The Power of Participatory Grantmaking to Advance Racial Equity: Part I

Marissa Jackson, Anne Katahira, Leslie Silverman and Pat Vinh-Thomas

August 17, 2021

There is a growing understanding in our sector that traditional philanthropy or “the way that we’ve always done it” isn’t working for most communities, and particularly for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.

Philanthropic organizations are examining both the origins of their wealth and the power they hold as decision-makers for how that wealth is distributed. And with this reckoning, a growing exploration of strategies to rectify the wrongs of wealth extraction and achieve sustainable change towards greater racial equity has developed.

In this two-part series, we’ll be exploring one of those strategies: participatory grantmaking.

"Participatory grantmaking is an  approach to philanthropy that cedes decision-making authority to the very communities affected by funding decisions.” - Cynthia Gibson, Deciding Together Shifting Power and Resources Through Participatory Grantmaking

We’ve asked our consultants Anne Katahira, Leslie Silverman and Pat Vinh-Thomas to share their individual reflections on a set of questions that we often explore with our clients who are beginning to test participatory grantmaking practices.

In Part I, we’ll cover:

Why does participation matter and who should participate?
What does it mean to practice participatory grantmaking with a racial equity lens?

We recognize that this single webpage doesn’t provide nearly enough space for the breadth and depth required to fully answer each of these questions. However, the responses below are meant to serve as a snapshot of the individual perspectives of our consultants. We hope that you’ll join us in continuing these conversations to help shift grantmaking culture and practices.

Why does participation matter and who should participate?

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Leslie: The intentional practice of looking to the community for input, expertise and recommendations has not traditionally taken a lead role in the philanthropic sector. The voices of those with experience and credibility – those leading community efforts and representing populations that have been marginalized – are often left out of conversations when funding decisions are made. Yet, the voices of community members are the seeds of transformative change and without them, solutions are not sustainable.  Many funders have come to realize the importance of participation and are opening their doors, inviting community members to share their perspectives and knowledge to inform grantmaking. And while this is a level of transparency that has been historically absent from philanthropy, a key and necessary ingredient is still needed: trust. Without trust, individuals are not able to bring their full selves to the work and meaningfully contribute to funding decisions. Participation is the first step to establishing trust and addressing power dynamics inherent in philanthropy’s DNA. Anne: Many cultures and communities have long practiced shared decision-making, and these traditions are much older than philanthropy and grantmaking. Philanthropy has an opportunity to tap into these tried-and-true practices and learn from the inherent wisdom of communities. Historically, the distance between the decision maker and the community member experiencing the issues in their own life has been vast, with program officers and donors having held power and control across the entire grantmaking spectrum: identifying issues, designing funding solutions, selecting grantees and evaluating how well grantees perform. What if instead of holding tight, we let go? What if we listen to and trust people with lived experience? If we cede power so people can make decisions that impact their communities and their lives? Participation allows access to what so many in philanthropy are seeking: authentic knowledge, deep relationships, increased community capacity, new solutions, long-term impact and so much more. In short, participation done right leads to more effective grantmaking, creates better outcomes and results in greater and sustainable impact. Pat: Participation should shift power – away from funders and towards those who are closest to the issues. Those closest to the issues are also closest to the solutions. When those who are affected by the solutions are also the developers of solutions, the likelihood of meaningful and sustainable impact increases. To this end, participation should not show up as individuals being passive recipients of information. Rather, participation must be intentional and robust. Intentional means that participation is neither ad hoc nor performative. Robust means that it requires individuals to provide authentic contribution, influence and decision-making. In short, participation should enable the implementation of agency and power.

What does it mean to practice  participatory  grantmaking with a racial equity lens?

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As organizations reshape their grantmaking to center BIPOC communities, it’s important to consider and reflect on these questions as they serve as the foundation of a more equitable process. Part II will build on this foundation, exploring accountability in participatory grantmaking and what 'authentic' participation really means.

In the meantime, we recommend checking out Participatory Grantmakers Community of Practice and Cynthia Gibson's reports (Participatory Grantmaking; Has Its Time Come? and Deciding Together: Shifting Power and Resources Through Participatory Grantmaking) for more information on participatory grantmaking.

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The Power of Participatory Grantmaking to Advance Racial Equity: Part I

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