Posts in Social Justice
The Why of Weaving

As a foundation, at the beginning and end of every day, we’re clear that our purpose is to provide resources that promote leadership development toward an equitable, vibrant New York City — and to do so in a way that is directed by our partners.

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From TV’s ‘The Gilded Age’ to the Fight for Reparations: Lessons for Philanthropy in 2024

What binge watching a popular television show taught me about philanthropy’s ongoing efforts to move away from antiquated notions of charity.

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Brilliant Transformations: Toward Full Flourishing in BIPOC Leadership Transitions

Explore strategies for navigating leadership transitions and recommendations to make these transitions better based on the insights of BIPOC leaders.

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Providing BIPOC leaders a “Brilliant Transformation” into leadership roles

AiLun Ku and Lisa Pilar Cowan share what they learned from a new study that reflects a wide range of experiences of BIPOC leaders from across the United States related to their transitions into leadership roles.

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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.

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The Value of Lived Experience

It’s vacation season.  I’m a planner, so mapping out travel is great fun (for me!) and full of discovery. 

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Why Grant Makers Should Reject Shiny New Things

During the endless days of Zoom meetings that began with pandemic lockdowns, I invented a “philanthrobingo” game to keep me focused on listening.

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AI & Us

I…composed a song about Cooper and Hudson, my two rescue ‘corona-kitties.’  Drafted a weeklong itinerary for an upcoming trip to Panama.

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Reparations, Not Charity

When Aria Florant, cofounder of Liberation Ventures, told her audience at the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations’ 2022 national conference that “[the project of] reparations needs to shock the system, needs to disrupt White supremacist narratives, close the racial wealth gap, and build a culture of repair,” a question that arose for us was: How can we bring the insight and promise of the reparations movement to philanthropy, and how do we best use philanthropy to support the work of reparations?1

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Do You See What I See?

Do you see what I see?  Yes.  And no. 

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As a nonprofit leader, here’s why I practice the ‘Joy at Missing Out’

I used to love being “on the scene.” I wanted to go to every New York City nonprofit professional meeting, conference, gala – both to see and be seen.

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The Bunny Effect

Bunnies.  Cute, floppy-eared, nose-wiggling, big-eyed, furry jumpers.

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I Lead a Non-Profit That Banked with SVB. Here’s What Navigating a Bank Run Taught Me about Crisis Management.

Two Thursdays ago, I was wrapping up my workday at Education Pioneers on a positive note.

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What Disney's "Keys to the Kingdom" Tour Taught Me About Nonprofit Operations

Sometimes it's our time away from the office that can illuminate important lessons about the world of work.

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2023: A year of incremental change?

Happy New Year.  Is it still ok to use the phrase at the beginning of February?

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Let’s Address the Real Reason Great Fundraisers Are in Short Supply

“We need a unicorn.”

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Opinion: Why nonprofit leaders should discuss past mistakes as 2023 gets underway

A new year brings opportunity for worthwhile discussions and there is tremendous relief that comes with chatting about our setbacks and being our true selves when seeking solutions.

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Reflecting on a long year, and hoping you'll "Take 10"

It's been a long year.  I seem to say it every year despite the fact that they're really all the same length. 

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Staying the Course: The Need for Mission-Driven Spending in Turbulent Times

It is board meeting season in philanthropy, and on many board agendas is the important decision of how much to pay out in the coming year.

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Leadership Development Programs Need an Upgrade: Five Ways to Advance Racial Equity

As the nation grapples with “the great resignation” across a range of job industries since the start of the pandemic, employment challenges extend to the nonprofit sector as well.

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