Resource Mobilization

The philanthropic sector, and those who work within it, often have complex relationships with the wealth that has made the sector possible. Addressing those complex personal and institutional relationships, while advocating for the equitable distribution of financial resources to grantee partners, builds a stronger sector.

This includes:

Mobilizing and allocating financial resources equitably in support of grantees and the communities they serve
Building nonprofit financial literacy, including budgeting and an understanding of key aspects of non-profit financial management
Deepening awareness of creative grantmaking practices, including participatory grantmaking
Navigating personal and institutional relationships with money

Resource Mobilization Resources

Want to learn more about how to mobilize resources and navigate your personal and institutional relationships with money? The following resources and articles can get you started:

Money as Medicine by Edgar Villanueva - an article that highlights how money and grants, when done in alignment with healing, can be a means to repair marginalization from colonial legacies.
Grantmaking with a Racial Justice Lens by Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity - a guide that provides grantmakers with reflections, frameworks and tools built from the direct experience of activists and funders for advancing racial justice in any philanthropic setting.

You can also learn more about how resource mobilization connects to the larger field through Advocacy & Policy, better understand the philanthropic sector's historical relationship to money and wealth with Sector Knowledge, or take a look at all seven ILF cornerstones here.

EPIP Resource Mobilization Blog Posts

EPIP Member Voices: What Philanthropy Can Do Now (Part II of II)

Posted on August 16, 2021

In late March 2021, the murders of 6 Asian American women in Atlanta brought new attention to a disturbing and hateful trend of growing violence against members of the Asian American community, a legacy of the anti-Asian sentiment built and nurtured by white supremacist culture in America. As philanthropy – and many other groups and sectors within the US – came together to decry the hatred, many Asian American and Pacific Islander (AA/PI) individuals within the sector were left to grapple with the impact of a moment that resonated both personally and professionally.

Below, four Asian American members of the philanthropic community – Claudia Leung, Jonny Moy, Jennifer Nguyen, and Cristiana Baik – share their perspectives on the violence, immediate philanthropic response, and hopes for the sector’s commitment to AA/PI communities long-term.

This is part two of two reflections from these four leaders within our membership.

Book Review & Interview | Decolonizing Wealth

Posted on January 16, 2019

"This book is just part of a bigger conversation and bigger movement to transform the space. This book is a tangible tool people can hold in their hand and use to push those conversations further."

EPIP's Director of Operations and Member Services sat down with Edgar Villanueva, long-time EPIPer and author of Decolonizing Wealth to learn more about his inspiration, process and the transformation he went through writing the book. Check out the full interview here.

Members on Issues: Doing Philanthropy Together

Posted on December 03, 2018

In education philanthropy, we share a collective sense of urgency to find the appropriate solutions to mitigate the achievement gap. Yet, we each concentrate our time on pursuing distinct but complementary missions. How many of us find ourselves wishing we could team up with other organizations to share collective learning and coordinate our efforts?