2008 in Philanthropy

December 31, 2008

As 2008 draws to a close, the Foundation Center has published its annual review of philanthropy news over the past year:

From the historic candidacies of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, to the credit crisis and implosion of the U.S. economy, to the spectacular Olympic Games staged by a rising China, it was a year to remember. And philanthropy was very much a part of it, doing what it has done best traditionally even as it sought to become more efficient, more effective, and more relevant to the networked global economy of the twenty-first century.

This special section takes a look at the economy, diversity, legislative news, global trends, noteworthy gifts, and more. The section ends with a look ahead at what’s to come in 2009.

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Dismissing Stereotypes, One at a Time

December 5, 2008

Have you stereotyped someone today?

In the past week or two I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic. I can’t share the details, but I’ve personally heard stories about a couple of acquaintances who made some not-so-subtle assumptions about individuals who fall into certain “classes.” I’m sure you know how the conversation goes: “Since she’s disabled, she … ,” “He’s gay, therefore … ,” “She’s an immigrant, so …”

I’ve also been more conscious of stereotypes as I’ve seen the stories unfolding in the Strib about Somali youth and potential ties to terrorism. I cringe at the thought that all Somalis may be painted with the same broad brush and that local residents may start to fear the African and African American community as a whole.

Did you know that Minnesota has the most diverse Black community in the country? If individuals are grouped together simply by skin color, all sorts of cultural nuances are ignored. That’s a huge barrier to Somalis and others, according to Hussein Samatar, who I heard speak at an immigration and business seminar several weeks ago. A Somali refugee who came here in 1991, Samatar learned English, earned an MBA at the University of St. Thomas, built his career at Wells Fargo, and then founded the African Development Center (ADC). He also serves as a trustee of The Minneapolis Foundation, an MCF member.

ADC works within the African communities in Minnesota to start and sustain successful businesses, build assets, and promote community reinvestment. The organization provides services in six languages.

Diversity within diverse communities. That’s a concept worth contemplation — and action. Living up to diversity and inclusivity goals is no easy task. MCF members subscribe to a Diversity Principle that states that we will “reflect and engage the diversity of the communities we serve in our varying roles as grantmakers, boards and employers, economic entities and civic participants.”

To aspire to our principles, we must recognize and confront negative stereotypes, one at a time.

Join the conversation: How, exactly, do we confront negative stereotypes? What diversity within your own community is ignored or misunderstood by others?

– Wendy Wehr, MCF Vice President of Communications and Information Services

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Facing Race Ambassador Award

November 7, 2008

The Facing Race Ambassador Award is given annually by The Saint Paul Foundation to celebrate and honor the leadership of individuals creating an anti-racist East Metro community. The award is part of the Facing Race We’re All In This Together anti-racism initiative, which aims to create a community in which everyone feels safe, valued and respected. The award honors one recipient, plus a number of Facing Race Ambassadors.

Deadline: Dec. 12, 2008.

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Draw a More Inclusive Circle

November 6, 2008

On the morning after the historic election of Barack Obama, I had the privilege of hearing Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chair of the Carlson companies and trustee of MCF member Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation, speak about leadership and life. Her talk was filled with jewels of wisdom, and the audience’s mood shifted from joyful to somber and back again as she shared personal anecdotes and lessons learned during her fascinating life.

One of her recurring themes was inclusivity — how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.

Her stories of gender discrimination really struck a chord with me. She was hired for her first job under one condition: That she sign her name “M.C. Nelson” so no one would know she was woman. When she became pregnant with her first child, the company didn’t want to lose the successful “M.C.,” but having a pregnant woman in the workplace was unthinkable in those times. The company’s solution to the dilemma? Tuck her away in a hidden office with a separate entrance so no one would see her come and go from the building.

We may smile and say we’re grateful that those times are long gone, but are they? Women still earn 80 cents on the dollar that men earn. And while we’re ecstatic that an African American has achieved our country’s highest office, what about the many minorities in our own community who face huge barriers to success in school and life? As Carlson Nelson said, we still have a responsibility to work toward the greater good for a greater number.

At MCF we have a diversity framework that helps guide the work of our members. At Carlson companies, the inclusivity statement is one of Carlson Nelson’s favorite Edwin Markham poems:

He drew a circle that shut me out
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout
But love and I had the wit to win –
We drew a circle that took him in

Join the conversation: What historic moment, personal anecdote or favorite quotation inspires you to break down barriers and create a larger circle?

- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services

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Business, Labor, Immigration and the Common Good

November 3, 2008

Tired of all the negative political ads and partisan bickering? Me too.

But last week I heard about a bit of cross-sector collaboration that gave me renewed hope and optimism. Bill Blazar of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Javier Morillo-Alicea of the Service Employees International Union Local 26 sat on the same stage and agreed wholeheartedly: Business and labor must work together for comprehensive immigration reform.

They were part of a day-long event called “Our Common Future: A Business Case for Immigration in Minnesota,” hosted by Neighborhood House and co-sponsored in part by MCF members The Saint Paul Foundation and The Minneapolis Foundation.

Keynote speaker was Tamar Jacoby, president and CEO of Immigration Works USA, a new national organization advancing immigration reform that works for all Americans – employers, workers and citizens. Her national perspective was reinforced by local facts. Minnesota State Economist Tom Stinson and Minnesota State Demographer Tom Gillaspy presented compelling data that showed that, without immigration, Minnesota will not have the human capital to fuel productivity, which is required for our future economic success.

I’m reminded of a few years ago when MCF and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits sponsored a joint conference themed “Common Ground for Common Good.” A lot of common ground on a sometimes divisive issue was discovered this week at Neighborhood House. Let’s hope advancing the common good comes next.

Join the conversation: How is your organization promoting information-sharing and cross-sector collaboration on society’s toughest issues? What surprising common ground have you found with others on the issues you care about most?

- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services

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Native American Philanthropy: A Culture of Giving

September 11, 2008

This week I attended a reception honoring the work of Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP). The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded a Leadership in Action Award to NAP for “its work to promote, facilitate, and celebrate philanthropic giving to Native communities, while providing professional development opportunities and support for Native Americans working in the field of philanthropy.”

While I was interested in the award presentation, I was especially moved and impressed by the messages threaded throughout the words, songs and prayers of the celebration: the importance of remembering one’s roots, of honoring our connectedness, and of cultivating a culture of giving.

Wilma Mankiller, former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, shared her words of wisdom. She spoke of life as a series of reciprocal relationships. As we accumulate more materials things, she said, we have that much more to share with others. And giving is an authentic, enduring value that is rooted in native culture.

As we departed the event we were presented with a small gift — a lapel pin with the message “everyONEgives.” Enough said.

- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services

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Wanted: Diverse Candidates in the Pipeline

August 26, 2008

My “Inclusivity: Just Do It” post from August 7th led to an interesting e-mail conversation with Shawn Lewis, a board member of the Pan African Community Endowment of The Saint Paul Foundation, an MCF member organization.

Lewis sent me some of his own “just do it” ideas to create career pathways that will increase diversity and inclusion in the field of philanthropy. He pointed out that more educational and employment opportunities are needed to welcome diverse candidates into the sector. He advocates for more developmental opportunities, too, such as internships, apprenticeships, fellowships and mentorships.

Lewis’ ideas reminded me of an article I read a couple months ago about an initiative in Cleveland, Ohio, to increase the diversity of nonprofits by identifying minority professionals for open board seats. The program, the Minority Board Member Pipeline Initiative, grew out of a response to an Urban Institute study that found that nonprofit boards of public charities are overwhelming white and disconnected from the communities they serve.

Increasing connections among grantmakers is another idea that Lewis proposed to me. He noted that more interaction between and among MCF and its strategic partners, such as Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Native Americans in Philanthropy and Minnesota Blacks in Philanthropy, will help everyone learn from each other.

Join the conversation: How do you think we should fill our field’s pipeline with talented, diverse candidates? If you’re a leader in the philanthropic or nonprofit communities, how did you gain the awareness and experience to achieve your position? What new connections and conversations between diverse groups will lead to greater inclusivity in our work?

- Wendy Wehr, MCF V.P. of Communications and Information Services

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Inclusivity: Just Do It!

August 7, 2008

At the national conference of the Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers last week, we participated in a session on Diversity in Philanthropy. Presenters included Renee Branch, director of diversity and inclusive practices for the national Council on Foundations, Anna Pond, consultant with the Diversity in Philanthropy Project, and Vicki Rosenberg, a diversity program leader from one of our colleague organizations, the Council of Michigan Foundations.

The work and resources presented were excellent, such as the The State of Research on Diversity in Philanthropy (PDF) report and the summary of the Philanthropy in a Changing Society: Achieving Effectiveness through Diversity report (PDF) from the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The planning and strategizing presented by the panel is essential to achieving agreement on goals and assuring measurable outcomes. But when it came time for Q & A, a few audience members raised their hands and said, “Help us now!” They wanted some concrete, “just do it” ideas to implement right away, because even baby steps are better than no steps when it comes to advancing the diversity agenda.

The audience questions led to a quick back-and-forth on ways to get started: add a diversity track at your annual meeting, adopt a non-discrimination policy for your organization, reach out to affinity groups, etc. The brainstorming and sharing were encouraging to everyone having trouble getting traction on this issue.

Join the conversation: What are your “just do it” ideas for improving diversity and inclusivity in your organization?

- Wendy Wehr, MCF VP of communications and information services

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