Sterling Network NYC: A Bold Experiment in Relationships, Power & Imagining Leadership Otherwise

As a result of our deep belief in the power of networks, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation launched the Sterling Network NYC in 2017 with the intention to provide a ten-year investment in leaders who advance racial equity and economic mobility. Yet, five years into the experiment, we gained new understandings that led us to end our hosting of the Network and reassess our role as a foundation in designing and operationalizing networks as a field building strategy.

Our process to reach this conclusion was complex and humbling — and we want to share what we’ve learned in order to honor the contributions of the Network, strengthen our accountability as a grantmaker, and offer insights and considerations for others in philanthropy seeking to engage in this approach.

We are deeply grateful to Judy Pryor-Ramirez for designing and authoring this report and to the Sterling Network Fellows for their candid contributions. Please reach out to us at RSCF@rsclark.org with your questions, reflections, and insights. https://www.rsclark.org/resources