David Lozano’s first experience in grantmaking was a powerful one. Given the opportunity to fund any or all of a group of applicants, he awarded the majority of his funds to Trans.lation, a tiny nonprofit that supports immigrants through the arts. Both grant maker and grantee had strong emotional reactions. Carol Zou, leader of Trans.lation, did not expect to receive so much money and was deeply moved by his generosity. And for the first time in his life, Lozano was able to challenge a system that he believes overlooks people of color when it comes to decisions affecting arts funding.

Lozano made the grant as part of a Shared Gifting Circle hosted by RSF Social Finance and funded by the Embrey Family Foundation. Along with the leaders of six other nonprofits, he was given $8,000 to distribute to a group of local creative organizations in Dallas.

In a Shared Gifting Circle, a foundation or RSF invites 6 to 12 local nonprofits to spend a day as grant makers. Typically, each participant receives about $10,000; they keep $2,000 and must distribute the remaining $8,000 according to their own criteria. They review each other’s proposals and ask questions about each other’s work. Participants also decide how grantees will report back on how they used their gift.

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