Every 4^th Tuesday of the month, different members of our EPIP St. Louis community will lead monthly discussion on a particular topic or article. Grab a friend, bring your lunch and come prepared to meet new people and discuss ways to move the sector forward. EPIP St. Louis will provide snacks and deserts.

Funding and Organizing White Political Will for Racial Justice 

 August 27th, 12:00 - 1:00 pm @ St. Louis MHB

"What will it take to create systems change that produces racial equity and what needs to happen in terms of anti-racist education and community organizing amongst white folks to produce change? What is "white folks work" for racial justice? Who will fund it?" This month we are joined by Laura Horwitz, Co-Founder and Executive Director of We Stories, who will share what she is learning about unlocking the political will and giving potential of white families to support racial equity. From her perspective she will also talk about the barriers that exist in philanthropy that make it hard to fund this work. 

Prior to our conversation, please look over this Giving Guide created by Resource Generation which organizes young people with wealth and class privilege to become transformative leaders working towards the equitable distribution of wealth, land, and power. From the guide: "For those of us with access to wealth, this is the moment to thoughtfully and boldly leverage our resources to fund movements resisting the policies and governance that appeal to bigotry and fear to benefit the wealthy."

About the Facilitator: 

Laura Horwitz has fifteen years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating social justice programs. Prior to starting We Stories, she launched the organizational learning function at American Friends Service Committee, an international nonprofit organization with programs in the U.S. and abroad addressing a wide-range of peace and justice issues. Laura also worked at The Pew Charitable Trusts where she was part of a team that provided strategic planning recommendations to nearly 400 program staff, working on policy issues ranging from consumer protection to environmental conservation. She is the author of several research reports on topics like the impact of the recession on city budgets, parents’ views of school choices, and the rising costs of healthcare and pension benefits. Her strengths include leadership development, curriculum design and group facilitation. Laura received her B.A. from Tufts University and her M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University.

With an incredible co-founder and board, Laura sets We Stories' vision and strategy. She leads the organization's board development and fundraising efforts, builds its team of staff and consultants, and puts in place systems for growth. She plays key roles in We Stories' alumni community building, and her heart will always be in programmatic work.

Please Note: 

Union Station is currently undergoing parking lot construction. Please park in the red areas indicated on this map. 

Join us for our monthly Rant & Refresh session, a casual opportunity to come together (with snacks) and talk about what's on our minds. 

Join your fellow Bay Area EPIPers for our August Happy Hour! Come to Topsy's Bar and Lounge to mix, mingle, and hear about upcoming events and opportunities, including our recruitment process for the 2020 steering committee.

Light appetizers will be provided by EPIP.

We look forward to seeing you there!

September is here and that means summer is winding down. Come celebrate new beginnings and connections with local colleagues at EPIP DC’s “Back to School” happy hour! Enjoy a drink and light refreshments on us.

Keep in mind, EPIP DC will be opening applications for new Steering Committee positions shortly, so if you have any questions, now's a good time to come meet us and see if you might be interested in applying!

Join us for a mid-career professionals brunch, designed for those who have been working in the nonprofit/philanthropy field for 10+ years. Connect with colleagues on topics such as career planning, networking, leadership development opportunities, and more.

Due to popular demand, this event is SOLD OUT but if you are still interested in attending, please email us to join the wait list.  

Join us for a chat about How Foundations are Transforming Risk into Opportunity. As this blog from Candid points out, while there are many conversations about risk-taking in philanthropy, the “meaning of risk itself isn't always adequately unpacked across programs, governance, and staff.” We will discuss specific risks philanthropy does and does not take, including investment/financial; operational; grantmaking; political; reputational; and innovation risks. Whether or not philanthropic organizations take those risks are dependent upon organizational culture and values as well as internal social biases of staff who make grantmaking decisions. We also know that there are other types of risks, such as not funding projects that could really use philanthropic support; funding efforts that could actually harm the communities we are trying to serve; and not knowing how to connect to communities and people we seek to support. What risks are your organization taking? What risks do you wish you could take? How are you working to take them, and encourage your organization to take them? And what have you learned that you can share with fellow philanthrofolk?

Join us on September 11^th at Fluid Coffee Bar, 501 E 19th Ave, Denver, CO 80203, from 8:30am-10am. Arrive between 8:30am-9am to get a cuppa joe or a snack, meet new or catch up with current friends, and be ready to chat by 9am! Free street parking is available.

Are you new to philanthropy and still learning the who’s who of Colorado’s funding world? Or perhaps you’ve been in this space for some time and are wondering how the work of your peers has evolved in recent years? Join EPIP Colorado for our upcoming networking event where several of our philanthropy peers will highlight their organizations and the ways in which they are incorporating equity and social justice in their work. Make connections with other professionals in the funding community, and walk away with new ideas, thought partners, and allies for your own work! Beverages, including beer donated by New Belgium Brewing, and light refreshments will be served.

The location is at Oracle, 7604 E Technology Way, Building 2, Denver, CO 80237 and will be held in Conference Rooms 1250/1240. There is plenty of free on-site parking is available: a lot on the south side of Building 2, in the garage just east of Building 2 and 3, and visitor parking is also available between Buildings 2 and 3.