Giving Compass' Take:

• Philanthropy News Digest interviewed Fred Blackwell, CEO of The San Francisco Foundation, about its racial equity lens and how philanthropic foundations are achieving racial equity goals. 

• How can funders share best practices and collaborate on racial equity work? 

• Learn about how philanthropy can support racial equity in the social sector.

Fred Blackwell joined The San Francisco Foundation, CEO in 2014. In June 2016, TSFF announced a new commitment to racial and economic equity in the Bay Area. PND spoke with Blackwell about the foundation's racial equity lens, and what it means for philanthropic organizations to speak out, step up, and actually try to achieve racial equity:

PND: Having worked in both local government and philanthropy, what do you see as the greatest challenge philanthropic organizations face in working to advance racial equity?

FB: The biggest challenge for government or philanthropy is getting past the notion that one community's gain has to be another community's setback. That notion permeates every aspect of society. We have to be able to talk about racial equity and execute on a racial equity agenda and communicate what we're doing in a way that lifts up the fact that by meeting the needs of the most vulnerable among us, we all benefit.

PND: What lessons or recommendations would you share with foundations that are thinking about or taking their first steps to integrate racial equity into their grantmaking?

FB: There is a difference between working on racial equity and actually trying to achieve racial equity. I think it's important for institutions that are engaged in this work to deeply understand which one of those pathways they are on. If you’re just working on racial equity, it’s okay to have an equity grantmaking program and some staff members focused on racial equity and make a few grants focused on racial equity. But actually trying to achieve equity is a very different endeavor, and it requires a top-to bottom examination of your institution and how you approach your work.

Read the full article about philanthropy and racial equity by Kyoko Uchida at PhilanTopic.