This event is co-sponsored by the Maine Philanthropy Center
Co-hosted by Josie Greene (Josephine and Louise Crane Foundation), Jasmine Gomez (Resist, Inc), Talmira Hill (DEI Affinity Group of the NH Funders Forum), Gabriella Mora (Krupp Family Foundation), Neha Rayamajhi (Episcopal City Mission), Julian Rowand (Maine Initiatives), Sheryl Seller (Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy)
In 2021, a network of grassroots fundraisers launched the Resource Organizing Project (ROP) in order to shift fundraising culture and practices and to build stronger movements for justice and liberation in New England. ROP is a project of the Movement Sustainability Commons.
In ROP’s first year and a half, with investments from 12 regional funders and 300 individual donors, the project has
- Hosted 31 regional movement groups in year-long Sustainer Learning Circles to grow their monthly donor programs
- Built a network of 70+ movement groups, many participating in a monthly Grassroots Fundraisers Circle
- Built infrastructure to sustain and grow the annual Celebration of Grassroots Organizing in Boston, a collaborative fundraiser for 14 Boston-based groups
- Moved over $375,000 directly to organizers on the front lines of regional movements, and
- Developed organizational systems to sustain the project in years to come.
The landscape for funding movement organizations is shifting as a result of layered crises (COVID 19, the rise of the far right, anti-Black violence, climate disaster), people-powered movements (Movement for Black Lives, Standing Rock, advances in “equity” work), shifts in movement discourse (Community-centric fundraising models, decolonizing philanthropy), and by the emergence of movement infrastructure projects. Where do we go from here?
We invite you to join other New England regional funders for a dialogue on these key questions:
- How will movements for justice, anchored by frontline organizations led by BIPOC, working class and queer leaders, be resourced and sustained for lasting impact?
- What shifts and trends are we seeing when it comes to resourcing frontline movement groups in different New England regions?
- What types of movement fundraising interventions are you most excited about for your region? Such as…
- Training & capacity building
- Fiscal sponsorship and administrative hubs
- Relationship-building between frontline movement leaders and funders
- Collective fundraising strategies (shared events, appeals, or emergency funds)
- Dedicated funding lines for frontline movement groups
- Democratically governed funds involving movement leaders in decision making
- Alternative investment vehicles
- Organizing Donor Advised Fund (DAF) holders to support frontline movements
The agenda will feature a brief overview of ROP’s vision and strategic interventions, including the flagship Sustainer Learning Circle, followed by a participatory conversation about the questions above. We believe that effective region-specific interventions will involve deep partnerships between funders, frontline leaders, and movement infrastructure efforts. We’re excited to dig in with you!
For more information and to register, visit the event page.