Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

3) Issues Need to be ConnectedThe foundations and organizations profiled in thisreport recognize the connections among issues theycare about and the effects of land use decisionmaking.Land use policies and practices have implications onwork to alleviate poverty, ensure access to jobs andeducation, and encourage healthy, active lifestyles. Forexample, the movement of jobs to the suburbs requiresthat organizations pay attention to transportationaccess, so that potential employees can reachappropriate opportunities. By recognizing links andconnections between issues, the foundations profiledhere find that the means to accomplish the outcomesthey desire may change once they realize the underlyingfactors that affect the surface problem or challenge.Having a strong impact requires a commitment ofpatience and time. Beyond the three broad themeshighlighted previously, the stories in this report alsoreveal a series of common general factors thatcontribute to the success of these projects from thefunder’s perspective. The following recommendationsbuild on these success factors and are designed toencourage and inspire grantmakers in their work.Pay attention to race and class: Race and classissues need to be addressed at the forefront. Theregional and neighborhood equity framework is morereadily welcomed among low-income communitiesand communities of color because it addresses raceand class issues up front. The fundamentaldifferences between the movements for smartergrowth and regional equity have been their respectivehistories as well as the faces of those at the forefront.Advocates for a regional equity framework, such asCarl Anthony, Angela Blackwell, Manuel Pastor, andjohn powell, are people of color who have fought forcivil rights and social justice issues, especially as theyrelate to land use decisions. In the 1990s, many ofthe conversations about regionalism were drivenfrom a smart growth perspective, but rarely did thesediscussions lead with race and equity. Today, due tothe efforts of leading socially-conscious advocates forsmarter growth, one sees increasing participation ofpeople of color in the movement for smart growth.As a result, development and growth patterns areslowly, but surely, being viewed through a racial lens.Addressing issues of race and class is not easy, but thehard work pays off when strong cross-cultural, crossissue,and cross-class coalitions are created.Use all the tools available: A diverse array of toolsare available for foundations to employ in theirwork. Beyond that of grantmaker, foundations canplay roles including convener, educator, advocate,and initiator. The stories in this report highlightexamples of foundations that are using all of thetools available to them and all of the assets at theirdisposal. For instance, in the story of theCenterEdge Project, although one of thefoundations was not able to fund the regionaldisparities research, it was able to fund thecommunity dialogues that were necessary to achievea broad-based coalition. Foundations can thinkbeyond a grant request and about how they canfurther the work. A foundation may not be able toenter a project in the initial phases, but may getinvolved more strategically at a later time to helpcarry the torch.Commit to long-term investment: The mostcommon lesson offered in these stories is that longterminvestment is needed in order to change longstandingdevelopment principles. Yet even smallamounts of money can make a big difference, as seenthrough these stories, if allocated strategically alongwith fact-finding, convening, and leadership.Committing to the long-term also increases theopportunity for organizations and foundations toevaluate outcomes. As these stories show, there is adifference between building houses andincorporating residents into the larger community.Although equally important, one requires a longerterminvestment, yet may ultimately lead to theoutcomes desired by both the project and thegrantmaker.Partner with grantees and take risks: In each ofthe stories, one or more individuals—a programofficer, CEO, or trustee—was willing to lead afoundation to take a risk and think outside of thebox. In some cases, inspiring board members andtrustees by using convenings and site visits, helpedpush an agenda forward. In addition, these storiesrarely involve reactive grantmaking. Most of theseexamples involve funders partnering with grantees todevelop and implement strategies, going beyond thetypical arms-length relationships that characterizefunder/grantee interaction.Tell stories: Sharing information about what isworking represents a powerful source of ideas for thephilanthropic community. The Funders’ Network isbecoming a repository of information aboutfoundation activity in this area. Visitwww.fundersnetwork.org for more information.Part IV: Conclusion120