Wellness is a Necessity, Not a Perk

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time when we come together to build awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations around mental health. But truly caring for our overall well-being requires more than an annual reminder. It demands daily practice. The conversation must continue all year long.

In philanthropy, our work asks a lot of us. It’s meaningful, values-driven, and deeply connected to the world we want to create and thrive in. However, because the needs we respond to are often urgent and ongoing, making space to step back can be difficult. We carry the weight of that responsibility—often in ways that are invisible. Until they’re not.

At the same time, we’re navigating a political environment where some of our institutions are being targeted and core values like equity, inclusion, and justice are under attack. That kind of pressure takes a toll, because the implications touch both our professional and personal lives.

In a field where many of us bring our whole selves to work, it’s no surprise that 76% of workers report their workplace has negatively impacted their mental well-being. The pressure to keep pushing forward can make it hard to recognize when we need to pause. But without rest, we don’t just risk burnout—we risk disconnecting from our purpose.

This is why, at EPIP, we’re striving to build something different. We believe wellness is essential to sustainability—and that self-care is a form of leadership.

That belief shows up in our organizational practices and policies:

• A 4-day workweek to create space for rest and renewal
• Monthly Reflection Weeks—full weeks dedicated to reenergizing, reflecting, and reconnecting
• Providing resources that support individual and team wellness
• A forthcoming sabbatical policy open to all staff, not just senior leaders

We also know wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our needs are as diverse as we are, and we are committed to fostering a culture where people feel safe naming what they need—and supported when they do.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s commit to building a sector where well-being is not the exception, but the expectation. Where rest, healing, and care are not perks—but essential to our collective impact.

In wellness,

The EPIP Team

EPIP News

Register for the Fall 2025 Cohort of Philanthropology

Join EPIP for our Fall 2025 Cohort of Philanthropology™!

Philanthropology™ is EPIP's signature curriculum that responds to this need with an in-depth critical study of philanthropy through a social justice lens that includes academic and practitioner perspectives. 

The Philanthropology™ curriculum includes 9 hours of synchronous virtual sessions spread over several weeks supplemented by reading materials, videos, and reflection activities. Participants learn the landscape and history of the philanthropic sector and dig into concepts like intersectionality, movement building, grantmaking with an equity lens, and strategies for putting this knowledge into practice. 

The curriculum is delivered by trained facilitators from within the EPIP community, providing an opportunity for members like you and alumni to share their knowledge and perspectives as emerging leaders in the sector. (Contact [email protected] to express interest in becoming a facilitator). 

The content is also informed by EPIP’s Inclusive Leadership Framework and develops participants’ sector knowledge, ability to take an equity analysis, and so much more!  

• Module 1: Philanthropy History, Ecosystem, and Evolution
  • Wednesday, September 10 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST 
• Module 2: Racial Equity and Equity Analysis in Grantmaking
  • Wednesday, September 24 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST 
• Module 3: Self-Advocacy and Personal Leadership
  • Wednesday, October 8 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm PST 

Are you wondering about the Summer cohort of Philanthropology? We unfortunately had to cancel the summer session, so we've opened Fall registration early to allow you to save your spot now!

ICYMI: Why the Census Matters for Equity, Power & Philanthropy

Attention EPIP members! If you missed last week's EPIP webinar, "Why the Census Matters for Equity, Power & Philanthropy," but you would like to view the recording, email [email protected] to request a link to view the webinar. 

To view all upcoming EPIP events, visit www.epip.org/events.

Community of Practice News

Emerging Women of Color |
In Full Bloom: Growing Connection Through Shared Stories

Join us for the Q2 gathering of EPIP’s Emerging Women of Color (EWOC) Community of Practice on June 3, 2025, from 3-4:30 pm ET. This powerful storytelling session is designed to deepen connection, celebrate identity, and nourish community among emerging women of color. We’ll come together in a space of care, creativity, and reflection to explore the stories that shape who we are and how we show up in the world and in our work. 

People of Color Network: Angered to Action

Join EPIP's People of Color Network (PCN) for our Q2 gathering on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 3:00 pm ET! We welcome you to a reviving session designed as a space to hold the anger, grief, and exhaustion that often arises with navigating systems built to silence us. We’ll explore transforming these emotions into purposeful momentum and community-rooted power. Whether your fire feels like a spark or a blaze, come as you are. All BIPOC-identifying members are welcome, even if you haven't joined previous sessions.

To get the latest news about Community of Practice events and activities, sign up for a Community of Practice.

Questions about our communities of practice or whether this is a good fit for you? Reach out to [email protected].

Chapter News

Artfully Connected: A Summer Evening with EPIP DC

Sector News

Center for Effective Philanthropy Releases "State of Nonprofits 2025: What Funders Need to Know"

Nonprofits report difficulty pursuing their missions in a complex environment shaped by the current political climate and future economic uncertainty in the CEP’s new “State of Nonprofits 2025” report.  

In the report, nonprofit leaders share their thoughts on the polarized and unpredictable political climate, staffing challenges, and burnout.

Read more about how nonprofits are faring right now and what they need from funders.

Neighborhood Funders Group 2025 National Convening: Seeding (and Ceding) Transformational Power

The Neighborhood Funders Group 2025 National Convening will be held in Nashville, Tennessee the week of July 15-17, 2025. This convening will be a space for grantmakers to co-conspire and strategize around seeding transformational power — investing in grassroots powerbuilding, movement organizing and infrastructure, relationships, and supporting BIPOC communities now and for the long term — and ceding power — shifting and ending harmful philanthropic practices, being accountable to movement and communities, and partnering with movements to shift philanthropic portfolios in support of their long-term strategies.

Learn more and register.

Feminist Funded ‘25: Register Now

Presented by the Women’s Funding Network, Feminist Funded ‘25 is the largest gathering of global leaders in feminist philanthropy, working to co-create a more just, equitable, and safer world for all. 

Feminist Funded ‘25 is happening September 10-11, 2025, with Pre-Conference Policy Action Day on September 9, in Washington, DC. 

Tickets sold out quickly in 2023, so register now!

What We're Reading, Watching, & Listening To

• One, Big, Beautiful Bill: Impact on Philanthropy - Council on Foundations
• How Nonprofits Shape Your Life and Form the Foundation of American Society (Whether Your Know It or Not) - Dr. Kevin Dean, Tennessee Nonprofit Network
• A new award for ‘civic bravery’ recognizes everyday people who step up - Thalia Beaty, Associated Press
• Asian American Heritage Month Brings Somberness and Solidarity - Deepa Iyer, Building Movement Project 
• Philanthropy Is Having a Crisis of Confidence - Jeff Raikes, Raikes Foundation
• Nonprofits navigate Trump's drastic funding cuts - Chronicle of Philanthropy CEO Stacy Palmer on Rapid Response Podcast 
• Philanthropy 2.0 - Philanthropist Maya Ghosh Bichara on Trumanitarian Podcast 

If you'd like to share a resource for possible inclusion in a future EPIP newsletter, you can send this to [email protected].

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! 

• TPO Executive Assistant - Baltimore Children and Youth Fund, Inc., Baltimore
• Vice President, Strategic Communications and Narrative - The California Endowment, Sacramento or Oakland, California
• Senior Accountant - Gates Family Foundation, Denver, CO
• Program Officer, Policy and Advocacy - Sobrato Philanthropies, Mountain View, CA and Sacramento, CA
• Executive Assistant - Voqal Partners, Remote
• Building the Fire Fund Strategist - Solidaire Network, Remote

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

Join Our Community!