News & Insights

The latest perspectives, news, reports, and resources from around the Foundation.

Staff Perspectives
February 23, 2022

On Narratives and Making Justice Pop

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…

Andrus Family Fund
March 24, 2021

6 Ways Funders Can Support Visionary Freedom

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…

Inclusive Economies
July 23, 2020

Risks for the Future We Want

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…

Covid-19
June 9, 2020

Mass Decarceration and COVID-19

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…

Staff Perspectives
April 8, 2019

Building an Inclusive Economy by Supporting Entrepreneurs of Color

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,…

Staff Perspectives
October 11, 2018

Philanthropic Leadership Means Following the Frontlines

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…

Staff Perspectives
August 3, 2018

What Love Looks Like in Philanthropy: Shared Power and Transparency

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…