In Our Own Words

From Erika Hawthorne, Director of Membership and Communications

EPIP is starting 2022 with three new staff members and plans for continued expansion over the coming months. It is an exciting time for this group of changemakers to come together on the heels of EPIP’s 20th anniversary and strategize ways to advance EPIP’s work for the next phase of its evolution.

As the new director of membership and communications, I am starting this year feeling grounded in my truth, aligned with my purpose, and activated to create equitable systemic change. When I first engaged with EPIP in 2016, I immediately resonated with the mission and jumped at the opportunity to serve on the steering committee for the EPIP DC chapter. I am excited to re-engage with the community through this new role and build on the strong foundation of EPIP’s values.

Through my onboarding this past month, I’ve felt a sense of clarity and optimism that I attribute to this team’s fierce commitment to creating an internal culture that lives up to the inclusive leadership we advocate for in the sector. We are pushing ourselves to incorporate philosophies of transformative leadership and emergent strategy into our everyday practices. To deepen our relationships as a team, we are reflecting on what we're carrying that we can let go of, and what new intentions we want to set. I am personally focusing on unlearning harmful practices rooted in white supremacy culture and embracing practices that center humanity (e.g. letting go of either/or and binary thinking).

I am also thinking about our members and additional support we can offer to drive deeper engagement across the network. Below are a few reflection questions top of mind for me:

• What is needed to activate our collective wisdom, resources, and courage to rise to current needs for transformational leadership?
• How can we deepen our relationships to cultivate a national community ready to take collective action to advance equity?
• How do we build trust to lovingly hold each other accountable when we stray from our shared values?

Over the next several months, I will be reaching out to connect with members through existing events and new engagement opportunities. I also welcome one-to-one and small group connections to discuss our work and get to know one another. You can reach me at [email protected] to start a conversation! I am energized by the possibilities ahead and look forward to building together.

In truth and service,

Erika

EPIP News

Registration Open for Philanthropology™

Looking for a deeper grounding in the history and practice of philanthropy from a social justice lens? Join EPIP, in partnership with EPIP Chicago, for Philanthropology™, a 3-module curriculum offering an in-depth critical study of philanthropy, created for and informed by the next generation of inclusive grantmakers.

What to expect: This 6-week virtual course runs once a week, every other week, for three sessions, leaving plenty of time for asynchronous work and testing out new ideas.

• Module 1: Philanthropy History, Ecosystem, and Evolution - March 10 from 11am- 2pm CST
• Module 2: Racial Equity, Advocacy and Policy in Grantmaking - March 24 from 11am- 2pm CST
• Module 3: Self-Advocacy and Personal Leadership - April 7 from 11am- 2pm CST
• The curriculum also offers 3 hours of asynchronous activities and ample readings to further your knowledge.

Click here to learn more and register today! Space is limited for this cohort.

Not a member yet? Click here to join the EPIP community and gain access to this program along with many other professional development and networking opportunities.

Chapter News & Events

Connect with your local philanthropic community, or broaden your network across the country through these events hosted by our chapter leaders.

February Coffee Chat (EPIP Colorado) happening February 02 from 9:00am - 10am Mountain Time. Join EPIP CO for a coffee chat discussion based on the book, Work Won't Love You Back by Sarah Jaffe. Attendees will explore questions like: How are people in philanthropy pushed to allow work to take over our lives? How do our workplaces perpetuate the "labor of love" myth? How does philanthropy perpetuate this issue in the non-profits we fund, and how can we help change that? What can we stop doing to make room for more of what brings us joy, fulfillment, and rest? Attendees don't have to read the book to join this discussion!

Coast to Coast New Year Chapter Kickoff (Boston, Colorado, DC, Philly, NYC & Seattle) happening Wednesday, February 9 at 6:00pm Eastern Time. Join your fellow members to get the year started off right with a fun and friendly community of philanthropy professionals from all over the nation. Look forward to highlights such as a virtual scavenger hunt, cocktail making, a night of magic, casual networking, and more! Lucky attendees may even leave with a prize!

Congrats to EPIP Members and Alumni!

Congratulations to the Career Pathways Spring 2022 Cohort of leaders for embarking on this journey with the Council on Foundations to deepen their expertise, expand their networks, and hone their leadership skills to advance the field. A special shout out to our active members May Leong, Kadar Lewis, and Mona Shah as well as our institutional members engaged with this cohort!

Congratulations to the Kennedy Center’s Next 50 - a new initiative celebrating cultural leadership with 50 trailblazing leaders and organizations guiding society and the next generation into the future. Special shout out to EPIP Alumni, Manuela Arciniegas!

The Latest in Philanthropy

CHANGE Philanthropy is Excited to Launch the 2022 Diversity Among Philanthropic Professionals (DAPP) Survey!

Sign up here by March 11 to participate! This groundbreaking culture and climate study is unique in soliciting anonymous, self-reported diversity, equity and inclusion data from individuals on the staff and boards of participating foundations, helping grantmakers accurately assess the culture & climate of their institutions. This edition of the DAPP Survey will illuminate the experiences of the philanthropic workforce across a diverse array of identity frames: race/ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, religious affiliation, and more.

Participating foundations will receive survey dissemination instructions, communications templates, and an organizational specific dashboard. Individual responses are completely anonymous and confidential. The findings will only ever be reported on in aggregate form. Learn more at www.changephilanthropy.org/DAPP.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues - Accepting Applications for GUTC Leaders Fellowship Cohort

The Grantmakers United for Trans Communities (GUTC) Leaders Fellowship develops trans leadership in philanthropy to strengthen the pipeline of trans professionals in the field, with the long-term goal of increasing the number of trans people working and taking leadership in philanthropy. Click here to read more and apply for this cohort!

What We're Reading

Darren Walker shares a lesson on philanthropy from Martin Luther King Jr.

Vu Lee shares reflections on how to be less of the white moderate that Dr. King warned about.

Cyndi Suarez, President and Editor in Chief at NPQ, reflects on “building pro-Black organizations,” in the philanthropic sector.

NYTimes shares tips on how to actually relax and utilize our rest time.

The LandBack movement shares a small but mighty win.

Tressie McMillan Cottom explores Black women in country music in a long-form essay looking at the intersections of race, gender, music, and identity.

GEO staff share lessons learned in creating access-centered virtual environments and how to embed equity in event planning.

Have something new on your reading list? Is there a resource you'd like the EPIP community to know about? Let us know at [email protected] and we may include it in a future newsletter.

Job Board

Looking for a new opportunity?

The positions below are just the beginning. Check our Job Board for more opportunities from around the country.

• Senior Manager of Recruiting - FSG (Boston MA, Washington DC, San Francisco CA, or Seattle WA)
• Program Associate - Wellspring Philanthropic Fund (Washington, D.C.)
• Grants Operations Assistant - Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Princeton, NJ)
• Program Analyst - The Kresge Foundation (Troy, MI)
• Senior Venture Associate or Principal (based on experience) - Hispanics in Philanthropy (Remote - Oakland preferred)
• Narrative & Administrative Coordinator - Threshold Philanthropy (Seattle, WA)
  

Want to explore the Job Board's filters and special features? Log in to your member account or join EPIP today!

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