The latest perspectives, news, reports, and resources from around the Foundation.
The Surdna Foundation is extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s ruling today on affirmative action, which will prevent colleges and universities from considering race in admissions. We wish tools like affirmative action were not necessary…
I am a gay Puerto Rican cis-man raised in Massachusetts. In public, I have the privilege of passing as white. My parents were activists since they were young and always vocal on issues of justice, whether on the island or stateside. Growing up, I…
How funders can challenge white supremacy, shift power and follow the lead of youth organizers and BIPOC communities By Manuela Arciniegas, Bryan Perlmutter and Jessica Pierce Society is battling threats on multiple fronts: The pandemic, ongoing…
"To address climate and environmental inequities, we need to think holistically about the role of race and what justice means. We need to look at all aspects of our life. And acknowledge that the root of many injustices is the commoditization of…
How can philanthropists learn from protesters and reimagine the formula for making change on racial justice? In this Stanford Social Innovation Review article, Mekaelia Davis, director of Surdna’s Inclusive Economies program, examines…
How can we meet this moment? We must begin by solving the crisis of imagination. In this Stanford Social Innovation Review article, Deanna Van Buren, co-founder and design director of Designing Justice + Designing Spaces, and F. Javier…
Surdna has committed $100 million and deployed over $50 million in impact investments thus far to build a more inclusive economy. Our investments include supporting entrepreneurs of color so they can fulfill their potential as leaders, creators,…
When we talk about “building the capacity” of frontline and grassroots leaders who are changing structures, policies, and systems, what does that really mean for funders? Many funders use antiquated and static systems of inquiry to identify and…
How does philanthropy stay accountable to the values we claim to espouse? As the National Creative Placemaking Fund (NCPF) at ArtPlace America came to a close at the end of 2017, we decided to interrogate how effective we had been at aligning our…