Philanthropy Ohio launched a Racial Equity Capacity Assessment for members and Ohio foundations to gain valuable insight individually and collectively on the journey to promote racial equity. Registration is open now through April 23 to sign your organization up to participate.
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I offer a celebration of women involved in our state’s philanthropies, those who have been major donors to innumerable causes and institutions, those who gather in giving circles and women’s funds to support their communities, those who have established foundations for giving in perpetuity, those who inspire us to give more.
As February / Black History Month comes to a close and March / Women’s History Month dawns, a focus on excellence in leadership is fitting to uplift all that is deserving of philanthropic and social impact investment. Focusing on the struggles of our past has its place – so that we never forget. But highlighting the excellence in our legacies provides a vital and proactive perspective.
Today is the National Day for Racial Healing, the annual observance created by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 2017 and observed every year on the Tuesday following Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It is a time for contemplation and collective action on #HowWeHeal from the effects of racism and an opportunity to bring ALL people together in their common humanity and inspire collective action to create a more just and equitable world.
As communities continue to struggle amid the pandemic, Philanthropy Ohio called for Congress to pass additional COVID-19 relief funding and sent the below letter to the federal delegation. We encourage you to contact your representatives and urge them to support additional COVID-19 relief.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Ohio nonprofits’ ability to provide services, continue operations, collect donations/revenue and carry out their missions. During this pandemic, nonprofits are increasingly expected to do more with less. In order to identify the greatest needs of the state’s nonprofit sector during this public health crisis, the Ohio Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section, Philanthropy Ohio, the Ohio Association for Nonprofit Organizations and The Ohio State University launched The Ohio Nonprofit COVID-19 Survey Project.
More than 788,331 Ohio students are expected to benefit from Philanthropy Ohio and Ohio Department of Education’s grants from The Collaborative Fund for Educating Remotely and Transforming Schools.
As a philanthropic funder, our organization is in a unique position to be a leader in influencing the dynamics that combat structural racism. Given this position of influence, I believe we have a heightened responsibility to weave deeper understanding of racial equity and social justice into the breadth of our work.
This broader awakening of privileged people to see and want to change the ugly and relentless reality of institutionalized racism—that extinguishes hope, breaks spirits, limits potential, and steals futures—has been a long time in coming. And it must not fade from view.
The way non-Black people can help is first, to listen. As Dave Chappelle recently quipped, “…the streets are talking…” and we would all do well to listen.
