We are living in reactionary times. For many funders and organizers, what once felt like steady, if hard, progress on economic and social justice goals now feels more like a stall halfway uphill and a desperate effort to prevent a downward slide. Facing one crisis or cruel act after another, it is easy to lose hope in the possibility of advancing economic justice. But it’s important not to get so caught up in short-term challenges that we lose sight of our purpose and long-term goals.

As executive director of the Just Economy Institute, a fellowship and network for funders, community organizers, and social entrepreneurs, I get a preview of what’s happening on the ground. And I see growing communities of people creating and supporting initiatives that shift the flow of capital and power in significant ways towards advancing economic justice. There’s a lot of work to do, and people are still doing it, with eyes wide open to the moment and focused on a better future.

To get a better sense of these opportunities and actions, I spoke with two influential funders about what they’re seeing and doing to advance economic justice now: Nwamaka Agbo, CEO of the Kataly Foundation, and Deborah Frieze, founder of the Boston Impact Initiative and co-founder of the Unlock Ownership Fund.

Are We Doing Enough to Advance Economic Justice?

Nelson: There’s been talk about how people are not doing enough in this moment to advance economic justice, but I actually see people doing a lot. I see people and communities divesting from the extractive economy and investing in regenerative economies. What are you seeing?

Frieze: I see people leaning in, coming together in coalitions exactly at the time when we need one another most to help advance economic justice. Examples include what the Freedom Economy, a coalition of investors and legal professionals, is doing to help impact investors navigate the current environment, and what Aunnie Patton Power is doing with the Innovative Finance Initiative, which is an effort to reimagine how capital is designed, deployed, and measured for impact, domestically and internationally. Finance people traditionally aren’t great about sharing what they know, but in these groups, people are being extraordinarily generous and transparent.

Read the full article about advancing economic justice by Deb Nelson with Nwamaka Agbo and Deborah Frieze at Stanford Social Innovation Review.