EQUITY IN EVERYTHING

Unfortunately, we often fall victim to false narratives that impair our vision for equity. We decide that progress will be made when we have time for it, when the world is not in peril, when we are not quite so tired. After the initial shock of a crisis, we rely on muscle memory to get us through. We go back to habits that feel familiar and safe, we default towards our baseline. Because philanthropy was built to maintain power and privilege, that baseline too often falls short of our best instincts toward equity.

We have the opportunity to do something different — to double down on the work that will get us to a better future. Now is the time to center equity in everything we do, and to expand philanthropy’s capacity to function in a way that is radical and just.

We designed this framework knowing that all organizations have room to grow in equity. We wanted to help foundation staff dream about what is possible and then identify concrete ways that they can operationalize equity across all functions of their institution. It is not enough to avoid inequitable practices during a time of crisis. Rather than simply minimizing a damaging footprint — as in the case of a carbon footprint — the Equity Footprint invites the foundation to enact positive, much-needed change.

Here, we present an application of the Equity Footprint during COVID-19. We include guiding questions for staff reflection, ideas for change, and examples of how some institutions are responding to the crisis with equity and innovation.

Grantmaking

Operations

Investments

Communications

Leadership and Governance

Learning and Evaluation

In the midst of COVID-19, it is necessary to ask new and different questions about how a foundation functions and what type of impact it makes. An institution must actively learn how to serve people, communities, and organizations who are struggling in new ways. This pandemic is the first of its kind in a generation, and therefore institutions must learn new methods of response. The knowledge and insights that result will help a foundation be better prepared for the next natural disaster, whether it be a flood, a hurricane, or another virus.

Organizational Culture

At a time when rapid response is needed, foundations’ employees pitch in and sometimes work overtime to move money to grantees. Without stepping back to recognize its own defaults, a foundation may begin to revert to the white cultural norms so common within philanthropy. When under stress, the foundation may be more likely to cultivate a value of efficiency that is indicative of white supremacist culture. It is incumbent on all employers, including philanthropies, to support each person’s wholeness right now. There’s never been a better time to create an organizational culture that values people over task.

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