Philanthropy and the social sector grapple with the wake of the recent Capitol insurrection and presidential inauguration...

• In Inside Philanthropy, Mike Scutari looks at the role that philanthropy could have played in fighting misinformation and the tools and resources that can be used in this effort going forward.
• In Nonprofit Quarterly, Crystal Hayling calls for the transfer of power to Black women, communities of color, and lasting movement work.
• Vu Lee reminds us on Nonprofit AF that the collective trauma we have experienced over the last year and beyond may continue to reverberate for some time to come.

...and the turning of the calendar year gives us the opportunity to look back at 2020 to see how philanthropy has stepped up and where to go from here.

• The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Foundations Respond to Crisis reports find that foundations have shifted in their giving and practices in response to COVID-19 and the fight for racial justice.
• TCC Group’s report Approaching the Intersection: Will a Global Pandemic and National Movement for Racial Justice Take Philanthropy Beyond Its Silos?, however, argues that moving beyond funding silos, even in this time of crisis, will require fundamental changes in the way philanthropy operates and sees its role.

From funders to founders, chapter leaders to champions, EPIP would not be the organization it is today without the leadership of women of color. In summer 2020, five women of color leaders from EPIP’s past and present came together for a conversation about the past 20 years of EPIP, their personal leadership journeys, and what the philanthropic sector can learn from the past to change its future.

Listen in as EPIP ED Storme Gray, EPIP Board of Advisors Treasurer Michelle Jaramillo, former EPIP Board Chairs Jasmine Hall Ratliff and Melissa Hewitt, and EPIP's initial angel funder Linetta Gilbert have a no-holds-barred conversation about the role of EPIP in their individual journeys and philanthropy as a whole. 

This summer, the EPIP community will come together virtually for our 2021 National Conference - a time to celebrate our past, take stock of our present, and look towards the future. To make this the best conference it can be, we’re looking for volunteers to help us shape conference content and programming as members of the 2021 National Conference Planning Committee.

Members of the committee will focus on areas of planning including conference workshops, virtual networking opportunities, and ways to showcase our upcoming 20th anniversary. This is a great opportunity to make new connections, build invaluable leadership skills, and give back to the EPIP community. The anticipated time commitment will be 5 hours per month from February - June 2021.

If you are interested, please fill out this interest form by Friday, January 29th. With your support, EPIP 2021 is sure to be a big success!

Last week, domestic terrorists stormed the US Capitol in a violent insurrection. EPIP wholeheartedly condemns their actions and the ongoing hateful and racist rhetoric that made them possible. This attempted coup was white supremacy culture in action - an effort to maintain the oppressive system that undergirds this nation’s founding and holds us back from living up to its promise. Just as alarmingly, it was met with minimal initial law enforcement response, a stark contrast to the overwhelming force deployed against peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors a few months ago. 

I have struggled to find the words to articulate the multitude of emotions that I am feeling in this moment. I struggle still. And I imagine that for many of you, the events of yesterday have left you angry, hurt, disappointed, unseen, and stunned. So allow me to say this. We see you. And you are not alone. 

Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) is seeking thoughtful, inclusive, and talented leaders to join our Advisory Board!

EPIP strives for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive sector that innovates with intention, takes risks, and leads more boldly so that we may bring resources to communities and organizations to advance equity. EPIP’s Advisory Board plays a pivotal role in reaching those goals. 

The Advisory Board is also an opportunity for board members to serve our community while further developing their own leadership, skills, and networks. We are seeking dedicated leaders who believe in our mission and our work. Specifically, we are seeking values-aligned leaders who meet some or all of the following criteria:

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, social justice, and excellence in philanthropy (required);
• Knowledge of philanthropy, non-profits, community organizing, and/or equity work; and
• Skill in one or more of the following: non-profit governance, finance and accounting, law, fundraising, human resources, communications, and/or policy/advocacy.

EPIP Director of Network Resources Adriana Loson-Ceballos shares some ways that fundraisers are thinking differently about resource mobilization that parallel the move towards equity in the philanthropic sector:

• Community-Centric Fundraising is a fundraising model grounded in equity that prioritizes mobilizing resources for the community as a whole over individual organizations. 
• Decolonizing Fundraising works to dismantle inequities built into the fabric and structure of fundraising.
• Giving Circles provide a democratic, community-centered approach to philanthropy. 
• Initiatives like The Rooted Collaborative and Women of Color in Fundraising & Philanthropy bring together BIPOC leaders working on these and other aspects of resource mobilization.

And we continue to look at the ways philanthropy intersects with racial justice in its giving practices and internal policies.

On Election Day, millions of Americans made their voices heard, choosing democracy over demagoguery in the largest voter turnout in over a century. Still, for those hoping for a widespread repudiation of the politics of hate and fear, this victory is tempered by the deep division that exists throughout the country. Many Americans voted for a presidential candidate who has spent the past four years enacting harmful immigration policies, attempting to stifle and demonize racial justice movements, limiting rights for the LGBTQ community, and more. So while we celebrate the outcome and champion the movement work that brought more people to the polls than we’ve seen in our lifetimes, we recognize that even a moment of victory is but a moment. It will require continuous forward movement and conscious effort to create long-lasting change. We still have work to do.

EPIP LA is thrilled to announce that it is accepting applications for its eighth year of the Mentorship Program. Through its Mentorship Program, EPIP LA aims to provide participants with the tools needed to develop and maintain meaningful connections with experienced leaders and their peers. 

The EPIP LA Mentorship program connects emerging leaders in the philanthropic field with a seasoned leader to serve as a mentor and like-minded peers to support them on their journey. 

Participants meet to discuss their individual professional interests and brainstorm potential matches. The Steering Committee assists in matching each participant with a mentor in the field who is available to meet on a regular basis for the year (approximately four meetings total). On alternate months, the cohort of mentees meets to discuss their professional challenges, progress on personal goals, and to share learning from their mentor relationships. Participants need to be available at least once a month for the duration of the program.

To apply for the 2021 Mentorship Program cohort, click here. Applications are due by Friday, December 18, 2020. Applicants must be available to participate in an evening group interview during the second week of January (tentatively January 15th) and willing to commit to the full year of the program if selected.

As the election nears, we are thinking about what comes next for the sector’s conversations on race and equity…

• EPIP joined with a number of other philanthropic institutions in signing an open letter from Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), Philanthropy Must Confront Our Country’s History of Racist Immigration Policies. 
• A new report from Building Movement Project, On the Frontlines: Nonprofits Led by People of Color Confront COVID-19 and Structural Racism, finds that POC-led nonprofits are bracing for future moments of crisis and filling gaps left by government programs, while the work is taking a toll on their leaders, especially those who are women of color.

…looking at ways that grantmaking practices will continue to be impacted by this tumultuous year, and enjoying the resources shared this month by EPIP chapters.

October is full of great EPIP chapter events! Whether you're looking to prep for the election, learn from a philanthropic leader, or take a deeper look at police reform and abolition, we've got you covered. And if you're looking to connect? Join EPIP Chicago for a coffee chat and EPIP New York for a virtual mixer that will be unlike most things you've seen online so far.

We're also excited about the work of our partners - the W.K. Kellogg Foundation is awarding $90 million to drive equity, Funders for LGBTQ issues is holding a conversation with Black queer and trans leaders, and we have partnered with the Goodman Center in a report on best practices for virtual work and avoiding Zoom fatigue.