Maryland Philanthropy Network members are invited to learn what their peers are doing (and why and how!) around requesting, collecting and reporting data from grantees. We’ll discuss how funders can drive values of equity and inclusion throughout the application process - including what we require from an organization as we make funding decisions. We’ll also discuss how well philanthropy is looking at ourselves.

Imagine Montgomery, Alabama at the height of the civil rights movement – a place where one man’s barbershop became a gathering place for Martin Luther King, Jr.

In this session, you’ll hear what foundations are doing broadly to incorporate equity internally, as well as ways Maryland Philanthropy Network funders are making equity a part of their day-to-day operations. Then, you’ll have the opportunity for small group discussions and a chance to ask deeper questions of each panelist, as you create your own plan for next steps to address equity within your own foundation. 

The inequity and racial disparities that many foundations seek to address are often perpetuated by policies that not only disadvantage communities of color but also over-advantage whites and white-led organizations seeking funding.