The Ethos of Being Trust-Based Session 4 | Confronting and Correcting Historical Power Imbalance

Trust-based philanthropy is anchored in an understanding of power and privilege, historical and systemic racism and structural oppression, and how these shape people’s realities in profoundly different ways. As grantmakers, we have a responsibility to confront the reality that philanthropy originated from and has often contributed to systemic inequities, both in the ways wealth is accumulated and its dissemination is controlled. While these discussions may be challenging and difficult, this type of self-reflection is fundamental to the work of trust-based philanthropy. As individuals and institutions, we must be willing to recognize historical trauma and systemic power, examine our own relationship to power and money, and be willing to give up some of that power and control in a spirit of service and collaboration with those who are closer to the issues at hand. In this session, we will:

• Review some of the salient historical and systemic factors that have contributed to inequity in philanthropy
• Help participants recognize examples of the pervasive and lingering effects of historical systemic inequity in our grantmaking culture and practices
• Discuss strategies and tactics that grantmaking practitioners can deploy in order to proactively address power inequities on an interpersonal, organizational, and systemic level

This session will be moderated by Akilah Massey, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations.

If you require any accommodations to fully participate in this program, please contact [email protected].

Speakers

• Ashley Clark, Knowledge & Grants Manager, Libra Foundation
• Raymond Foxworth, VP of Grantmaking, Development & Communications, First Nations Development Institute
• Nathaniel Smith, Founder & Chief Equity Officer, Partnership for Southern Equity
• A. Sparks, Chief Executive Officer, Masto Foundation

In Partnership With: