NCRP Honors Grand Victoria Foundation with its
“Changing Course” Award for Incorporating Feedback
WASHINGTON, DC – In just 20 years, the Grand Victoria Foundation (GVF) invested over $184 million into Illinois communities—supporting everything from land and water protections to education and economic development. Amidst this major accomplishment, foundation partners and grantees reminded them that this meant little if systemic racism continued to shape who could thrive. That feedback became a turning point for the Grand Victoria Foundation. The foundation didn’t just listen – it transformed.
What followed was a powerful shift from traditional philanthropy to an unwavering commitment to building community power and advancing racial equity. Today, that courageous evolution is being recognized. Grand Victoria Foundation’s bold reimagining demonstrates what it means to lead with purpose, justice, and heart.
That is why the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) is honoring the foundation with its 2025 “Changing Course” Award for Incorporating Feedback. Their model of investing in long-term thoughtful introspection invites funders into a practice of reckoning with themselves, even when it is uncomfortable.
“The Selection Committee chose Grand Victoria Foundation for the extraordinary work that they have done in going beyond just deeply learning about the harms of systemic racism,” said NCRP President and CEO Aaron Dorfman. “Building on years of good introspection, they encouraged others to join their journey of action, ultimately utilizing their grantmaking to support the work of racial equity and justice, centering it in their work, and advocating that their peers do the same.”
After a multi-year listening process, GVF redefined its role in Illinois philanthropy—investing in Black leadership, elevating the voices of communities of color, and centering their efforts on collective liberation for all residents of Illinois.
Rooted in their mission of health, wealth, and joy for all, GVF now directs its investments toward intentional, systemic action— supporting community organizing, advocacy, policy analysis, research, cultural strategy, narrative change and collaboration where the communities they serve are centered as experts.
Grand Victoria Foundation is one of five honorees that will be honored October 29 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the 2025 IMPACT Awards. Past winners of NCRP’s “Changing Course” Award for Incorporating Feedback include The Raikes Foundation, The Nellie Mae Education Foundation, The Libra Foundation, and the Meyer Memorial Trust.
The “Changing Course” Award for Incorporating Feedback is given to the funder that has shifted their strategies and operations in response to feedback from their stakeholders, particularly those most affected by inequity and injustice.
“The Grand Victoria Foundation’s necessary, unabashed focus on racial justice isn’t an accident. It’s the result of hard conversations, deep work, and often invisible leadership to honor the visions of the communities they serve. With this award, NCRP is proud to recognize not only their impressive destination, but also the journey that brought them there,” said NCRP Field Director Ben Barge.
Click here to read more about Grand Victoria Foundation’s work and why they were chosen to be NCRP’s 2025 “Changing Course” Award winner for Incorporating Feedback.
ABOUT THE 2025 IMPACT AWARDS
Since 2013, NCRP has awarded 34 IMPACT Awards to extraordinary grantmakers in recognition of support, leadership and partnership with grassroots organizations and community leaders around critical issues. In 2023, we added a fifth, the Pablo Eisenberg Memorial Prize for Philanthropy Criticism, in honor of NCRP’s founding board chair.
The IMPACT Awards ceremony takes place at the CHANGE Unity Summit. Click here for more information on the 2025 Unity Summit.
ABOUT NCRP
The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) has served as philanthropy’s critical friend and independent watchdog since 1976. We partner with foundations, nonprofits and social movements to ensure that the philanthropic sector is accountable to communities with the least wealth, opportunity and power.
For nearly 50 years, NCRP’s storytelling, advocacy and research efforts have fostered transparency and accountability within the sector, and helped funders fulfill their moral and practical duty to build, share and wield power to serve the public.
