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In 2022, Nathan Cummings Foundation’s (NCF) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve our five-year strategic plan. Three years later, with Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice (REEJ) as our North Star, NCF is leveraging the totality of our assets to advance every part of our strategy. This includes the recent passage of a strategy by our board to begin deeper collaborations in the U.S. South (left) as part of NCF’s place-based initiatives.

NCF will continue supporting national work but will leverage 40% of our assets — both financial and non-financial — to support REEJ-aligned solutions across the U.S. South in concert with stakeholders in the public and private sectors. Our “Solutions Teams,” featuring NCF team members from across the organization, will dedicate funds (grants and program-related investments) along with other assets to advance catalytic opportunities in the region and will source partnerships to provide support at the local, regional, and national levels.

Why Focus on the U.S. South?

For over a century, communities across the U.S. South have endured systemic discrimination, disinvestment, and resource extraction. Today, they remain underfunded, receiving less than 3% of national philanthropic dollars. Despite these challenges, transformative work is unfolding across the region. As an NCF partner articulated, Southern changemakers are used to “making a dollar out of 10 cents,” demonstrating resilience, innovation, and collaboration that often go unrecognized by philanthropic institutions.

The innovative solutions emerging from these communities are locally rooted, shaped by those most proximate to the issues, and deeply informed by a vision for justice. Yet, their work is not just about regional change — it has the power to inspire and inform efforts nationwide. By listening, learning, and showing up as partners, we hope to amplify and support these movements in ways that aren’t simply impactful but enduring.

Facilitating Success, Not Imposing Solutions

The most effective solutions emerge from within the communities themselves. Too often, well-intentioned initiatives falter when they fail to reflect local priorities or when they are introduced without genuine community ownership. The ability to organize around shared goals and deploy resources strategically is a critical factor in success. At times, this requires a shift in perspective or the presence of conveners who can bridge sectors and disciplines.

NCF is committed to joining teams already at work to support and elevate the leadership and innovations driving change. Our role isn’t to impose strategies or solutions but to facilitate success by ensuring that those closest to the work have the resources, visibility, and partnerships they need.

What’s Next?

The road ahead involves deepening relationships with local communities, strengthening collaborative networks, and learning from those who have long been advancing justice in the region. This work is grounded in mutuality, continuous learning, and a belief that meaningful change happens when we create the conditions for leadership, creativity, and solutions to flourish on their terms.

NCF will apply our Totality of Assets approach in the U.S. South, leveraging our people, relationships, knowledge, voice, and financial resources in service of community-led change. This includes deploying a mix of capital sources, fostering collaboration, and convening partners across geographies that advance justice and work to reshape public understanding. Above all, our goal is to ensure that the voices, expertise, and trust of local leaders and organizations are at the center of this work.

By showing up with humility, curiosity, and a commitment to long-term partnership, we hope to help catalyze a more just and equitable future — in the U.S. South and beyond.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to continuing to provide updates on this work throughout the year.

In partnership,

Rey Ramsey
President & CEO