It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about fiery fall leaves or pumpkin pies, though I love those. I’m talking about The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s “Philanthropy 400.” For the uninitiated, this list represents the 400 U.S. nonprofits that raised the most (non-governmental) money in fiscal year 2014.
There’s a lot of good work included here. The Task Force for Global Health is in the top ten. Youth programs, cancer research and a score of universities populate the top 50. Dig into the latter hundreds and you’ll find organizations like the Environmental Defense Fund and the ACLU.
Yet here’s a truth givers of all stripes should know: Some of the most important work you can support today has never been on that list. The vital work I’m referring to takes many forms, and many causes, but it always has a few things in common.
It’s grounded in community. It’s unapologetically focused on changing the policies, cultural norms and systems that foster inequity. And it’s led by people who have faced the brunt of that injustice. At NCRP, we call them grassroots social justice advocates and community organizers: folks who are fighting every day, against all odds, for a better world for all of us. Yet despite their crucial work – or rather because of it – the vast majority are un- or underpaid.
To be clear, I’m not advocating for a wholesale rejection of the 400: simply a counterweight. The top 400 groups have increased their share of total annual giving over the last decade to about $1 for every $3.70 donated in America. This isn’t surprising. Large organizations tend to have greater capacity to promote their work, measure the outcomes and assign staff to collect donations. But such abilities are privileges that many organizations working alongside marginalized communities and tackling difficult topics simply don’t have.
So without further ado, here are seven ways givers can support grassroots efforts all across the country tackling the most entrenched injustices in our society. Many of these tips come from recommendations Black Lives Matter activists shared in a NCRP webinar earlier this year.
- Support the leadership of people most affected by the issues they’re trying to solve. Though it’s vastly underfunded, the most cutting edge work today is being done by intersectional movements of people standing up to oppression. That includes people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, undocumented persons, low-income individuals, people with disabilities and the formerly incarcerated.
- Recognize that these efforts may look different than standard ways of doing things in the nonprofit sector – and that’s okay! Traditional nonprofit spaces can be inaccessible or downright alienating for people who have been disenfranchised. The Movement for Black Lives, for example, has no annual fundraising galas, rigid hierarchy or even a physical office space, but has fundamentally transformed our national conversation around race, justice and policing.
- Remember that civic engagement is the bedrock of effective social change. From community organizing and policy advocacy to litigation and leadership development, it focuses on changing the systems of power that lock people out of opportunity, rather than chipping away at their byproducts. This work is 100 percent legal for nonprofits, as the Alliance for Justice’s Philanthropy Advocacy Playbook It’s also messy and courageous. Listen, and be willing to support new and untested ideas.
- Give multi-year funding and general operating support. (Yes, that means overhead.) Such funds give leaders the stability and flexibility they need to act nimbly and strategically. Disappointingly, however, only 22 percent of the donors The Chronicle of Philanthropy surveyed prefer to support long-term goals. In fact, according to NCRP’s analysis of Foundation Center data through our “The Philanthropic Landscape” series, only 21 percent of all grant dollars in 2012 went to general operating support, and just 13 percent to multi-year funding.
- Don’t get obsessed with number crunching. It’s notoriously difficult to quantify the value of advocacy, even though it’s the most effective long-term work you can engage in. When NCRP did measure, we found that the return on investment for advocacy and civic engagement was a whopping $115 for every $1 invested. Many groups allied with marginalized communities, however, aren’t going to have the capacity to show those numbers, and privileging the ones that can perpetuates a vicious cycle that keeps those communities under-resourced.
- If you have an application process, keep it simple. Does the organization applying have to fill out 10 questions, five forms, three budgets and speak English fluently to have a chance to access the funds? If so, rethink the process.
- Last but not least, remember that support can be more than financial. You can help make a difference by speaking out for equity, educating your peers and holding people accountable within the institutions and relationships you are a part of. For examples, check out the nearly 200 funders that have made that commitment explicit by signing on to Philanthropy’s Promise.
What do you think? How else can donors, grantmakers, and giving circles best support grassroots social change efforts? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ben Barge is a field associate at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). Follow @NCRP on Twitter.
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