Finding responsibility, aligning with values
If you’ve been to an EPIP program in the last few years, you know our team is passionate about good facilitation. Recently, our Director of Programs returned to a podcast interview between Dean Spade and adrienne maree brown (the pilot episode of the podcast Love in a F*cked Up World). In the episode, adrienne reflects on what it means to her to be a facilitator:
“my work is to … help redistribute responsibility so that we all feel like we're all holding this … whatever happens is going to happen because we all choose to operate with integrity, with a sense of shared value, or a sense of divergent values that can be compatible.”
But how do we find that “we”, and what is “this” that we’re all holding? When we assume roles inside of organizations - which operate inside of institutional philanthropy - which is always informed by systems of capital accumulation, tax codes, economic inequality, racial inequality, movement co-optation, and climate collapse - it can become increasingly challenging to discern who we partner with to make change, and what is the right target for our collaboration.
As we gear up for our conference in Chicago next month, questions like this are shaping our thinking. We see our members grappling with the scale of change needed, and feeling unsure of finding their role. If any of this resonates with you, we hope you’ll consider joining us in Chicago.
Unable to join us in Chicago? Consider signing up for our advocacy workshop on June 9th. We’ll be grappling with these questions and more to increase a sense of shared responsibility with our peers and teams. See our events below to learn more.
EPIP News
Conference reminders
- The hotel block rate expires June 5. Book your room now and get the discounted rate before it’s gone.
- Tickets are still available. Join us in Chicago for an incredible experience. Register before it’s too late!
EPIP Events
You don't have to change policy to make change
In an era of overlapping crises, it's easy to feel like meaningful change is out of reach. But advocacy doesn't always look like policy work. Join us on June 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. PT for an interactive workshop on "little a" advocacy, where you'll clarify your role in social change, connect your values to action, and identify where you want to deepen your impact. Open to all roles in the philanthropic ecosystem.
Get ready for the EPIP 2026 Conference with two chapter-hosted programs!
Join us virtually on June 11 from 3 to 4 p.m. ET for a practical session packed with tips on choosing the right sessions, networking authentically, and optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Whether it’s your first conference or your fifth, this one’s worth showing up for!
EPIP Chicago is hosting a session dedicated to getting you ready for the EPIP 2026 conference! Join us virtually June 15 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. CT for insider tips from steering committee members, a crash course on navigating the conference, and a chance to meet fellow attendees before the big event.
Chapter Events
Come for food & drinks, stay for connections
Detroit, let’s get together! We’re heading to Vinyl Society on June 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. for an evening of great food, drinks, and conversation. This free event is open to EPIP members and non-members alike. Space is limited, so grab your spot before it’s gone.
Sector News
New report from Center for Effective Philanthropy
The Center for Effective Philanthropy's State of Nonprofits 2026 report paints a stark picture of a sector under strain, with CEO burnout surging, foundation funding harder to secure, and nearly 40% of nonprofits running deficits. It's essential reading for funders who want to understand what the organizations they support are actually facing right now. Read the report!
New report from United Philanthropy Forum
The United Philanthropy Forum's Journey Toward Racial Equity report (now in its third edition) is a field-wide self-assessment tracking how philanthropy-infrastructure organizations are advancing racial equity both within their own operations and across their membership. Drawing on a Racial Equity Capacity Assessment of member organizations, it benchmarks progress over time, surfaces what's working, and offers a call to action for the sector. Check it out!
Our Reading, Watching, & Listening List
- Book: Extinction of Experience - A philosophical warning about what we lose when we trade real life for digital convenience.
- Podcast: Love in a F*cked Up World with Benji Hart - How abolitionist organizing, transformative justice, and artistic practice intersect – and why real change takes time.
- Podcast: The Circle Back Club - The Self-Advocacy Trap - Why self-advocacy isn’t enough and how mutual aid at work might be the answer.
- Report: The Futures We Create - Democratizing the Imagination of the Future (RWJF)
Job Board
Looking for a new opportunity?
View highlighted job opportunities from our Institutional Member and partner organizations below, and check our Job Board for more opportunities from around the country.
- Communications Officer, External Engagement - Heising-Simons Foundation, San Francisco Bay Area
- California Communities Director - The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CA
- Communications Manager - Bush Foundation, Saint Paul Minnesota
- Racial Justice Program Officer - David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CA
- Grants Manager and Impact Analyst - The Just Trust (Remote US)
Would you like to post a job opening at your organization to the EPIP Job Board? Submit a job post here.
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