This video was originally posted here on the Council on Foundations website along with other Leading Together 2021 conference sessions.

Amidst the interrelated crises of ecological collapse, systemic racism and social injustices, there is a call to action for solidarity philanthropy. This sounds good but what does it mean in practice?

To show true solidarity as a foundation requires trust-based funding, alignment between grant making and investing and that leadership and governance come from lived experience of the issues at hand.

This is the story of one foundation going from a family board to a multicultural board with majority indigenous staff, committed to a 10% annual payout and actively aligning mission with endowment. A journey that started with acknowledging the need for changes, to making key changes, which have aligned internal organizational culture with mission and programs. This is a story of where we’ve come from and also where we are headed, as there remains much work to do.

Moderator:

Sonja Swift, Program Advisor, Swift Foundation

Speakers:

Alejandro Argumedo, Director de Programas y Lead para los Andes Amazonia, Swift Foundation; Elaine Rasmussen, Board Member, Swift Foundation & CEO, Social Impact Strategies Group; Jeannette Armstrong, Board Member, Swift Foundation & Canada Research Chair in Okanagan Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy