Over the past several years, Co.act Detroit and our partners embarked on a series of community dialogues involving over 150 participants to promote racial equity in philanthropy. These facilitated conversations brought together nonprofit leaders and funders to have candid discussions about power dynamics, representation, and decision-making in the Southeast Michigan funding landscape. The dialogues covered participatory grantmaking practices, diversifying boards and staff, and addressing systemic biases in philanthropy. 

One unique example, the Nonprofit Funder Dialogue Series, convened the heads of leading local foundations with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)-led nonprofit leaders to have an honest conversation. In having the conversations, we also shared a unique moment in history. This was a lengthy co-creative, sustained dialogue process, and it took place during the height of racialized violence and civic protests. The global pandemic also demanded that we shift from in-person to virtual gatherings. From start to finish, the dialogues took fortitude and persistence to get through. There were multiple sessions, with co-design meetings in between, and one-on-one meetings with both groups respectively to center participants’ experiences and aspirations. The desire to move toward action while balancing the need for repair, relationship, and trust-building created tension and required slowing down to meet participants where they were. Overall, the process spanned 18 months and resulted in a series of recommendations to get more resources to nonprofits led by people of color. 

Concurrently, Co.act Detroit took concrete steps to operationalize dialogue recommendations within our internal grantmaking processes. For example, we now look at who’s not getting funding and actively connect applicants to resources and opportunities. We conduct funder briefings to inform and educate funders about the needs we are seeing and the potential opportunities for them to contribute positively. 

We support grantees’ ability to rest and recharge by building wellness funding into general operating grants through the WELL Fund, and by partnering on a Rest & Liberation initiative. Both initiatives center those most impacted in the planning and design, with an emphasis on resourcing small, grassroots and BIPOC-led organizations. 

Within our team, we also support mental health and wellness through regular breaks, and programming that supports individual well-being. Co.act has monthly mental health days and we create a culture of unplugging outside of work hours. We approach our work through a capacity lens and push back on a sense of urgency, challenging the status quo and piloting liberatory workplace practices. 

We have been working with a resident advisory group to co-design and reimagine KIP:D+, a program funded by the Kresge Foundation now entering its 10th year, which puts resources in the hands of neighborhood-level projects. Co.act Detroit adds unique value by shifting the decision-making into a resident-driven process instead of a top-down board vote. This example demonstrates how intermediaries like us can partner with philanthropy on their journey to more community-centered grantmaking. 

To further strengthen participatory decision-making in philanthropy, we have been convening peer grantmakers to form our own community of practice regionally. Born out of our own need to ensure we were fairly compensating community members we began reaching out to local values-aligned peers to learn and share best practices with each other. The vision for the community of practice evolved to strengthen the overall landscape of community-centered funding in our region by learning from each other, sharing and uplifting what's working well so we can all grow together in a way that ultimately benefits our community and residents through more equitable practices.

We aim to promote a more equitable funding landscape in our region by piloting participatory practices and centering community voices. Our role as a convener also allows us to advocate for change across philanthropy by creating space for honest dialogue, peer learning, and reimagining decision-making.

We encourage others in philanthropy to join us on this equity journey. Review our community's recommendations, consider hosting sustained dialogue in your network, or reach out to our team to share learnings and co-create with us.  

Dialogues surface opportunities, allow us to examine gaps through an equity lens, and share power by centering those we aim to serve in decision-making roles. The path to equity requires tenacity, courage, and community. 

We look forward to learning together.

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The Capital Collaborative by Camelback Ventures works with white funders and social impact investors who want to deepen their individual and organizational commitment to racial and gender equity in philanthropy — but may not know how. You can learn more about how to get involved by submitting an interest form for the Capital Collaborative’s next cohort or signing up for the newsletter.