This webinar is designed with all interested grantmakers in mind.
Description
How do you listen to those who most directly benefit from your grantmaking? And then what do you do when your listening opens up opportunities for more participatory practices?
This Midwest Partnership Series webinar will explore “participatory philanthropy” as a (re)emerging model and how funders in the Midwest are implementing components of the model to strengthen their grantmaking. The program will begin with a presentation to (re)introduce participatory grantmaking and share recent trends. The trends will be brought to life by 2-3 Midwest funders sharing their recent experiences. Finally, a learning space about participatory practice is incomplete without participation: expect small group breakouts to support cross-state networking and learning.
As a participant, you’ll depart better connected with your Midwestern colleagues, with a stronger understanding of current participatory grantmaking practices, and helpful tools including a glossary of terms, tips & lessons learned from the field, a Funder Readiness Assessment, and implementation resources.
This webinar is facilitated by Philanthropy Missouri; please direct questions to info@philmo.org.
Guest Speakers:
Deleshā George, Deaconess Foundation
Deleshā, Program Manager at St. Louis-based Deaconess Foundation, works to coordinate Deaconess Foundation’s programmatic and grantmaking activities. Her responsibilities include grants management and assisting with the development of capacity-building programming and learning opportunities for our partners.
Since returning to St. Louis from Washington, DC in 2012, Deleshā has fully engaged in serving the community. She has previously worked for United Way of Greater St. Louis, Steward Family Foundation, and most recently, Midwest BankCentre. Dedicated to enacting positive change for St. Louis residents, she has completed the Neighborhood Leadership Fellows and the FOCUS St. Louis Women in Leadership Programs and currently serves on the Board of Confluence Academies Schools.
Mark Greer, Transforming Power Fund
Mark Greer is Co-Executive Director of External Relations at the Detroit-based Transforming Power Fund. Mark’s brief, but impactful years as an organizer inspired him to pursue a career in philanthropy and corporate social responsibility to challenge funders and companies to shift their strategies and operations to reduce harm and increase resources to grassroots organizing and community-controlled solutions. Mark is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Political Science and Afro-American and African Studies, and has a Master of Business Administration from Wayne State University. Mark is a native Detroiter, a musician, and frequent movie go-er. Mark enjoys exploring parks with his wife Jamesa and their daughter Nia.
Katy Love, Fund for Shared Insight
Katy is an experienced practitioner of and advocate for participatory grantmaking, a practice that moves decision-making about grants from funders to the people impacted by those funds. She has created, led, managed, or participated in over 50 cycles of participatory grantmaking. As an independent consultant and trained facilitator, Katy works with funders globally to shift power from their institutions to the people or movements that funders aim to serve. In recent years, she has worked with funders on gender equity, youth justice, racial equity, climate and environmental justice, disability inclusion, youth leadership, and more, from local and regional to global philanthropy. Before that, Katy led the grantmaking team at the Wikimedia Foundation, and she held roles at CARE International and the Global Fund for Children. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Human Rights Funders Network.
As Managing Director, Melinda guides and facilitates Fund for Shared Insight’s operations, communications, grantmaking, evaluation, and more. As an independent consultant to senior leadership at philanthropic organizations around the country, Melinda promotes, crafts, and implements strategies for effective philanthropy. Prior to starting her consulting practice in 2003, Melinda co-founded and ran REDF, a social-venture capital fund; served as a manager at a national healthcare nonprofit; and worked as a management consultant. She enthusiastically brings her unique combination of business, leadership, evaluation, and management skills to helping mission-oriented organizations meet their goals, care for people, and better the world in which we live.
What is the "Midwest Partnership"?
The Midwest Partnership Series is a collaboration between the Council of Michigan Foundations, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Philanthropy Missouri, and Philanthropy Ohio.
Programming is primarily a monthly webinar that connects funders across the four states and are typically designed for community foundations, corporate foundations and giving programs, and/or family foundations. Occasionally, a program will be relevant to all foundation types -- and all foundation types may register for any program. Also occassionally, the states partner to host an in-person learning opportunity.
Participation in the webinars is free for Member organizations; Non-Members may register for events for a fee of $50 by emailing info@philmo.org.
