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Project Overview
The Equitable Rural Philanthropy Program works to heighten the awareness and capacity of philanthropic entities to engage in rural communities. Our primary goal is to increase philanthropic investment in addressing intersectional rural equity issues of race, place, and class as a mechanism for systems change.
Program Strategies
The Equitable Rural Philanthropy program provides research and facilitation of networks of philanthropy-serving organizations and community-based grantees. As a result, philanthropic entities are more aligned to systems change, committed to responsive grantmaking, and engaged in rural equity policy.
Specific strategies include:
- Research, curate, and disseminate promising practices and case stories of philanthropic serving organizations (PSOs) and foundations working to promote rural equity.
- Facilitate networks of philanthropic entities, PSOs, and community-based grantees with the shared goal of prioritizing rural equity in their work and grantmaking.
- Leverage the power of philanthropic organizations & networks with a vested interest in rural equity and rural communities to influence the broader philanthropic sector.
- Build the capacity of philanthropic grantees via strategic planning, training, and coaching.
- Connect philanthropic grantees to resources, decision-making spaces, and peer-learning support.
Our Outcomes
Philanthropic Entities Are…
- Aligned in strategic philanthropic approaches to systems and structural change.
- Actively voicing the impact of race, place, and class on rural communities in grantmaking.
- Committed to responsive grantmaking through uplifting accurate narratives, capacity building, and connecting to resources.
- Engaged in rural equity policy advocacy and responsive to the needs of rural communities.
- Exposing funders to the importance of building rural capacity to advocate for and take advantage of federal dollars.
- Knowledgeable about philanthropic principles of equitable rural philanthropy.