During a double pandemic and a recession, hear a powerful story about how and why one organization decided to make the somewhat radical decision to retain all staff and give raises. This inspirational story comes from Ananda Valenzuela, Interim ED of RVC, who talks with Michelle about how these decisions were made and how their family and personal history have shaped their work and worldview.
Nonprofit Industrial Complex 101: a primer on how it upholds inequity and flattens resistance
To imagine new worlds, we need words that reflect our current one. Audre Lorde tells us, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house,” and I think this is why there is such a proliferation of new language on the left — we are describing forces we have purposefully been given no words to describe — new words to talk about gender, race, and identity — new words to talk about a diversity of internal experiences — new words to talk about the oppressive ways society is organized.
On Word for Wildlife: “Interpersonal Philanthropy”
After some fans and supporters of #BlackBirdersWeek found Tykee’s personal Venmo account and gave him money, he decided to reflect on the concept of interpersonal philanthropy and if it can advance equity. He also connects the Principles of Community-Centric Fundraising to wildlife conservation.
Why I decided to give up complicity in order to be an anti-racist volunteer manager
Four months into a previous job as a volunteer manager at one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the region, I sat down to talk with one white mentor, who privately shared his prejudice toward his Black mentees.
He wasn’t the last to do so.
‘You want a director of what now?!’ When orgs that are hiring are too lazy to know what they want
Recently I saw a director of development position at a local organization whose work I respect. The overview paragraph talked about being the face of the organization, building strategic partnerships, preparation of grants, appeals, campaigns, etcetera. Great, I thought. I can do all of that!
The Ethical Rainmaker: “Meaning well isn’t good enough,” with Vu Le
Fundraising is well-intended, but meaning well isn’t good enough. Hear Vu Le, one of the most amplified voices in the nonprofit sector, talk with Michelle about how the principles of community-centric fundraising were created and how his family and personal history have shaped his work and his worldview.
“Philanthropy”
When white-centric organizations and philanthropists impose their vision of action in fighting systemic racism, it can be detrimental to the actual work needed to create reform. Context and history is important. Abdul Ali reached out with the idea of writing and performing a spoken word poem that addresses this very topic, created just for CCF. Read and watch the performance of the poem, “Philanthropy.”
How prospect research can help nonprofits become less racist and more inclusive
Prospect researchers have a responsibility to play a part in helping nonprofits become proactively less racist and more inclusive. Here are a few ways for prospect researchers to think about moving the needle forward on making nonprofits anti-racist.
What I Learned from Losing Two Jobs in the Fight for Racial Equity
In September 2017, I was fired from my role as associate director of Invest in Youth in Seattle because I was outspoken about the organization’s need to diversify their volunteer tutors and board members. My passion for anti-racism work did not align with their investment in the status quo.
10 reasons why fundraisers and nonprofits all need to support defunding the police
Here’s why you personally, as a fundraiser, should support defunding the police and why you should encourage all organizations with which you are affiliated (as staff, board, volunteer, donor) to also support this movement.
The power of a fundraiser: Why you are the key to systems change
I’ve been working as a fundraiser at and with nonprofits for a while now — both in small and large teams — and what I’ve learned again and again is that my role as a fundraiser is never just to make it rain.
When those of us in the sector talk about community-centric fundraising, we tend to intellectualize it, resulting in skeptics saying, “Well, this sounds interesting, but unrealistic. We don’t know how it would look or how it would work.”