Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

EQUITABLE PUBLIC INVESTMENTevolving focus on regionalism and equity, including anearly effort entitled “Conversations on Regional Equity.”The conversations—led by Manuel Pastor, professor ofLatin American and Latino Studies at the University ofCalifornia, Santa Cruz, and drawing on the expertise ofother scholars and practitioners like Bruce Katz, johnpowell, and David Rusk—explore the challenges facedby low-income and people of color in urbancommunities grappling with regional challenges. 9 It isclear that these obstacles require engagement at theregional level, asserting that economic competitivenessand social well-being are co-equal values pursued inregional work. Importantly, the conversations contributeto a broader analysis of the community developmentcorporation, or CDC, model.The Ford Foundation has been a major investor inCDCs for over 40 years, building upon relationshipswhich supported real housing and economic benefitsfor low-income and minority communities. Yetaccording to a growing regional scholarship, the CDCmodel, acting alone, cannot address the regionaldrivers of concentrated poverty (e.g., tax, housing, andtransportation policies). Complementary approachesare required. In Camden and Richmond, Fordencountered communities where early isolated placebasedapproaches had been insufficient to liftindividuals and communities out of poverty.Furthermore, if the Foundation was to make asignificant and comprehensive investment in adepressed community, and—in doing so—hope togarner some replicable learning about regional equity,it felt it had to prioritize that kind of community,rather than a community that was already on its wayto improving. The Ford Foundation was interested inregional and market balance: regions on oppositecoasts, one within a weak market reality and the othera strong market environment.Originally, the Ford Foundation considered severalother cities and regions, including San Diego, SouthCarolina, and East St. Louis, Ill.. But several factorsinfluenced the Camden and Richmond decisions overall others. In the case of Camden, proximity played arole. Camden is relatively close to the FordFoundation’s New York City offices. According to CarlAnthony, acting director of the Community andResource Development Unit at the Ford Foundation,this was a very important consideration and may haveimplications for other funders. The receivership aspectwas also significant. It offered an opportunity torestructure the relationship between the communityand the state. The infusion of $175 million from thestate of New Jersey and the over $400 million for newschool construction from the Abbott case were alsodetermining factors. Even more, the state of NewJersey had a long history of struggle around fair sharehousing, specifically with the Mt. Laurel suburb. Thisdynamic provided a base from which to discuss theregional agenda.In the case of Richmond, Ford assessed that the city’sfinancial challenges made the city more receptive tothe Regional Equity Demonstration initiative andfacilitated a stronger partnership. Furthermore,Richmond had existing leadership strongly committedto the community, even though many groups weredisconnected from each other and lackedorganizational capacity around regional issues. FromThe San Francisco Foundation’s perspective, thesefactors created an opportunity to establish orstrengthen partnerships among local initiatives andcommunity interests and build local capacity throughtechnical assistance. Richmond was an early suburb ofSan Francisco, a so-called “inner-ring” suburb whichwas later leapfrogged by successive expansions ofsuburban development. Throughout the country,many inner-ring suburbs face familiar challenges ofdisinvestments. Therefore, a demonstration project inRichmond is an opportunity to create equitableinvestments that could provide lessons for otherregions. As previously mentioned, The San FranciscoFoundation was already focused on Richmond andhad invested and devoted resources from sevendifferent program areas in the area. For a nationalfunder, like the Ford Foundation, this localphilanthropic connection enhanced the potentialimpact of its grant support, building upon alreadyexisting networks, infrastructures, and knowledge ofthe local nuances. 10ResultsIn both Camden and Richmond, the FordFoundation’s ultimate objective is to address social,racial, economic, and environmental inequalities9Bruce Katz is vice president and director, Metropolitan Policy Program,The Brookings Institution; john powell is director, Kirwin Institute ofRace and Ethnicity, Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University;and David Rusk is a consultant on urban and suburban policy andauthor of Inside Game/Outside Game.10Publisher’s Note: The East Bay Community Foundation is also workingon efforts in Richmond, Calif. For more information, visitwww.eastbaycf.org.35Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities