Giving Compass' Take:

• Zia Khan and John McArthur, at The Rockefeller Foundation, lay out a plan to blaze a path through crisis focused on the Sustainable Development Goals.

• Why is a tangible path through crisis so essential in the chaos of 2020? How do different crises -- white supremacy, COVID-19, climate -- interact with one another? What are you doing to support those most impacted by the events of 2020?

• Find resources to guide your giving to help marginalized communities find a path through crisis.

The year 2020 will forever be associated with crises. First came the COVID-19 pandemic, a joint public health and economic emergency that spread around the world with unprecedented speed and scope. Next came a crisis of international cooperation, as countries struggled to coordinate their efforts in tackling a common viral foe. Then came a compounding social crisis – anchored in the United States but reverberating around the world – focused on issues of systemic racism and police brutality.

Upheaval can yield new understanding and opportunity. For example, the need for massive and urgent government intervention has drawn fresh attention to social safety nets and the possibility of dramatic policy enhancements. Tragic consequences of racial discrimination have catapulted awareness of systemic problems and triggered prospects for much-needed social reforms. Rapid environmental improvements linked to economic shutdown have rekindled consciousness of the profound interconnections between ecosystems, economies, and societies.

The world needs to make the most of the moment at hand. To chart a path through the complex uncertainty, we suggest three distinct forms of action – Response, Recovery, and Reset.

  • Response in the near term: where the main objective is to protect lives and livelihoods, especially among people who are most vulnerable.
  • Recovery over the medium term: where the main objective is to restart and rebuild economic and social activity in a manner that protects public health, promotes societal healing, and preserves the environment.
  • Reset systems for the long-term: where the objective is to establish, wherever possible, a new equilibrium among political, economic, social, and environmental systems toward common goals. Ultimately, the only limit within this category is our collective imagination. As we emerge from a moment of great crisis, we can imagine a “great reset.”

Read the full article about a path through crisis by Zia Khan and John McArthur at The Rockefeller Foundation.