We cannot keep operating with the white moderate philosophy so pervasive to our sector and society. We cannot keep being complacent, indifferent, or distracted as everything burns all around us. Here are things we must do to stop, or at least reduce, being the white moderates who prevent progress while believing they are helping make the world better:

For foundations: “Philanthropy is commendable,” Dr. King wrote, “but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.” Reflect on this quote this week. But don’t reflect too long. Take actions.

  • Double, triple, or quintuple your payout rate. Or more. Stop saving the vast majority of your endowments and trickling out a tiny amount each year while democracy and people die during one of the worst health and economic crises in our lifetimes.
  • Increase funding to Black-, Indigenous-, POC-led orgs. Analyze where your grant dollars are going and ensure you are funding organizations led by communities most affected by injustice.
  • Fund organizations on the frontlines fighting for voting rights and other issues vital to a thriving democracy. It doesn’t matter if these missions don’t “align” with your priorities or whatever. You should be aligning with the priorities set by communities, not the other way around.
  • Form a 501c4 (or fund them) and start channeling money into electing more progressive candidates into office, especially progressive women of color.
  • Eliminate all grant applications, reports, and funding restrictions. “Streamlining” is not good enough anymore. Accept proposals and reports written for other funders and shorten your process to give out grants within a few days or weeks, not months.
  • If your board is mostly white, even if you’re a family foundation and your family is mostly white, change your board criteria and get people who are not white on your board.
  • Convert all your one-year grants into multiple-year (five at least) grants. Think about sunsetting and going out in blaze of glory.
  • Use your platform to call out white supremacy, antisemitism, Islamophobia, ableism, transphobia, xenophobia, etc., and light a fire under the seats of other funders so they can take actions too.
  • Have funds ready to provide legal and other protections to organizations and leaders who speak up against injustice, as they will be targets.

Read the full article about escaping the role of the white moderate by Vu Le at Nonprofit AF.