‘It’s Mutual Aid on Steroids’

A free email with news, trends, and opinion articles about the nonprofit world, as well as links to our tools, resources, and webinars. Delivered every weekday. Philanthropy Today subscribers also get a bonus weekly email called Philanthropy Today — The Commons, about how America’s nonprofits and foundations are working to heal the nation’s divides.

September 5, 2024

From: Philanthropy Today — The Commons Weekly

Subject: 'It's Mutual Aid on Steroids'

We're sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network.

Please allow access to our site, and then refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, please contact us at 571-540-8070 or cophelp@philanthropy.com

Visit The Commons for our latest content, sign up for The Commons LinkedIn newsletter, and join the conversation in our Commons LinkedIn group.

From The Commons

Innovation

Can 50 Nonprofits Really Build Something Together? A Hopeful Idea Begins to Spread

By Drew Lindsay

Inside an effort dubbed “mutual aid on steroids” that’s getting a tryout in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and Lexington, Ky.
Interview

Philanthropist Laura Arnold on What It Takes to Reduce Polarization and Partisanship

By Chronicle Staff

In the launch of a new interview series for The Commons, the Giving Pledge member and influential donor talks about the keys to bringing people together on tough issues.

Upcoming Events - The Commons in Conversation.png

Next Up in The Commons in Conversation

Our interview series continues with conversations about efforts in politics and Hollywood to close the country’s divides. Events are free; register below.

Layla Zaidane, CEO of Future Caucus (formerly Millennial Action Project), talks about her work with Gen Z and millennial elected officials to bridge partisan divides. Wednesday, September 18, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register.
Erik Bork, Emmy-winning screenwriter and producer, previews his soon-to-be-released The Elephant in the Room, a philanthropy-backed red-blue romantic comedy. Wednesday, October 2, at 12:30 p.m. ET. Register.

Of the Moment

News and other noteworthy items:

As students return to colleges, Wesleyan president Michael Roth writes in the New York Times about the value and problems of protests: “Demonstrations shouldn’t just entice you to come up with rhyming chants; they should push you to inquire about how different groups of people think about complex issues. And protests should lead to more discussion, not shut it down in favor of ever louder chanting.”
Education Week recently published a special report, “Big Ideas for Upending Polarization,” which includes a survey of educators. One interesting finding: Only 4 percent said polarization is not an issue in their school or district.
Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, interim president of Freedom House, argues in the Bulwark that political leaders are “blurring the distinction between genuine threats to our democracy and policy positions they oppose.” The result: Americans begin to see disagreement typical of politics as dangerous.

Online Forums

September 10 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now

August 14, 2024

It’s rare to find an organization that coordinates all of its digital outreach to create a consistent and user-friendly experience for supporters. Join us for Creating a Positive Donor Experience in a Digital World to learn from Allison Fine, president of Every.org, Mardi Moore, executive director of Rocky Mountain Equality, and Stacy Bridavsky, executive director of Lil BUB’s Big FUND, how to keep donors informed and engaged on many channels.
September 24 at 2 p.m. ET | Register Now

August 14, 2024

Join the Chronicle’s Stacy Palmer for The Future of Race-Based Grant Making, a conversation with Roger Colinvaux of The Catholic University of America, Marc Philpart of the California Black Freedom Fund, Carmen Rojas of Marguerite Casey Foundation, Thomas Saenz of MALDEF, and Olivia Sedwick, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. They’ll discuss what comes next now that the Fearless Fund settled a court case that was widely watched as a barometer of what grant makers can do in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling.