Giving Compass' Take:

• Here are some key takeaways from Southern California Grantmaker's Policy Summit which covered how philanthropy needs to protect and strengthen democratic resilience during COVID-19. 

• Donors can make a difference for communities that will be significantly impacted by COVID-19 at the advocacy and policy level. What would this look like in your community? 

• Read more on how donors can center equity in their response to COVID-19. 

Last month, we virtually convened over 600 funders from across California for a day dedicated to philanthropy's role in strengthening our democracy and civic engagement during this unprecedented moment. Now, SCG is excited to launch our Post-Policy Summit Blog Series in order to elevate key learnings from the Summit and to further the conversations we began to explore. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed our world and further exposed the stark realities of our inequitable systems. Unsurprisingly, this outbreak has disproportionately impacted and devastated communities of color, who have long grappled with the legacies of racial injustice and economic disenfranchisement. As we approach the November elections and the 2020 Census deadline, these communities are now facing worsened conditions in addition to a new set of challenges that threaten the integrity of our democratic systems.

At the 2020 Philanthropy California Virtual Policy Summit, Aimee Allison, Shena Ashley, Cathy Cha, and Sonja Diaz discussed how philanthropy can address these inequities and protect our democracy during this pandemic and critical election year.

CATHY: What are the critical stories related to vulnerable communities, equity, and COVID-19 that we should be working to uplift to the media in order to shape a new narrative with new voices for our rapidly changing world?

SONJA: The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the inequities that California was already dealing with such as poverty and homelessness. These worsened inequities are disproportionately devastating communities of color. Research shows that women of color overwhelmingly are on the front lines of our workforce and that many don’t have access to quality and affordable healthcare. In Los Angeles County, the pandemic has hit the retail and service sectors the hardest.

Read the full article about developing resilience at Southern California Grantmakers.