with youth, to “take and conditions for workers. “That,” the burden off individual young people she concluded, “was a type of ‘policy’ by widening the political analysis work I might not previously have been to a more systemic one.” Based on looking for.” those conversations, the foundation “We launched a articulated and adopted a racial equity Respond (don’t react) to resistance. program on grassroots agenda built on a “set of values consis- Most people who try to advance tent with the core American values of leadership that I knew the cause of racial equity grant equity, fairness, inclusion, and involve- making inside their foundations run would bring people ment in decision making.” into resistance at some point. Some- of color in the door in times the pressures are overt. For Over the next several years, the board example, a woman of color who was raised questions about “some of the ways we hadn’t ever introducing a racial equity lens into her analysis that was put forward by done before.” foundation’s arts programming recalled our grantees, which struck them as meeting with the board members of incendiary and difficult.” Board and another foundation. At one point, “one staff talked through those concerns of the trustees leaned over and said, as they arose — and kept funding the ‘When is this whole multicultural thing organizations. As a result, the board’s going to blow over so we can get back commitment grew, and the founda- to the business of making good art?’” tion is considering adding racial equity The question was insulting, she felt, criteria to its grant guidelines. yet she answered with an explanation: How did the conversation move so far? “Multiculturalism is a reality. Demo- First, the grant maker suggested, “I’m graphics tell the story. It’s not going to not sure we would have been as effec- blow over.” tive within the foundation if we had More often, the pressures are subtler. put our own perspective out front and A grant maker at a family foundation center very powerfully rather than try- described an ongoing, candid, but ing to elicit the perspectives of grant- occasionally tense dialogue between ees.” Second, he and his colleagues the foundation’s staff and board dur- were often mindful of a need to “pro- ing the first few years of a new youth ceed in ways that the board would be development program with an explicit able to experience as successful.” racial equity lens. Resist the temptation to stay under The program got its start in a plan- the radar. Given the challenges and ning process that involved “listen- complexities of applying a racial ing closely to what communities said equity lens, it’s not surprising that their problems were. We heard a lot grant makers may resort to “under the about discrimination” and how it was radar” tactics. Looking back on her affecting young people’s sense of their own experience as a program officer, own chances of failure or success. one Latina foundation president said, Conversations with “the more activ- “I stretched my portfolio to bring in
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 25 people-of-color organizations, but I his experience: “At our foundation, never told the board what I was trying we launched a program on grassroots to do. My intention was to get money leadership that I knew would bring out the door, not to change their think- people of color in the door in ways ing. When I left, things just snapped we hadn’t ever done before. I’ve been back into place.” Today, she advises quietly achieving my goal of diversity, program officers to be explicit but also but I’ve only now begun to make those “The fact that a foundation “very practical. You need to present goals explicit. Now that I’ve explained says ‘Race is important’ clear evidence that a focus on race will them directly to my board chair, it help your foundation be effective.” turns out that he supports the vision.” provides real leverage.” Look for natural allies. For one grant Although many grant makers have maker, the turning point in getting encountered clear resistance when the board interested in racial equity they tried to address racial equity came when he recruited a younger issues explicitly, more often the pres- board member to serve on a planning sures were subtler. “Most people don’t committee. “We provided her with a actually know what they think on set of readings on structural racism,” race,” observed an African American he remembered, “and it just blew her philanthropic consultant, “and most away. She’s an accountant, so she foundations think they’ve already got a was very sensitive to numbers. She racial equity lens.” That view can block couldn’t believe what she was reading. progress, or it can be an opportunity: She knew a lot about the longstand- “The fact that the foundation says ing effects of poverty, but the research ‘Race is important’ provides real lever- opened her eyes to a structural analytic age that you can use to move them in a framework. She might have been par- different way.” ticularly open because she’s 10 or 15 Staying under the radar can sometimes years younger than most of our board mean foregoing valuable support. members. She’s living in a world with One foundation president described greater cross-race comfort.”
26 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS Questions to Ask Inside Your Foundation
About your foundation’s own policies and practices ■ How is a commitment to racial equity reflected in our mission, vision, goals, and workplans?
■ How diverse is our own staff? How about our executive leadership and board? Are we doing enough to establish or maintain a diversity of voices inside the foundation?
■ Is our staff experienced in talking about race? If not, what internal staff development might strengthen our ability to discuss issues of race and act on racial inequities?
■ Do we have criteria and policies in place to assess the racial and ethnic diversity of grantees? Do we have protocols for discussing the role of racial equity in shaping their organization priorities? What data do we gather about the race/ethnicity of their boards and staff? What do those data tell us, and are we doing enough to respond?
■ What do we know about the racial and ethnic diversity of our contractors and suppliers? Do those relationships reflect our commitment to racial equity?
■ How can we ensure that we stay open to new ideas and diverse voices? Do we have criteria and policies in place that seem race neutral but may be barriers to potential grantees of color?
■ Are foundation staff assessed and rewarded for their ability to connect with diverse grantees and community members?
■ How should our commitment to racial equity be reflected in the foundation’s own performance measures? What should the foundation be held accountable for?
■ If we’re a community foundation, how do we celebrate and support philanthropy by people of color?
About your grant making strategy ■ What might racial equity look like in the arenas where we work?
■ How could a racial equity lens strengthen our own understanding of the problems we’re trying to address? How could it strengthen the understanding and practice of grantees? What quantitative data would help clarify the problems that matter to us?
■ How is our grant making strategy responsive to demographic changes in our community?
■ Are we consciously asking if there are racial disparities in the arenas where we work? If so, why do they exist? Do our strategies align with our reasoning about the disparities? Are they targeting the right problems?
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 27 Ways to Use This Guide We hope this guide will be a useful starting point for conversations that help grant makers, foundation executives, trust- ees, grantees, and other colleagues understand how racial and ethnic disparities affect programmatic goals. In particu- lar, we hope that reading and discussing the guide together will lead to clearer policies and more systemic approaches to grant making with a racial equity lens. Recognizing that conversations about race and racial disparities can often be challenging, we offer a few suggestions for getting started with discussion, inquiry, and planning:
■ Check your assumptions. We all use a racial lens whether we chose to or not, so why not do it consciously and well? Ask yourself: When was the last time I checked my own lens for acuity? Can I articulate my views on racial disparities and the factors I believe contribute to them? Can I engage colleagues in discussion? Read through the PRE collection of resources on page 19 to select materials, speakers, or consultants to help you and colleagues improve your skills. Check out Peers Suggest at www.grantcraft.org for recommended readings and videos related to racial equity. Invite colleagues to read or watch them together asking, What does this mean for our foundation’s grant making?
■ Look “upstream” at past grant making decisions. In a staff meeting or retreat, choose a core program or activity and ask what impact a racial equity lens might have had on its design. Would you have chosen different strategies, grantees, or intended outcomes? What hurdles might you have encountered along the way? How could they have been managed?
■ Borrow tools and adapt them to your context. Pick a program and try using the Annie E. Casey Foundation tool on page 21 to see if additional information or strategies might improve its effectiveness. Ask: Do we need to know more about the role of race or ethnicity in the problem we’re trying to address? What could we learn and what data could we collect to sharpen our perspective?
Or take a look at The San Francisco Foundation and Ford Foundation diversity tools. If your foundation already collects diversity information, ask if you’re using it well to promote racial equity. What strategies do you use to help grantees increase the quality of their work by increasing their diversity? Try analyzing data from several key grantees over time or looking at data from grantees in a particular field to learn more about diversity and its implications for programs.
■ Share the guide with your trustees. A foundation’s board of directors may want to read the guide and discuss the ideas that stand out for them. To prepare for the possibility that they’ll want to learn more or adjust policies to make the foundation more conducive to using a racial equity lens, read and discuss Questions to Ask Inside Your Foundation on page 27.
■ Organize a discussion with other funders. Using the guide as background reading, convene a conversation about racial equity grant making and its potential impact on thinking and practice within your field or community. What does a racial equity lens tell you about the problems you are seeking to address as funders? How might it change your priorities? Does it suggest new opportunities for collaboration?
■ Open up conversation with grantees and other constituents. Host an informal meeting with grantees or others working in your community or field; send them the guide in advance. Ask them: If your foundation was planning to adopt an explicit racial equity lens, how would it affect their own strategies? In what ways could your foundation better support the use of a racial equity lens in their organization and in their field? Do they know of other partners, including funders, who share your interest?
■ Look beyond your usual networks. Using a racial equity lens might mean getting ideas from new people and fund- ing organizations you haven’t worked with before. For a quick overview of strategies that can help you broaden your network and diversify who you know and what organizations are on your radar, see Scanning and Networking in GrantCraft’s A Closer Look series at www.grantcraft.org.
28 GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank the grant makers and grantees who generously shared their experiences and insights, and all those whose contributions of time, talent, and perspective have helped to make this guide possible.
Leticia Alcantar Soya Jung Harris Mia White Greater Kansas City Susan Batten Taryn Higashi Maya Wiley Community Foundation Ignatius Bau Mike Howe Margaret Wilkerson Headwaters Foundation Anne Beal Larry Jacob Richard Woo for Justice Evette Cardona Barbara Klugman Kolu Zigbi MetisNet Hedy Chang Bart Lubow Charles Stewart Mott Jean-Paul Chaurand Irma McClaurin Akonadi Foundation Foundation John G. Couchman David Nicholson Appalachian Community Fund Ms. Foundation for Women Todd Cox Maggie Potapchuk Applied Research Center Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation Shelley A. Davis Elizabeth Theobald Richards The California Endowment Open Society Institute Quinn Delaney Sara Rios Annie E. Casey Foundation Lucille Packard Foundation for Michelle DePass Kimberly S. Roberson Marguerite Casey Foundation Children’s Health Cyrus Driver Tara Sandercock Center for Social Inclusion (CSI) Polk Bros. Foundation Gaye Evans Rinku Sen Chicago Foundation for Women Russell Family Foundation Tierney Fairchild Robert Sherman The Commonwealth Fund The Saint Paul Foundation Marjorie Fujiki Jael Silliman Community Foundation of The San Francisco Foundation Linetta Gilbert Alvin Starks Greater Greensboro Social Justice Fund - Northwest Sara Gould Chris Sturgis East Bay Community Surdna Foundation Deborah Harrington Roberta Uno Foundation Woods Fund of Chicago Loren Harris Luz Vega-Marquis Ford Foundation
Underwriting for this guide was provided by the Ford Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
GRANT MAKING WITH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS 29 For additional guides and other materials in the GrantCraft series, see www.grantcraft.org
grantcraft PRACTICAL WISDOM FOR GRANTMAKERS
www.grantcraft.org