Renton Regional Community Foundation (RRCF) is shining a spotlight on South King County to spark increased investment in the programs and people that make this region great. While RRCF’s geographic scope is broad, they have a unique niche in understanding both the assets and the challenges of this region – and they want to share that knowledge with other funders.
RRCF is using its strategic framework to guide its efforts, which focuses on four strategic areas:
- Inspiring a culture of abundance and stewarding resources
- Harnessing community assets and meeting community needs
- Amplifying community voices and deepening community engagement
- Advocating for South King County
RRCF has led a couple of innovative initiatives that address the last two priorities in particular and is a great model for other funders to consider.
Recently, they held their second annual “Trust-Based Philanthropy in South King County” gathering in partnership with BECU and Philanthropy Northwest. This interactive event brought together more than 30 King County funders with two dozen nonprofit organizations serving the South King County region for an intimate and open dialogue about shared interests. During the three-hour program, participants had the opportunity to hear from a panel of funders representing various philanthropic perspectives; learn about what's happening in South King County; and cultivate relationships that will help shape visions for the future and desirable shifts in resources.
“It was great to see folks that I currently work with and to meet so many new organizations,” one of the attendees noted. “I got to be a part of and see a lot of really great connections from it. The future has lots of possibilities with all of these dynamic thinkers and doers.”
A funder in the group shared: “It made me think about how as funders we need to always challenge ourselves to listen, listen, listen, and respond boldly and humbly according to what we learn from our community colleagues doing the hard work on the front lines – and focus on touting their work through our own networks and communication channels, not ourselves.”
When asked why they decided to organize these gatherings, LeAnne Moss, executive director of RRCF said: “When you bring diverse groups together there’s such great creativity and problem-solving that happens. There are solutions that benefit the larger community,” LeAnne adds: “There are so many amazing leaders in South King County who have never been given access to the connections, resources or people that could help them turn concepts into reality. Our responsibility as an organization is to help open that door, not be the gatekeeper.”
This annual gathering is a continuation of RRCF’s and BECU’s commitment to root their collective efforts in philanthropy and community-based work from a place of trust and collaboration. Their vision is to break the traditional, outdated comply and control model toward a long-term, systemic, cultural shift in philanthropy that advances equity, shares power and creates mutual accountability.
In addition, RRCF initiated Together: Stories of South King County to highlight the people on the ground who are responding to the immediate needs of our neighbors in this region. They have also published a South King County Non-Profit Survey Report four years in a row that provides data about the state of our region and what people can do to help.
For more information about how to get involved with RRCF or ways to partner, email LeAnne Moss. You can also follow them on LinkedIn and Facebook.
