Fulfilling Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Pledge: Listening in a Time of Crisis

As COVID-19’s rapid spread has wreaked havoc on our sector, more than 550 foundations (at the time of writing) have signed a pledge to support our nonprofit partners and the people and communities hardest hit by the pandemic and associated economic impacts. The pledge includes eight commitments, ranging from being more flexible with timelines and reporting requirements to converting project grants to general support so that nonprofits can use the funds where they need them most.

The sixth commitment of the pledge focuses on listening to communities least heard, amplifying their voices, and considering their perspective in decision-making. Specifically, it reads:

Commit to listening to our partners and especially to those communities least heard, lifting up their voices and experiences to inform public discourse and our own decision-making so we can act on their feedback. We recognize that the best solutions to the manifold crises caused by COVID-19 are not found within foundations. 

Since the pledge was initiated several weeks ago, much has been written about the criticality of its other components. All are critical, but there has been much less focus placed on the importance of listening to people and communities who are most impacted, and whose voices are least heard.

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Source: Center for Effective Philanthropy