Brooke McPherson

Call for Proposals: TFN's 2027 Conference

Do you have an idea for a TFN conference session or workshop that will deepen learning, foster collaboration and catalyze action?

We invite you to submit a proposal for The Funders Network’s 2027 Conference, taking place March 15-17 in Oakland, California.

TFN27 is an opportunity to come together, reflect on where we are and chart a path forward. We are seeking sessions that inspire, challenge and equip participants with the tools, strategies and insights needed to lead with clarity, courage and purpose in these unprecedented times.

Together, we will explore how philanthropy can help dismantle systems of harm and oppression while advancing climate, economic and racial justice in a multiracial democracy.

We look forward to gathering in Oakland to learn from leaders, practitioners and communities addressing the wellbeing of people and places facing an escalating climate crisis, erosion of civil liberties and deep economic inequities — challenges that disproportionately impact low-income communities and communities of color.

TFN 27 PROPOSAL GUIDELINESSUBMIT A PROPOSAL

The deadline to submit a conference proposal is June 4, 2026. 

TFN27 registration will launch later in the year.
Stay tuned for more details on lodging, speakers and more!

Need additional time?
Contact Lesmarie Nicholson (lesmarie@fundersnetwork.org) to discuss extension options.

TFN’s Evolving Approach to Convening

Why has TFN shifted its national conference to every other year?
We’ve heard from our members that smaller, issue-based and geographically focused gatherings create meaningful opportunities for deeper connection and learning.

Whether you joined us in Sacramento or Houston, or plan to gather with us in Cleveland this September, we hope you’ve experienced TFN’s evolving approach to convening — one that balances intimate learning spaces throughout the year with larger moments to come together across the full network at TFN27.

Curious about what we learned and shared at our last conference?
Check out the full agenda and speaker list for TFN’s 25th Anniversary Conference in Baltimore.

Sponsorship Opportunities

TFN27 is made possible through the support of partners who believe in building a stronger philanthropic sector rooted in climate, economic and racial justice.

Sponsorship helps fund accessible programming, leadership development, cross-sector learning opportunities and equitable practices that allow a wide range of voices and perspectives to be part of the conversation.

For sponsorship inquiries or to get started, please contact:

Aileen Rosa Sánchez
Chief Development Officer
aileen@fundersnetwork.org | 305-384-1263

See you in Oakland!

by Brooke McPherson

Resources and Responses: Supporting Voting Rights in This Moment

TFN originally shared this statement on May 4, 2026, in response to the Supreme Court’s decision weakening voting rights. Below is a round-up of statements and resources from TFN members and others in the sector. To add your organization’s statement or resources to this list, please reach out to Brooke McPherson at brookem@fundersnetwork.org.

Statements from the Sector

Resources from the Sector

Upcoming Events and Learning Opportunities

by Brooke McPherson

Statement on the Supreme Court’s Decision Weakening Voting Rights

BY Dion Cartwright, The Funders Network, and Nathaniel Smith, Partnership for Southern Equity

The Funders Network stands with communities across the country working to protect and preserve the fundamental right to vote, fair representation, and a functioning democracy.

We are deeply troubled by the Supreme Court’s recent decision, which weakens the Voting Rights Act yet again by making it harder to challenge unfair district maps. For decades, the law has allowed challenges based on whether district lines reduced voters’ voice and voting power.

Last week’s decision raises the bar for such challenges by placing greater emphasis on proving intent to discriminate. We see this as shifting the burden onto the very voters bearing the consequences of exclusion.

The truth is, discrimination rarely announces itself. That makes intent difficult to prove. It shows up in stark gaps between who lives in a place and who has a real opportunity to be elected to represent them.

To understand what this decision means, it is worth taking stock of what’s already been lost. There used to be a requirement that jurisdictions with a history of voting discrimination receive federal approval before changing election laws or maps. That protection was effectively dismantled in 2013. There used to be a path to challenge partisan gerrymandering in federal court. That option was eliminated in 2019.

Taken together, these changes leave fewer and fewer ways to challenge unfair districting at the national level, making it more important than ever that philanthropy fill critical gaps, bridge grassroots power with state and national advocacy, and support coordinated strategies that can move across systems.

In the near term, last week’s ruling will immediately affect Louisiana and other Southern states already moving to redraw district lines. But the implications are national.

In California’s Central Valley, Latino communities remain underrepresented in elected office. In Minnesota, Hmong communities continue working toward leadership that reflects their growing presence. In many places, changing demographics are still not reflected in political structures designed decades ago. These patterns are not new, and they will not change without sustained effort.

Racial equity is central to our work at The Funders Network, and we take seriously how decisions like this affect representation for communities of color. Many of our members are already deeply engaged in this work, but greater coordination, continued action and long-term commitment are still needed.

Protecting the vote has always required persistence and solidarity. That work is far from over.

What Funders Can Do

As it becomes harder to challenge unfair maps in court, philanthropy has an important role to play in sustaining the work that remains possible. We encourage our members to:

  • Invest in long-term organizing power by supporting community-based organizations and coalitions working to protect voting access and advance fair representation, including research that documents disparities and strengthens the evidence base for reform
  • Support engagement across state and local contexts, where many of the most consequential decisions on maps, elections and voting rules are now made
  • Provide flexible, sustained funding to organizations navigating rapidly shifting legal and political conditions, so they can respond quickly while building lasting capacity

These investments help ensure that communities most affected by these decisions have the resources and power to shape outcomes over time.

RESOURCE AND RESPONSE PAGE

Resources and Opportunities for Action

We are continuing to compile statements, resources and opportunities for engagement from TFN members, partners and others in the field. These include:

  • Statements from civil rights and democracy organizations responding to the decision
  • Opportunities to support organizations advancing voting rights and fair representation
  • Upcoming briefings and conversations with leaders working on the frontlines of this issue

We will continue to share updates and ways to stay connected as this work evolves. To contribute a statement or resource with our network, please contact TFN’s Senior Associate for Communications and Engagement Brooke McPherson at brookem@fundersnetwork.org.

Dion Cartwright is President and CEO of TFN and Nathaniel Smith, who is Founder and Chief Equity Officer at Partnership for Southern Equity, is a member of TFN’s Board of Directors.

by Brooke McPherson

Water Week Spotlight: Learning, Leading and Looking Ahead with Urban Water Funders

BY Brooke McPherson, TFN's Senior Communications and Engagement Associate

Each year, Water Week brings together leaders from across the country to elevate the most pressing water challenges and the community-driven solutions shaping the path forward. Across TFN’s Urban Water Funders working group, that shows up as a focus on leadership, shared learning and creating space for funders to engage more deeply in the work.

One way that comes to life is through the Ladder Up Video Series. Hosted by TFN’s Kerry Hastings, this series features short conversations with leaders working at the intersection of water, equity and community power. It’s designed to be practical and accessible — surfacing real-world insights that funders can learn from and apply. Whether you’ve been engaged in Urban Water Funders for years or are just starting to explore water funding, Ladder Up offers an easy entry point.

That spirit of learning and connection carried through the recent Urban Water Funders 2026 Annual Convening in Houston, where funders came together to exchange ideas, build relationships and reflect on philanthropy’s role in advancing equitable water solutions. As we shared in our LinkedIn recap, one theme stood out: progress depends on staying rooted in community, responsive to place, and committed to long-term partnership.

Those ideas also show up in reflections from the The Kresge Foundation's CREWS Convening in New Orleans, where participants explored what it means to stay grounded in people, place and purpose while navigating complex environmental challenges. Together, these moments reflect a broader shift — one where funders are learning alongside communities, not just supporting them.

Looking ahead, the Urban Water Funders are also creating space for forward-looking conversation. National water leader Radhika Fox will join Yeou-Rong Jih of The Kresge Foundation for a discussion on where water policy and practice are headed.

Drawing on experience across utilities, nonprofits, philanthropy and government — including her leadership at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Fox will share perspectives on what it takes to shape a more resilient and equitable water future. Click here to learn more and register.

TFN's Urban Water Funders will also be at River Rally 2026 (May 11–14 in San Antonio, TX), offering another opportunity to connect with peers and stay engaged in the work.

During Water Week, we’re spotlighting work already helping move the field forward. Ladder Up is one of those efforts — sharing ideas, elevating leaders and connecting funders to what’s next in the field.

by Brooke McPherson

Rooted in People, Place and Purpose: Reflections from the CREWS Convening in New Orleans

BY Kerry Hastings, Program Coordinator, TFN’s Urban Water Funders

The Kresge Foundation is a longtime funder member and supporter of The Funders Network and its Urban Water Funders (UWF) working group. As a grant recipient from their Climate Resilient and Equitable Water Systems (CREWS) portfolio, I've had the opportunity to attend their convening for the last five years.

This year, I gathered with grassroots organizers and national systems thinkers in New Orleans for three remarkable days of learning and connection. Below are highlights from my time in NOLA — including a memorable post-CREWS gathering with a local artist collective — and some reflections on what other funders can learn from Kresge's approach to supporting their grantee cohorts.

Root ourselves in people and place.

It's easy for funders — and for a network weaver like me — to operate at the 30,000-foot level, asking big and important questions about the field as a whole. But our work ultimately serves real people living in diverse and complex places, and we need to stay in relationship with those people and those places. The site visit I attended in the Tremé neighborhood was rich with stories of leadership development, persistence in the face of inadequate responses to local flooding challenges, and the complexities of navigating funding landscapes. Being with community members in their neighborhood reignited my sense of purpose and kept their faces and stories with me as we returned to our collective work as funders. We need those reminders regularly.

Engage storytellers.

CREWS convenings have always invited artists and storytellers to ground the work. On the first evening, the Mardi Gras Indians joined us to share their music, dance and history — a powerful grounding in the stories of their people and place.

The following morning, local priestess and storyteller Queen Mother Sula reminded us that water has always been a source of healing. "Go to the water when you are stuck," she said. "Let the shower be your healing chamber. Say to it, 'cleanse me and purify me so I can be ready for the work.'"

Kresge's own staff offered their water wisdom as well. President Rip Rapson reminded us that water is the oldest story humanity tells — woven into every creation story, every immigration story. Program officer and UWF co-chair Yeou-Rong Jih shared a saying from her Chinese tradition: "May your mind be still like water, but your heart flow like water."

Care for the full self.

The CREWS convening intentionally creates space for joy and rest. This year, organizers offered a Wellness Room for stepping away when needed, and closed the three days with an optional yoga session or dance class to help participants move through their energy. To no one's surprise, I joined the dance class and it only deepened the joy I'd felt throughout the convening.

Participatory facilitation builds belonging.

As a facilitator, I believe deeply in participatory methods that invite all voices into the room, build relationships and surface solutions from across the spectrum. CREWS employs these same approaches, and it kept a room of roughly 100 people engaged and eager to learn from one another. Every person was both an expert and a learner. We were asked to show up meaningfully — and people did.

After the convening, current and former UWF co-chairs Yeou-Rong Jih and Maggie Rwakazina joined me for a tour organized by The Water Collaborative to a nearby indigenous village with a cohort of local artists. The model of their artist collective is both impactful and highly replicable.

Over a five-week program, artists working across a range of mediums take field trips to sites across Louisiana, learning about local water issues0 firsthand. Weekly salons invite participants to share how they approach their work and explore how water fits into the stories they tell.

One participant was Edward Buckles Jr., filmmaker and director of Katrina Babies, a powerful documentary about the children whose lives were upended by Hurricane Katrina. Others included photographers, musicians, poets and visual artists — each deeply invested in their community and hungry to connect with an established organization, learn more about the issues, and find a creative peer network. It's a model worth replicating in cities across the country.

Being in New Orleans didn't just refuel me with Vitamin D — though this Pacific Northwesterner was pretty desperate for some Southern sunshine. It refueled me with relationships, with ideas, and with a renewed connection to the people and places that give our work in philanthropy its purpose.

by Brooke McPherson

Know Your Network: Q&A with Angela Davis, TFN's PLACES Alum

BY Brooke McPherson, Senior Communications and Engagement Associate, The Funders Network

Welcome back to Know Your Network, TFN’s blog series highlighting the people making an impact across our community of funders, partners and allies — and beyond.

For this latest installment of KYN, we sat down with Angela Davis, director of grantmaking for the Madison Community Foundation, a TFN member organization, and alum of TFN’s 2024 PLACES Fellowship cohort.

Read on to learn more about Angela’s approach to building connections in her Wisconsin community, what advice she’d give to early-career funders and where she’s finding joy in these challenging times.

Q: An interesting thing we’ve noticed about our network is that people come to philanthropy through so many different avenues. So we’re curious: What’s your origin story? Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up in the philanthropic sector.

Community service and public service have always been a part of who I am. I have been a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated for over 30 years.

Giving back to the community is something that's been ingrained in me since I was young. 

I'm from Hammond, Indiana, which is 10 minutes from Chicago. I went to school in Terre Haute at Indiana State University. I majored in political science, and minored in history, and I just knew I was going to law school.

But as graduation approached I said, I don't think I want to do that. So I went back home and started working in my local planning and development office as a Community Development Planner. I worked with grassroots organizations —  we did a lot of community development block grant programs. 

And I worked with one organization that was trying to build a community center. Actually, it was to replace a community center where I went to nursery school and my parents went for various activities as kids.

I became the first director of that community center, The Ophelia Steen Family & Health Services Center. We had food pantries, the WIC program, your normal wraparound services: legal services, mental health, childcare, community rooms — and we were fundraising. I was doing philanthropy and raising money, and I didn't even know I was doing that!

So, that was really cool, but I also realized if I stay in this job, I'm going to be here for 20, 30 years. There was more I needed to do! I said, I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to quit my job and go back to school full-time for my master's in Human Resources Development for Higher Education & Industry at Indiana State.

While working as a graduate assistant in Alumni Affairs, I learned all about development, philanthropy, communications, and that this was really a profession. I got the bug. And I learned that this is something I really like.

Q: We learned a new TFN fact about you today — One of your first bosses at the Madison Community Foundation was Tom Linfield, a PLACES 2015 Alum! Tell us about your role at the community foundation.

I was recruited to Madison Community Foundation (MCF) as development director, working with fundholders, neighboring communities and with our women's fund, A Fund for Women — and that's where my love for philanthropy really grew.

The grant-making side of things, working with the advisory committee on the grant recommendations. I was like, Oh! I think I really like this part of the role.

MCF was creating a new role to expand the community impact team. I was asked if I would be interested. I said, heck yeah, I'm interested. And so now I'm the first Director of Grantmaking at Madison Community Foundation.

Angela participated in the 12th annual Read Your Heart Out Day at Lake View Community School. This special event invites Black family or community members to read stories to students to model the importance of reading, sharing stories, learning from elders, and uplifting Black voices

Q:  We’re seeing so much disruption and uncertainty at the federal level, especially around programs like SNAP that fight food insecurity and the clawing back of funding for environmental programs. How are you navigating this at the community level?

In 2024, we received 89 letters of inquiry (LOIs) with a requested amount of $4.2 million. In 2025, we received 155 LOIs requesting over $8 million. 

Our numbers have increased to the point where I couldn't even manage individual meetings because of the sheer number of people that wanted to apply. We started doing Zoom office hours. People can hop on, ask their questions, and connect with other potential grantees. 

We’re trying to be more efficient with our time by working on our guidelines to make things clearer and having a more equitable and transparent process. And that's something that we all should be doing. Always evolving and making sure things are as centered as we can for the grantees. We also have finally transitioned away from paper to make things more user-friendly, because we still had people mailing things in.

Philanthropy was not built to replace governmental funding. That's just keeping it 100% real talk. We weren’t set up to replace governmental funding, but what we can do is talk to each other.

We have a Dane County Funders roundtable. We meet with local funders through the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network, and if we have a grant proposal that I may not be able to fund, I pass that on to other funders that I think may be interested. We share ideas and trends, and our hope is to be more collaborative in the future.

Q: Is there anything else you want to add about your approach to or your philosophy around that funder-grantee relationship?

I love being a connector. I’m always listening. When I'm meeting, or even if I'm at an event, even reading the newspaper, watching the news, I'm always listening. Where is that connection at?

I want the work to be centered around the grantee, the partners, the nonprofits — because it's not our program, it's their program.

They're boots on the ground. We're just here trying to support the work, not take over or put ourselves in the middle.

And I try to be mindful of that and always be humble. Because this isn’t about Angela, the person. It’s about Angela, who can make the connection and help get this thing done.

Q: What are some lessons you’ve learned along the way you’d like to share?

I’ve learned that there is a need for more education for our nonprofit leaders. Particularly as we have this transfer of those seasoned nonprofit leaders to younger Black and brown leaders who are now taking the reins.

That’s one of the reasons why we've started our Goodman Nonprofit Center. We’re going to do more engagement in the coming year to offer training open to the entire nonprofit community. We are researching what topics are needed in the sector.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in philanthropy?

Find your people. I was lucky with PLACES. Those are my people. I can call on them anytime.

Professional development is usually one of the first things that's taken out of the budget, and that's so unfortunate. I hate to see that.

We need those connections with your professional peers. If something comes up, or you want to try something new, or bring something new to your organization, but you don't have those professional connections…Who are you going to talk to?

Take advantage of opportunities to be part of a community like The Funders Network. Because it might just be a webinar or a conference that changes your life — or the lives of people in your community.

 

Q: These challenging times can be very draining. What is keeping you motivated? What is bringing you moments of joy?

Going to an open house, a ribbon cutting, a groundbreaking — knowing that we played a little part in that. Knowing that we've done something in the community that's going to be transformational for years to come. That keeps me motivated.

I love the arts. I love the ballet, plays and the symphony.

I love seeing nature and the four seasons of the lake — the geese and the ducks and all the wildlife that comes through. Seeing people in their canoes in the summertime. 

And then in the wintertime, I see people fishing on the lake or even walking on the lake when it freezes over. I'm not doing it! But I like to watch it.

Angela loves musical theater — she has seen Wicked five times!

We're so grateful to Angela for sharing her journey and insights.

Want to see for yourself how the PLACES Fellowship builds connections like Angela’s? Click here to learn more!

by Brooke McPherson

Meet the Team: Kriselda Bautista

At TFN, we believe our strength lies in our people, and we take pride in recognizing the expertise and commitment of our team members. This ongoing series — Meet the Team — highlights the talented individuals who power our network. 

BY Brooke McPherson, Senior Communications and Engagement Associate, The Funders Network

In this edition of Meet the Team, we’re excited to spotlight our program associate, Kriselda Bautista! She supports general administration, communications and event planning for TFN's Smart Growth California.

TFN: Hey Kriselda! Can you tell us about your role at TFN’s Smart Growth California and what a typical day looks like for you?

Kriselda: Hello! Yes, of course — I’m a Program Associate for Smart Growth California, and I support program communications (working in tandem with our wonderful TFN comms team!), in-person and virtual gatherings, and general member management.

A typical day for me might include a Zoom call or two with my fearless teammates, Ron (Program Director) and Diana (Program Manager), curating our monthly newsletter, updating our website with cool events and webinars happening around the state and coordinating with the wonderful folks who lead our working groups. When there are in-person gatherings around the corner, I’m usually working on logistics, securing vendors and making sure the event goes smoothly.

TFN: What drew you to work in the philanthropic sector, specifically around creating healthy, equitable and sustainable communities?

Kriselda: Since my first sustainability class at UC Irvine, I’ve been passionate about learning how modern society created and exacerbated the climate crisis, and equally passionate about figuring how best to address the many issues that have surfaced as a result of climate change. The scale at which climate threats affect communities is vast and in certain lights can be overwhelming, yet it’s also been encouraging to know that it can be addressed on many different levels.

I spent the first decade of my career working on sustainability initiatives with local governments across California, and in that work I realized how interdependent government agencies, nonprofits and funding agencies are in moving meaningful projects and programs forward that promote healthy, equitable and sustainable communities. Eventually, the opportunity to work with funders at Smart Growth California arose and, after a brief career break during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, I was eager to dive into the world of philanthropy and see how funders were addressing environmental and social justice issues.

TFN: What’s a memorable moment you’ve had since joining the Smart Growth California team?

Kriselda: Oh, it would have to be the TFN Staff/Contractor Retreat in Miami, late 2022! I had just started working for TFN earlier that year, so it was my first time meeting my teammates (Ron Milam and Kerry Hastings), as well as the entire TFN team. On top of that, it was my first time in Miami, and the walking tour we did of Coconut Grove and learning about Black Miami was fascinating and eye-opening. Those few days made me feel so much closer to the TFN and Smart Growth California team, and gave me a great appreciation for place-based learning and the work that we do.

Apart from that, Ron and I were recently on a Zoom call where he saw two bald eagles, and that was pretty cool because I felt like I was part of that moment, even though I wasn’t physically there. I guess they’re pretty common up in Washington, but either way, it seemed a good omen!

TFN: We’re so excited for the upcoming 2026 Smart Growth California Funder Summit in Sacramento! What are you most looking forward to about the Summit?

Kriselda: I’m excited to meet the funders! It’s always great to put faces to names and feel grounded in the work I do since we’re all remote and working in our respective areas. I’m stoked to learn about the projects everyone is supporting, and really just be in community with one another, especially given the tumultuous times we’re braving right now.

TFN: What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

Kriselda: Back in 2013-14, I lived in Thailand and taught English there for half a year! After my teaching term ended, I backpacked throughout Southeast Asia for a few months. It was a life-changing experience, with moments that were overwhelming, beautiful and deeply memorable. I also had my room in the jungle ransacked by some mischievous monkeys. Never leave bananas out in the open unless you want some visitors!

Thank you, Kriselda, for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at all the meaningful ways you support TFN’s work. We’re so lucky to have you as part of TFN’s team.

Keep an eye out for the next team member spotlight as we continue to celebrate the people who bring bring boldness and joyful purpose to this work!

 

by Brooke McPherson

Going PLACES: Beyond philanthropy: Reflections on our year of sites visits in the PLACES Fellowship cohort through a transformative lens

BY Raquela Delgado-Valentín, María Fund, and Victor García The James Irvine Foundation

At the beginning of 2025 we had every indication that the current challenging chapter across the nation and around the world would deepen to a magnitude we had not experienced before. We knew, however, that in our own lives and as professionals working in philanthropy, we were committed to centering the needs of communities who have always been excluded, othered and kept at the margins of societies.

Because historical moments like the one we are living through also call upon us to find our colleagues who are equally committed to pushing toward greater equity and life opportunities for vulnerable communities, we knew we had to organize ourselves as grantmakers in new ways to meet the moment.

Fortunately, we had learned about the PLACES Fellowship and participated in what turned out to be a transformative life experience for us among a cohort of 16 grantmakers. While each of us lives in and serves communities thousands of miles apart from one another (one of us is in California and the other in Puerto Rico), we recognized as we began our participation in PLACES that the communities we serve face many similar social and economic disparities in our respective regions.

Our cohort in Nashville, TN!

Knowing this, the PLACES Fellowship curriculum invited us to explore the intersections of structural racism, community empowerment and equitable grantmaking practices. Throughout our year-long experience in PLACES, we met fellow grantmakers in Syracuse, NY, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, Nashville, TN and Tucson, AZ, who shared how they too are collaborating with and funding community partners to address the impacts of intersecting issues such as economic inequality, the effects of climate change, immigration policy, anti-LGBTQIA+ measures, limited access to housing and land, among other timely issues.

Our final site visit with the Fellowship was in Tucson where we learned from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona about their Environmental Sustainability Impact Fund. Their work is anchored on preserving, protecting and restoring the local environment while supporting greater awareness and education about our planet. We heard how critically important it is for community initiatives to incorporate the voices of youth as well as indigenous perspectives and practices into program design. We also heard from implementers of the Foundation’s LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund and their grantee partners. Their initiatives benefit the LGBTQ+ community, including elders in the community who for a number of reasons do not always have familial support or access to safety net programs.

Our time in Tucson seemed to go so quickly and made us nostalgic. It felt like that final day of class and we knew it would likely be a long time before we saw our new friends and colleagues in-person again. A “heart-blowing” yoga exercise through somatic release, mindfulness and sound healing helped us to be in the moment and reflect on what a powerful learning experience we had just been through together.

The closeout to the Fellowship began with share-outs about key learnings that had stood out to each of us. Some of us uplifted the importance of standing in solidarity with each other and our communities, as well as the importance of centering our shared humanity. Individual capstone projects took the form of beautiful photo collages, inspiring poems, heartfelt spoken reflections, paintings, multi-media timeline visuals and other innovative forms.

Overall, the PLACES Fellowship experience helped us confirm our resolve to ensure that the local communities we serve can access resources to build power, and secondly to ensure that as practitioners in philanthropy we continue to organize ourselves toward evolving the sector toward an approach that increasingly centers local communities. 

The reality is philanthropy is not neutral — it is deeply embedded within systems of oppression and has also been used as a tool for repression. But we can change that. From the past years working in philanthropy, we recognize that there are other ways of doing this work. In these site visits we have reaffirmed that philanthropy must promote inclusive and centered values ​​in the praxis and has to be aligned with liberation — that includes decolonization.

Deep listening and authentic trust-building must be integrated into the principles of philanthropy and resources should be determined by the most impacted people. To do this work we must also center love. Work for social justice is born from a deep love for our communities and for humanity. It is also born from pain, trauma and injustice; feelings that manifest themselves in complex ways.

Our cohort in Syracuse, NY!

We know the system is not broken. It works as it was designed to work and keep communities oppressed. But our desire for change allows us to do the impossible for our collective liberation. In this moment and in this sector, we have an opportunity to be changemakers. We share a personal commitment to equity, and we also recognize that if philanthropic institutions do not evolve and center the communities they claim to support, then they will be complicit with that system. We recognize philanthropy as a path to moving resources, centering power on the people, knowing that we can support these processes but are not the ones who lead the transformation that is needed to live in a just society. 

All human beings have the right to fair and equal access to the use, control and benefit of the same goods and services in society. We all deserve to “Vivir Sabroso”. That means that Dignity is the central goal in the struggle for a good life. Until dignity becomes the norm.

About the Authors

Raquela Delgado-Valentín (ella/elle) is the Resource Mobilization Director for María Fund, Puerto Rico. She holds a Doctorate in Social Work with a specialization in Administration and Social Policy from the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras. Her political awakening began with her first arrest during the struggle to stop the U.S. Navy's bombing of Vieques in 2001. Since then, her commitment defending social justice, equity, inclusion, human rights and freedom, has remained unwavering. She believes in a a free Puerto Rico where we all can live with dignity. She was also a member of TFN’s 2025 PLACES Cohort.

 

 

Victor Garcia is Program Officer on the Priority Communities initiative at The James Irvine Foundation, whose singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Victor has more than 20 years of experience in program strategy development and implementation of grantmaking across California. Throughout his career, he has led projects and initiatives to facilitate access to greater life opportunities for first-generation college students, workers who earn low wages, and rural communities. He has also worked to increase the strategic capacity of post-secondary institutions and nonprofits to better serve diverse populations. Victor holds an EdD from the University of Southern California, a Master of Public Administration from CSU Long Beach, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was also a member of TFN’s 2025 PLACES Cohort.

by Brooke McPherson

In Defense of Humanity: Solidarity and Resources for Minnesota and Elsewhere

BY TFN Staff

The Funders Network stands in solidarity with communities in Minnesota and elsewhere who are organizing in defense of human dignity and demanding accountability in the face of escalating immigration enforcement.

What has unfolded in recent days and weeks — including the fatal shooting of Minneapolis residents by federal agents — is not only heartbreaking. It is a warning. When state power is exercised through fear, militarization and lethal force, the consequences ripple far beyond any single incident. Families are shattered. Communities are destabilized. Trust is broken.

This is not a debate about immigration policy or partisan politics. It is about whether people are allowed to live, work, protest and care for one another without fear of violence. It is about whether public institutions are accountable to the communities they claim to serve.

The aggressive and xenophobic posture we are witnessing represents a dangerous escalation — one that inflicts lasting trauma and tears at the social fabric of entire regions.

At the same time, misinformation and divisive narratives are actively obscuring the truth of what is happening to our families, friends and neighbors.

Support Vital Voices in Minnesota — and Elsewhere

This moment underscores the urgent need for philanthropy to invest in local journalism — reporting that is rooted in community, committed to facts and essential to calling out injustice.

In addition to the resources and statements from the sector we have shared below, we encourage you to register for Thursday’s TFN webinar, Vital Voices: Investing in the Power of Community-Rooted Reporting.

Our panel of funders and journalists includes Tim Murphy of the Minneapolis-based McKnight Foundation and Mukhtar M. Ibrahim, founder of the Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting for immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota, who now serves as the Press Forward Minnesota strategy consultant for the Minnesota Council on Foundations.

Support Organizers, Advocates and Allies 

The Funders Network remains committed to supporting movements for justice, equity and belonging.

We urge our members to support the grassroots organizers, legal advocates and those providing for and safeguarding the wellbeing of the most vulnerable in our communities, all of whom are in need of increased resources as a result of these disruptive federal actions.

We have curated a list of solidarity statements, opportunities to provide aid, and additional resources from our TFN members, partners and others in the sector in this message and on our TFN blog.

To add your organization’s statement or resources to this list, please reach out to TFN’s Senior Associate for Communications and Engagement Brooke McPherson at brookem@fundersnetwork.org. 

Resources & Call to Actions

"The Best of America: Minnesotans Show their Heart" — McKnight Foundation Resource Page, which includes:

    • Shareable images to shine a light on the courage, kindness and true Minnesota spirit shown by folks across the state
    • Know-your-rights tips for Minnesotans
    • Ways neighbors and friends outside of Minnesota can show their support

Immigrant Rapid Response Fund

The Immigrant Rapid Response Fund (IRRF) is a coalition of philanthropic leaders rooted in communities most impacted by immigration-related harm. IRRF ensures that resources move quickly, responsibly and with community accountability to trusted organizations responding to immigration-related emergencies across Minnesota. As enforcement actions, policy changes, and sudden disruptions continue to impact immigrant and refugee families, IRRF provides rapid, community-informed funding to organizations on the frontlines of response, care and protection.

Stand With Minnesota, a volunteer-led resource page, which includes:

"Standing Together: How to Support Minnesota's Immigrant and Refugee Neighbors" — Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation

The Minnesota Star Tribune Live Blog

    • Free from paywall blog featuring local journalists

For foundations looking to invest in legal funds for local organizations directly, here are several recommended by the Minnesota Council on Foundations:

LawHelpMN.org

Statements from the Network

The McKnight Foundation

Minneapolis Foundation

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Initiative Foundation

    • President Brian Voerding's update on the foundation joining a coalition of local and state foundations to issue rapid-response grants to support the Somali community in St. Cloud and Central Minnesota

The California Endowment

Resources, Statements and Social Posts from the Sector

To add your organization’s statement or resources to our online resource list on TFN's Blog, please reach out to Brooke McPherson at brookem@fundersnetwork.org.

by Brooke McPherson

Addressing Low-Attention Disasters: Insights from PPREP’s Annual Gathering in Rapid City

BY Hazel Paguaga, Senior Program Associate, The Funders Network

Each year, the Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP) cohort gathers in one participant's city to learn from place. This year's gathering in Rapid City, South Dakota — hosted by Black Hills Area Community Foundation and Partnership with Native Americans — was one of our best meetings to date.

PPREP is a group of community foundations and regional foundation associations across ten states along the Missouri River watershed (Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana). PPREP was created to provide resources and opportunities for community foundations to build up their skills and leadership capacity to be better informed and prepared when a disaster strikes their community. The communities in these regions often experience low attention disasters — events that receive limited national media coverage and often do not receive FEMA Individual Assistance declaration.

Grounded in this context, our gathering kicked off with a site visit to Pine Ridge Reservation, home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, which spans 1.7 million acres and has been designated as one of the poorest areas in the country.

We had the privilege of being joined by S. Ramona White Plume and Percy White Plume who gave us some context and history on the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Born on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Mr. Percy spoke of his love of horse riding and how that passion motivated him to create the Horse Spirit Society — a horse riding program for both children and adults focused on traditional teachings and the importance of horses in Lakota culture. Mr. Percy is also involved in the 300-mile Chief Big Foot Memorial Ride to honor the lives lost at Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, which you can learn more about here.  After a brief pit stop at Pinky’s convenience store, we reached Wounded Knee Massacre site where Ms. Ramona led us in a prayer to honor and remember. It was a powerful moment to reflect on the history of the land we’re on.

Our next stop was the Oyate Teca Project, a Native nonprofit committed to the well-being of youth and families through programs rooted in culture, education, recreation and health. We heard from Jesse Big Crow, planning and coordinator specialist of the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s emergency management team. Spotty cellphone reception, limited internet access and the enormous scale of land to cover means it can take a long time for responders to assess damage and provide aid. Jesse shared the unique challenges reservations face when it comes to disasters and underscored the importance of keeping the community informed of disaster plans.

Jesse leads emergency management classes and encourages her participants to share the skills they've learned with their families. "Emergency preparedness work includes food sovereignty," Jesse told us. "Being able to garden, grow and access healthy food all year long while learning traditional and modern methods." These classes go beyond growing food — participants are immersed in everything from food safety to entrepreneurship.

We then toured the Oyate Ta Kola Ku Community Center with program director, Rose Fraser, learning about the wide range of programs offered such as cultural education, food security programs, sports and recreation, financial literacy and sewing and beading classes. After the tour, we headed back to Rapid City — but not before stopping for a group photo at Badlands National Park!

Our last stop of the site visit was PWNA’s warehouse, where we were treated to a beautiful graze board (the longest I’ve seen!). We heard from the PWNA team about the great work they’re doing and how they provide food, water, disaster relief, holiday support and so much more to Native communities. After covering so much ground in a single day, the experience underscored just how challenging it can be to reach Native communities in times of need and why this work is both essential and urgent.

Our second day opened with insights from Sarah Labowitz, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Sarah introduced the group to the Disaster Dollar Database — a digital tool that tracks the major sources of federal funding for disaster recovery in the United States — and led us through a hands-on exercise to explore specific disaster events that impacted PPREP participants' communities.

We also examined the stark disparities between FEMA individual assistance applications across states. Sarah shared data on the number and types of disasters that have impacted the PPREP region over the past decade and compared those figures with states like Florida, Texas and Louisiana — places that tend to receive far more attention and funding following disasters. This sparked a deeper discussion about recent federal policy shifts and what it means for community foundations' disaster response strategies. If you’re looking for someone who can make sense of disasters and data, call Sarah!

The learning continued into the afternoon with  Jolie Wills, a leading psychosocial expert in disaster and disruption and Founder & Executive Director at Hummingly Foundation. Jolie shared practical tools that community foundations can use to help grantees and key community leaders sustain themselves as they sustain others during long term disaster recovery.  She emphasized the importance of taking time to pause, reflect and invest in teams to address fatigue and burnout. She introduced us to the Doing Well card deck — a resource designed to help teams and individuals navigate stress, uncertainty and decision-making during challenging times. Jolie left us with a powerful reminder: Don't be the canary in the coal mine — have a plan to prevent burnout before it hits.

On our final day, we heard from the PPREP members themselves. They shared how they are responding to grantee and community needs in the ever-changing federal, state and local funding environments. One of the greatest strengths of the PPREP cohort is the strong connection among members — the way they share resources, provide feedback and support one another through challenges.

We are deeply grateful to our PPREP cohort members and to our partners at Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies. We’re already excited to see where we’ll gather next year!

About the Author

Hazel Paguaga is the Senior Program Manager at The Funders Network. She handles the programmatic support for TFN's Inclusive Economies, Mobility and Access, and PPREP working groups.

 

Photos provided by Hazel Paguaga and Brooke McPherson.

by Brooke McPherson

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