Giving Compass' Take:

• The author shares her experience working at Philanthropy Northwest and how the organization strives to work for local communities, stay committed to diversity and inclusion efforts, and provide spaces to have those more difficult conversations about equity in society and the sector. 

• How can Philanthropy Northwest expand it's partnerships to encourage other organizations to be values-driven?

• Learn about how powerful values-driven branding is for nonprofit organizations. 

Our pledge to place communities “at the center,” and our commitment to equity resonates deeply with me. At Philanthropy Northwest, I’ve felt at home from the start because this organization leads with a values-driven agenda.

From my first board retreat last July in Alaska, “shared values” took center stage, especially among our Alaska board members. They brought to life the history, institutions, significant assets and resilience of Alaska Natives.

We recently held this year’s board retreat in Ashland, Oregon. Like Alaska, we connected with funders and leaders to learn about the local landscape, and how challenges in rural parts of our region are both different and much the same. We engaged in a thought-provoking conversation on how a strong commitment to equity shaped programming at the nationally recognized Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and on college campuses in southern Oregon that experienced a significant increase in the diversity among their student population.

Participants also discussed how rural philanthropists are training local leaders — to the tune of 6,000 of them — to build capacity within their communities.

As I’ve sought to understand and support “my new community” this past year, I’m excited how our organization has leaned into our dedication to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

While we strive to live our equity values, we know that many people feel sidelined by polarizing political rhetoric. As a regional philanthropic organization, we create space to model uncomfortable conversations.

The door stands open for the philanthropy sector to lead through the difficult changes facing our country. Working alongside communities we can create better futures together for all.

Read the full article about Philanthropy Northwest by Kiran Ahuja at Medium