Inclusive Economies
The Inclusive Economies Program fosters the creation of an inclusive and equitable economy in which people of color can maximize their potential as leaders, creators, and innovators across sectors.
In 2017, we celebrated our 100th year with nearly $7 million awarded in additional, Centennial-specific grants. These included a $4.5 million seed grant to the Amplify Fund, a funding collaborative created with the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations that seeks to put neighborhood development in the hands of the residents of those communities. The Fund will focus on supporting citywide and regional coalitions, networks, and campaigns led by members of low-wealth communities and communities of color who are advocating and organizing for equitable development.
We also made a two-year, $800,000 commitment in support of next-generation social justice philanthropy. Through this initiative, the Foundation and Andrus Family Fund intend to spark dialogue about philanthropy centered on race, privilege, equity, and social justice and to increase the number of next-generation philanthropists who are engaged in social justice work. The initiative will provide resources for family foundations, community foundations, and donor-advised funds.
The third prong of our Centennial-specific funding was the allocation of $800,000 to five national organizations to strengthen the field of impact investing. The first five grant recipients are strengthening the field by highlighting best practices; developing frameworks, guides and tools that highlight the diverse ways organizations can utilize impact investing; and hosting convenings that raise awareness and enable like-minded investors to better understand impact investing.