PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIESReimagine Fundraising
Community-Centric Fundraising is a fundraising model that is grounded in equity and social justice. We prioritize the entire community over individual organizations, foster a sense of belonging and interdependence, present our work not as individual transactions but holistically, and encourage mutual support between nonprofits.
PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIESReimagine Fundraising
Community-Centric Fundraising is a fundraising model that is grounded in equity and social justice. We prioritize the entire community over individual organizations, foster a sense of belonging and interdependence, present our work not as individual transactions but holistically, and encourage mutual support between nonprofits.
EQUITABLE FUNDRAISING
CENTERED AROUND COMMUNITY
We need a fundraising model in which we respect donors and build strong relationships with them, but one that they are not the center of. The community we serve and benefit from must be centered.
MOVEMENT BUILDING
We envision a sector that believes in the principles of Community-Centric Fundraising, that uses these fundraising principles and practices to build the power and voice of communities of color.
EVER-EVOLVING
The CCF principles and sample actions are iterative and will change and evolve as we have more conversations, including, likely, some more healthy arguments.
THE 10 PRINCIPLES
These ever-evolving core principles have been developed from conversations with so many fundraisers of color over the the past few years. The 10 Principles are how we aspire to transform fundraising and philanthropy, so that they are co-grounded in racial and economic justice.
The Latest Updates
Are universities REALLY ready to take on antiracism? An Open Letter to UT Austin
By Marcus Cunningham and Michelle Vryn, CFRE
Focusing on social justice and equity in philanthropy sounds like it should not be a new concept. Most people have dropped money into their church’s collection plate or bought a box (or three) of Girl Scout cookies. Philanthropy is all about charity and compassion, right?
In reality though, charity and compassion are actually contrary to the way many powerful institutions operate.
Take the recent example of The University of Texas at Austin’s response to open records requests on donor responses to changing the Eyes of Texas school song, a tradition that perpetuates racist origins.
So you think you’re a philanthropist, huh? Or maybe you’re a power hoarder? Let’s find out!
Hi! This is a message from your friendly, eager-to-please nonprofit fundraiser. All of us got together, and I drew the short straw … and I now have the task of telling you the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have been summoned to pull back the curtain and reveal everything. Everything we want you to know — but are afraid to say — about philanthropy.
First and foremost, if you are currently giving money to a nonprofit organization, we want to genuinely thank you. Without funding, it is difficult, and — in most cases — impossible to do the work that needs doing. We understand that donors like you give for all kinds of reasons, and the choice to share your money is admirable. You could be spending all of your money on the latest iPhone, saving it all for your offspring, or buying a yacht. (I imagine that most of us fall within the first or second scenario, but still – we are all making a choice.)
It’s pronounced ‘zeen’! (How the world of zines inadvertently prepared me for a career in nonprofit fundraising)
Zines are usually categorized as ephemera, something that exists only briefly or for a short period of time.
Zines are pronounced zeen, short for magazine, and are self-published, not widely distributed, and cost very little. As small and temporary as they initially seem, zines have actually been around for decades and can have the power to provide a voice to those who are not normally heard.
MULTIMEDIA
The Ethical Rainmaker: Deschooling and Decolonization with Akilah Richards
With her podcast, Fare of the Free Child, a Ted Talk, 10 books out and an entire network devoted to the unschooling community, hundreds of thousands of people have been tuning in to Akilah Richards’ body of work. In this episode, Michelle talks with Akilah about how we can decolonize ourselves, centering community and unschooling, which Akilah defines as “…shedding the programming and habits that resulted from other people’s agency over your time, body, thoughts or actions [and] designing and practicing beliefs that align with your desire to thrive, be happy and succeed…” This celebrated speaker, and organizer has just published her latest book, Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work. Tune in – you don’t want to miss this conversation.
The Ethical Rainmaker: Bringing Community to Communications with Sarah Durham
There have been so many problematic practices we’ve used in nonprofit communications…so how do we start thinking about communications, differently? Well, in this episode, Michelle talks with Sarah Durham founder of Big Duck, a New York-based nonprofit communications firm, podcaster with The Smart Communications podcast and author of two books including Brandraising and The Nonprofit Communications Engine! We talk about the difference between communications, marketing and branding, how Americans are terrible at research, unnecessary urgency as a characteristic of white supremacy in communications, and what we can start doing differently today!
JOIN CCF’S SLACK
For those of you who are interested in starting up a CCF group in your own city or just meeting cool new folx, hit up our CCF Slack!