How to Advance Racial Equity: One Foundation Shares Lessons

In spring 2022, we at the James Irvine Foundation shared a statement, approved by our board, that will guide our governance and accountability on specific commitments we’re making to address structural racism.

A statement from a foundation is nothing new. But this one was important: It was borne from a great deal of internal work to reckon with racial inequity in philanthropy, at Irvine, and beyond.

Irvine has long supported organizations focused on racial equity, especially since 2016 when we committed to a singular goal: a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. At the time, we did not make racial equity an explicit priority. In fact, we fell short in moments when we could have taken a stronger stance in our strategy and in our public outreach.

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Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy