Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

PART IV:ConclusionAs Peter Bahouth, a founder of the Funders’Network and former executive director of theTurner Foundation, likes to say, “There is no hope,but we may be wrong.” The innovative strategiesillustrated by the stories in this report reveal that, infact, we are wrong—there is hope. The complex yetvitally important issues addressed by theorganizations and foundations highlighted in thisreport are inspiring, thought-provoking, andexciting. Hope lives.The projects in this publication were chosen todemonstrate how the combination of advocacy,community organizing, and land use developmentwork can help to achieve community and regionaltransformation. More and more, the Funders’Network is seeing traditional advocates for lowincomecommunities and communities of colorbecome engaged in land use issues by takingdevelopment training courses or learning thelanguage of zoning ordinances. Advocates whoacknowledge development realities and can balancelegal, organizing, and legislative tactics are craftingmore sound policies and having greater impacts onthose they serve.Having over 70 projects to choose from forinclusion in this report shows the increasingimportance and momentum of the movement forregional and neighborhood equity. The storiesinclude many examples of the philanthropiccommunity capitalizing on its ability to beinnovative, flexible, and use a longer-termperspective. Foundations are recognizing that oneyeargrants with multiple conditions often do notget the job done. The stories in this reportdemonstrate what can happen when philanthropythinks and acts differently in partnership withleading advocates, developers, academic institutions,and public sector leaders.These projects demonstrate an evolving frameworkregarding equitable development strategies. Next, itis important for the framework to becomewidespread common knowledge, so that the promisesof regional and neighborhood equity can be realizedon a larger scale.Foundations are recognizing the value of using anequitable development framework in theirgrantmaking to help them think of new ways thattheir individual grants can have a broader impact. Byensuring that grants help to integrate people- andplace-focused strategies, reduce local and regionaldisparities, promote double bottom line investments,and ensure meaningful community participation,foundations may see greater social and economicreturns on their investments.While the stories in this report includedescriptions of what foundations have done, theFunders’ Network hopes it will also serve as aguide for what still needs to be done, many moretimes in many more places. As each of these storiesillustrates, it is possible for a foundation tocontribute to smarter growth strategies that worktowards creating more equitable regions. Threeclear themes are revealed in this report that areintegral to efforts to advance a framework forregional and neighborhood equity.1) The Region MattersEven funders focused on neighborhood quality of lifeunderstand that regional demographics—includingtransportation investments, population growth anddecline, etc.—are important to consider in order forgrantmaking in neighborhoods to be effective. Thefoundations profiled in this report find that aregional lens is an important one to employ in theirgrantmaking, even if they are only funding locally.Having knowledge of the region helps to ensuremore targeted and potentially effective work on theneighborhood or local level.2) Public Policy is a Lever for ChangeMany grantmakers are finding that they can furtherleverage their grant dollars by supporting policy work(such as CBAs, inclusionary zoning policies,community organizing, etc.). Grants to buildaffordable housing are enhanced by policy work thatencourages a more receptive federal, state, or localpolicy framework (or financial investment) forhousing. Foundations have the legal right to supportvarious types of policy work. For more information,visit the Alliance for Justice’s Foundation AdvocacyProject (www.allianceforjustice.org) or the Center forLobbying in the Public Interest (www.clpi.org).119 Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities