Inside Philanthropy: The Power of Place-Based Partnerships in the Fight for Equity

In a new guest column for Inside Philanthropy, Jennifer Splansky Juster, Monique Miles, and Cindy Santos issue a call to action for philanthropy to support equity-focused place-based partnerships in increasingly challenging and polarized contexts.

In the column, they share interview findings about the impacts of the growing “anti-DEI” backlash, and the limitations and chilling effects that this backlash and recent court rulings have created for those who are doing equity work.

They call on funders to provide protection and continued funding for initiatives that are committed to advancing equitable outcomes, including for the most overlooked communities.

Specific ways funders can provide support right now in the face of these challenges include:

• Fund both “offense” and “defense,” in support of strategies to keep equity work centered
• Strengthen collaborative infrastructure so partners can move their agendas forward
• Fortify critical communication strategies and narrative change work
• Prioritize wellness for leaders, especially leaders of color doing this work
• Invest in peer learning spaces, for shared learning amongst leaders

Read the Full Column