Please join us for our first Corporate Funders Group meeting of 2024! During this session, we will share brief introductions of our new co-chairs of the group: Gloria Dixon with BECU, Heather Johnson with Avery Dennison and Steven Lesky with Cambia Health Foundation. 

We will be joined by researchers and practitioners from the Horizon Forum, who have deep expertise in supporting philanthropies in ensuring that their dollars are insulated from extremism, bigotry and hate activity. Through extensive research and facilitating cross-sector dialogues, the Horizon Forum provides technical consulting and training on how to manage and mitigate risks related to hate, extremism and other forms of political polarization. We are focusing our first call on this important issue to introduce our corporate members to this topic, and to share protocols and tips to mitigate risks at their organizations. Many companies have employee matching programs along with other volunteer giving and engagement programs that have already caught the attention of journalists, independent researchers and advocates on all sides of the political spectrum. If not monitored closely, companies may appear as directly or indirectly supporting causes against their own mission and values.

Context

For more context as to why this is important, the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection brought white supremacy, hate and violence to the forefront in our country. The rise of the racist fringe subculture that led to it, surges in domestic terrorism and race-based hate crimes have led philanthropy to ask how the growth of these groups is being funded. Data shows that philanthropy itself has been one of the primary ways in which these organizations have been able to maintain funding. In 2018, $52.8 million was donated to SPLC-designated hate groups.

Background

Philanthropy Northwest's Corporate Member Briefings are quarterly opportunities for corporate funders in the Pacific Northwest to engage in programming, discuss topics and network alongside their peers in the corporate philanthropy sector. The primary purpose of this group is to advance peer exchange and learning toward creating more equitable philanthropy and to advance practices to support traditionally underinvested communities. 

Please contact Danielle Crystal with any questions.