Stories of Philanthropic Leadership in Advancing Regional and ...

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EQUITABLE PUBLIC INVESTMENTterms. We saw the value in PolicyLink bringing thelessons they have learned from other regional equityefforts, as well as the skill to help knit a diverse,cohesive coalition that can bring about policy changein the region.”Two other foundations have played key roles in theemergence of Action! as an influence in regionalpolicy development. As part of its grant toPolicyLink, the Fannie Mae Foundation fundedregional conferences to share the findings of theEquitable Development Toolkit. These conversationsbrought groups together to recognize theopportunity. The Hyams Foundation supplied earlyseed funding and scholarship support to futureAction! members to attend key national events thatframed their subsequent thinking.Going forward, the evidence of home-grownleadership for policy initiatives and constituencydevelopment will ultimately determine thebreadth and scope of philanthropic supportfor Action!’s efforts.Regional/Neighborhood Equity ImpactsAlthough early in the process, there are signs thatAction! will be able to achieve policy impact. Thegroup currently has legislation before theMassachusetts State House that would document thedemographics of residents of state-subsidized housingdevelopments—a critical missing piece ofinformation in the work to eliminate housingsegregation in Massachusetts. The group is alsobringing new advocacy energy towards the effort toinvest increased resources into the state’s affordablehousing trust fund, targeting an infusion of $100million over the next five years.Action! is working through administrative advocacyto integrate equity principles into theimplementation of a $30 million transit-orienteddevelopment fund. Action! has mobilized allies toengage the state in the development of its 25-yearvision for transportation planning and investment inan area of historically significant disparities from theperspectives of local equity advocates. Tocomplement that advocacy, the group is providingtraining to grassroots and other organizations longconcerned with transit issues but that have not hadthe experience or technical expertise with which toengage in the discussion.ResultsThe Action! process has brought several hundredorganizations across greater Boston together todiscuss the real steps needed to advance regionalequity. In short order, the group began to shape thepolicy discourse for the region, infusing equity intoan arena formally devoid of the topic. Throughpublic meetings, op-ed placements, engagement ofacademic and business interests, and direct advocacywith lawmakers, Action! is demonstrating new waysfor philanthropy to invest in improved communityoutcomes that serve all populations in the region.“We would like to seestatewide policyadvocates workingwith grassrootsadvocates to craftpolicy,” states Barr’sPuerto, “but not in away of ‘we have thispolicy, why not signon?’ We would loveto see an equalpartnership emerge.”Lessons Learned“We would like to seestatewide policy advocatesworking with grassrootsadvocates to craft policy, butnot in a way of ‘we have thispolicy, why not sign on?’We would love to see anequal partnership emerge.”— Mariella Tan PuertoTo be sure, progress is deliberate, and does not comeeasily. But even in engaging the challenges that facethe work, foundations and their community partnersare learning valuable lessons.The first lesson is that suburban communities andurban centers have common causes. When asufficient concentration of suburban leadershipjoined discussions of regional issues, it quicklybecame clear that several preconceptions of suburbanperspectives needed re-evaluation. Mutual concernsabout equitable housing distribution, the regionwideimplications of environmental justice oncommunity health, and the connection betweentransportation equity and workforce developmentcreated a sense of possibility that concerted statewideadvocacy is possible.Second, inherent tension exists between the inertia ofpublic institutions and the capacity of communitybasedorganizations to endure the extensivetimeframes of regional planning processes. Mostnonprofit organizations cannot afford to invest thestaffing required for a multi-year planning processand exit with negligible products to show for their55Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities
efforts. And with each public planning process thatends with minimal benefit for communities of colorand low-income populations, it becomes increasinglydifficult to solicit their engagement. Regional equityadvocates from both sectors need to find a way toreverse this cycle.Furthermore, public officials are still building theircapacity to effectively engage resident participationfor equitable development. The premise of equitabledevelopment—integrating people and place in adevelopment process with social benefits for existingresidents and financial returns for investors—actuallyresonates with many public officials nationally.Converting that interest into an effective reversal ofpolicy decisions that perpetuate inequities is anothermatter. In Boston, as elsewhere, there is stillsignificant work to be done in marshaling furthereffective action in the public sector.The value of facilitation in creating the space fordialogue on regional equity issues is an immediatelesson. While groups were quick to recognize thevalue of such a conversation, the availability ofimmediate and flexible staff energy to implementimportant next steps, focus conversations on realpriorities, and thread together key strategies isessential to ensure that such work endures. Action!has been the architect of this dialogue on regionalequity, with PolicyLink playing the willing roleof facilitator.Finally, identifying policy targets and creatingcommon language take time that cannot becircumvented. At first blush, the timeframes forseveral of the instrumental accomplishments ofAction! and its broader participation seem lengthy.Without the thorough discussions held by the groupand encouraged by the public meeting and researchprocess, however, there would be little chance foradvancing significant policies in the coming months.Coalitions that move complex agendas with multiplestakeholders, innumerable points of contention, andunending negotiation often collapse under their ownweight if the proper ‘homework’ has not beenperformed.“We understand that this type of work involves a lotprocess and takes a while,” clarifies Puerto. “Theremay not be tangible outcomes in the short run. Butwe like where the work is heading.”Contact PeopleHenri AllenSenior Program OfficerThe Hyams Foundationhallen@hyamsfoundation.org(617) 426-5600Philip Bronder-GirouxExecutive DirectorTri-City Community Action Programpbron@tri-cap.org(781) 322-4125Warren Goldstein-GelbProgram DirectorAlternatives for Community & Environment (ACE)warren@ace-ej.org(617) 442-3343Marvin MartinDirectorGreater Four Corners Action Coalitiongfcac@hotmail.com(617) 436-0289Marc PedullaLead OrganizerCity Life/Vida Urbanampedulla@clvu.org(617) 524-3541Erica SchwarzCommunity OrganizerWaltham Alliance to Create HousingErica@watchcdc.org(781) 891-6689Mariella Tan PuertoSenior Program OfficerBarr Foundationmpuerto@pilothouse.com(617) 854-3500EQUITABLE PUBLIC INVESTMENTPart III: Section 1: Promoting Equitable Public Investment 56
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Stories of Philanthropic Leadership
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Signs of Promise:Stories of Philant
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Funders’ Network for Smart Growth
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(II. B.)(II. C.)Turning Neighborhoo
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PART I:IntroductionThe Purpose of t
Page 11 and 12: social justice issues as they relat
Page 13 and 14: PART II:Perspectives on Advancing R
Page 15 and 16: peer work, we can reestablish a sig
Page 17 and 18: Annie E. Casey FoundationBaltimore,
Page 19 and 20: neighborhoods into healthy ones—g
Page 21 and 22: Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation
Page 23 and 24: Section 1:Promoting Equitable Publi
Page 25 and 26: I. A. BUILDING POWER AND GIVINGVOIC
Page 27 and 28: policy advocates. In 2002, Milwauke
Page 29 and 30: in Los Angeles, Ford’s Anthony no
Page 31 and 32: I. B. PROMOTING COALITIONSTO ADVANC
Page 33 and 34: Yet the interpersonal dynamics of c
Page 35 and 36: guidelines. “Many of the member o
Page 37 and 38: Funder InterestThe EPA supported th
Page 39 and 40: I. D. DEMONSTRATING THESTRUGGLE FOR
Page 41 and 42: Richmond, Calif.The second regional
Page 43 and 44: through policy reform at the local
Page 45 and 46: I. E. BUILDING COALITIONTHROUGH KNO
Page 47 and 48: organizing project, the Connecticut
Page 49 and 50: and businesses are quantified in a
Page 51 and 52: I. G. REVITALIZING WHILEASSURING DI
Page 53 and 54: In the late 1990s, the city of Albu
Page 55 and 56: I. H. A TRAVEZ DE LA FRONTERA:LAND
Page 57 and 58: The International Community Foundat
Page 59 and 60: I. I. MOBILIZING ACTION FORREGIONAL
Page 61: To meet all of these objectives, th
Page 65 and 66: pattern of disproportionate transpo
Page 67 and 68: Clinica de la Raza identify this cr
Page 69 and 70: Contact PeopleCarl AnthonyActing Di
Page 71 and 72: Section 2:Making All Neighborhoods
Page 73 and 74: II. A. REACHING BEYONDHOUSING TO IM
Page 75 and 76: A local resident receives the keys
Page 77 and 78: East Baltimore community and the Jo
Page 79 and 80: example, adjacent to the EBDI area,
Page 81 and 82: II. C. YIELDING REGIONALBENEFITS TH
Page 83 and 84: is using transit-oriented developme
Page 85 and 86: financing and innovative, forward-t
Page 87 and 88: The Row House Community Development
Page 89 and 90: II. E. COUNTERING THE PERFECTSTORM:
Page 91 and 92: funded community programs, includin
Page 93 and 94: housing developments and commercial
Page 95 and 96: owned enterprises, totaling $8.5 mi
Page 97 and 98: LOAN GUARANTEESSection 3:Connecting
Page 99 and 100: III. A. MAKING HOUSING ANOPPORTUNIT
Page 101 and 102: A new report from the National Hous
Page 103 and 104: The Straphangers Campaign was found
Page 105 and 106: Funder InterestThe Straphangers Cam
Page 107 and 108: or increase poverty. Whether direct
Page 109 and 110: The Regional Plan Association then
Page 111 and 112: multi-stakeholder effort composed o
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director with LISC. No one set of s
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12 western Louisville neighborhoods
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III. E. UNITING THREE STATESFOR ONE
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increased their personal wealth by
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summary evaluation of MSDI found th
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method alone was strong enough to m
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consistent body of work. The Counci
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3) Issues Need to be ConnectedThe f
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PART V:Glossary of TermsThe terms d
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Regional and neighborhood equity. A
Page 133 and 134:
Tijuana River Reserve, California:h
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Sargent Shriver National Center on
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1500 San Remo Avenue • Suite 249
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