Injecting Power into the Grants Docket

Regardless of a foundation’s wealth, money is a finite resource. Program officers make tough decisions when they prepare their grants dockets and, no matter the selection process, the inevitable result is a list of winners and losers.

But the truth is, a successful social justice movement thrives on unity and collaboration, not by narrowing the field or excluding others.

We recently held a funders briefing for our Liberation Fund, which is a unified effort to end the incarceration of girls and gender-expansive youth of color. During this briefing, Tia Martinez, Managing Director of Organizing Roots, made this plea to funders: “You put us in competition with each other over small amounts of money, [which] prevents us from aggregating power. The real message here is how do you support movement building? How do you support us coming together and … building power to really, truly win in the long-term?”

At Liberty Hill, we strive to fuel collective power-building in several ways. First, we do the work of bringing money in from various funders so that organizations aren’t competing for grants that will go to a select few. Second, we provide general operating support, helping groups to rise above day-to-day survival. Third, we set the table for true collaboration, where those closest to the frontlines can share ideas, engage in passionate discussions, benefit from each other’s expertise and experience, and ultimately unite around a shared vision and a practical blueprint to achieve that vision.

This strategy is paying off. The movements we support have not only led to specific policies that are chipping away at injustice; we are helping to fortify a landscape of community organizers who continue to amass power and push forward with persistence for equity and justice in their communities.

So, yes, the power of a grants docket is indeed mighty, but even more powerful when it asks the question Tia Martinez urges funders to ask: “What does it mean to really change the trajectory of folks’ lives, to have our folks at the front … and [let] our brilliance shine?”

Learn more about Grantmaking at Liberty Hill.