In Alicia Garza’s new book, The Purpose of Power, she writes: “Before we can know where we’re going…we need to know where we are, who we are, where we came from, and what we care most about in the here and now.”
She was talking about where the potential for movements begin, but I believe philanthropy must also wrestle with these questions. Our foundation has embarked on an organizational development journey to do just that, and last year we spent a lot of time looking inward to clarify our values and vision.
Though certain values like justice have guided NCF since its inception, it was time to distill and name them in the context of the here and now. Beyond alignment on our core values, we knew we needed to develop shared meaning around them and understand what they would look like in practice.
We are excited to share that work with you today. Our values statement is rooted in an understanding of history and the ways in which philanthropy has the potential to perpetuate or disrupt the status quo of hierarchical systems that are neither sustainable nor fair. Our five values are: Justice + Equity, Interdependence, Learning + Listening, Courageous Transformation, and Integrity. They strengthen our ability to learn from the past, acknowledge the complexity of the present, and imagine a more just and vibrant future. We invite you to read our full statement to learn more about what each one means to us.
Once we had our core values, we began a separate but connected process to develop our vision statement. There is a tendency to group mission, vision, and values together as if they were one word with one function, but each is distinct and deserves its own attention. We found a real benefit to clarifying values first because they not only underpin everything we do, but everything we aspire to do as an organization.
Our values helped us articulate our vision for a future where all people, in body and spirit, breathe freely, care for each other and flourish in just, regenerative, and loving communities.
I’m deeply proud of the partnership between Board and staff that led us to these value and vision statements. We see staff as equal partners in this work, so it was important for the process to reflect that. Our consultants and Vice President of Programs Leticia Peguero played a key role in facilitating this partnership through workshops, where we were able to express ourselves and dream together. Using that time as a blueprint, a project team comprised of staff from across the foundation crafted each statement before sharing them with the full Board for approval. We now find ourselves developing a theory of change together – which builds upon the foundation of this work.
While we are so proud to share our values and vision with you, we are also aware that this is only the beginning of the work. Translating the values into action and incorporating them into every facet of our work (internal and external) is where the real transformation happens. We look forward to sharing updates with you all along the way.
Onward –
Jaimie Mayer
NCF Board Chair
The Nathan Cummings Foundation Welcomes Jarrett Barrios and Gabriella Morris as Independent Trustees
Two senior leaders bringing experience in philanthropic and nonprofit leadership join the Board of Trustees for the Nathan Cummings Foundation.
New York, NY – The Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF) announced today that it elected Jarrett Barrios and Gabriella E. Morris to join its Board as Independent Trustees.
Mr. Barrios currently serves as the Senior Vice President for Strategy and Programs at the California Community Foundation. Ms. Morris is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at World Food Program USA. They join existing Independent Trustees Rey Ramsey and Jane M. Saks.
“Jarrett and Gabriella are thoughtful and dedicated colleagues, who share our passion for social justice and bring an exciting array of professional skills and personal experiences to the foundation. We are grateful to have their vital partnership as we continue to live into our values and pursue the bold work needed to advance our mission,” said NCF Board Chair, Jaimie Mayer.
Both Mr. Barrios and Ms. Morris have served on a variety of boards of directors, as well as in numerous leadership positions.
Mr. Barrios has dedicated his career to supporting and protecting community basic needs through nonprofit leadership, as well as philanthropic and governmental roles. Previous positions include Chief Executive Officer at both American Red Cross Los Angeles and Massachusetts Red Cross, President and Chief Executive Officer at GLAAD, and President of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation. In public service, Mr. Barrios was a Massachusetts State Representative for four years before becoming a State Senator for Massachusetts for five years. Through these roles, he focused on a range of issues, including public safety and violence prevention, among others. Mr. Barrios holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and an A.B. from Harvard College.
Active in a range of boards of directors and civic engagement roles, Mr. Barrios currently serves as the President of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, Director of CLASP, and Fellow of the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. He has previously served on the boards of directors of Families USA, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Preservation of Affordable Housing.
“Alongside its mission and values, the foundation’s commitment to transformation is deeply aligned with my life’s work,” said Mr. Barrios. “This is an organization that is not afraid to embrace risk and innovation in order to address some of the greatest challenges of our time. I am deeply honored to join the foundation’s board, staff, and many partners in that work.”
Ms. Morris is a recognized philanthropic, corporate, and non-profit leader with over three decades of leadership experience and service in the foundation, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. Prior to joining the leadership team of World Food Program USA, she served as the Interim Chief Development Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at UNICEF USA. Ms. Morris also completed 26 years in senior legal, philanthropic, and community relations positions at Prudential Financial. She previously practiced law at The Southland Corporation and Baker & Botts and received her law degree from the University of Texas and her A.B. at Princeton University.
Throughout her career, Ms. Morris has served on boards, agencies, and committees that reflect her interests, passions, and expertise. She currently is a member of the boards of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, where she chairs the Governance Committee, the Harlem School of the Arts, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Women’s Association, the Lincoln Center Foundation Education Committee, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, where she is a Senior Director.
Previous service on boards, include the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She was also a founding board member of many organizations, including United States Artists, the Newark Trust for Education, and Brick City Development Corporation. Her support of the sector includes service on the Board of the Independent Sector, the Corporate Council of the Council on Foundations, and the Contributions Committee of the Conference Board.
“I am thrilled to be chosen to join the Board at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, said Ms. Morris. “It is a distinct privilege to help guide the organization and its partners in pursuing the progressive work needed during this pivotal point in our nation’s history.”
NCF partnered with Koya Partners, a leading executive search firm that works exclusively with mission-driven clients, to conduct a national search for two Independent Trustees.
For additional information about this announcement, please contact Candice Wynter at communications@nathancummings.org.
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The Nathan Cummings Foundation is a multigenerational family foundation, rooted in the Jewish tradition of social justice, working to create a more just, vibrant, sustainable, and democratic society. The foundation partners with social movements, organizations, and individuals who have creative and catalytic solutions to climate change and inequality.
Two senior leaders bringing decades of experience in impact investing join the Nathan Cummings Foundation Investment Committee.
New York, NY – The Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF) announced today that Dimple Sahni and Daniel Tellalian will join its Investment Committee.
Ms. Sahni currently serves as Managing Director of Impact Funds Portfolios at Anthos Fund & Asset Management, a values-based asset manager headquartered in Amsterdam, rooted in a single family office. Mr. Tellalian is the Founder and CEO of Angel City Advisors, a Los Angeles-based financial consultant that connects community vision, catalytic capital, and subject matter expertise. They join existing Independent Investment Committee Advisors John Levy (Chair) and Lisa Green Hall, who serve alongside several NCF Board members.
The Investment Committee is leading the transformation of the foundation’s $450 million endowment toward 100% mission-aligned investing and develops strategies to meet the organization’s financial and impact goals.
“The foundation has long benefited from independent, diverse voices to help shape its investing strategy,” said NCF Independent Trustee and Interim President and CEO, Rey Ramsey. “Dimple and Daniel each bring a lifetime of experience with impact investing, social enterprise, and community development. We are grateful to have such passionate and talented individuals at our table.”
Ms. Sahni’s career spans more than 20 years in impact investing, investment banking, technology, emerging markets, and venture capital. She joined Anthos Fund & Asset Management in 2014, where she is responsible for originating investments, managing relationships, and helping to execute strategies for portfolios dedicated to impact investing. Ms. Sahni also worked in venture capital and private equity for Omidyar Network, an impact investing organization, and L Capital Partners in its technology, energy, and environment practice where she was a Kauffman Fellow. Most recently she was fund principal at the Hattery, an early-stage impact investing and design firm that was sold to Google.
“It is a privilege to be part of the foundation’s journey as it works to increase the mission impact and alignment of its investing activity,” said Ms. Sahni. “I am eager to share my knowledge and experience toward that end, and I am excited to see where we go together.”
Mr. Tellalian has over two decades of experience in impact investing, social entrepreneurship, business mentoring, financial transactions, and community economic development. Prior to launching Angel City Advisors, he was a Founding Member and Managing Partner of Avivar Capital, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm focused on impact investing. Mr. Tellalian has deep experience in food investing and bioscience investing, and is active in place-based community development initiatives, due diligence, and pipeline development activities. He also worked as a Principal and 13-year partner at Emerging Markets, Inc., an economic development consulting firm that assists the private sector to responsibly pursue business opportunities in low-income areas nationwide.
“Most of my career has existed at the intersection of capital and community. That’s why I feel deeply aligned with NCF’s goal to shift its investment capital exclusively to a mission with social justice at its core,” said Mr. Tellalian. “The foundation is making the road by walking it, and I am honored to support that journey.”
For additional information about this announcement, please contact Candice Wynter at communications@nathancummings.org.
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The Nathan Cummings Foundation is a multigenerational family foundation, rooted in the Jewish tradition of social justice, working to create a more just, vibrant, sustainable, and democratic society. The foundation partners with social movements, organizations, and individuals who have creative and catalytic solutions to climate change and inequality.
In 2020, a year that has tested us like no other, our democracy was also tested. Despite a pandemic and deliberate barriers to prevent Black people and new Americans from casting ballots, our democracy held in a historic election. Voters turned out in record numbers, and for the first time ever, elected a woman of color as vice president.
Election officials and organizers across the country, including many of our partners, worked tirelessly to ensure all votes were counted, all voices were heard, and all the people’s power was felt. These votes – the bedrock of a true democracy – matter and must be upheld.
Now, the presidential race has been called and the Nathan Cummings Foundation stands by our partners in ensuring the will of the people prevails. We join the call to uphold our democracy and swear in the leaders that voters chose to move us forward together to tackle the very real issues our country still faces — like systemic racism, economic inequality, and the climate crisis.
The current threat to our democracy and a peaceful transition of power is clear, but it did not materialize overnight. It was fomented by the deep-rooted, systemic gaps and flaws of our democracy that were in place long before this election – and the year 2020. Yet, looking at the impact of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and people of color organizers and voters in this election, we see once again that those who are treated the worst by our democracy do the most to protect it. As Nikole Hannah-Jones says, “It is Black people who have been the perfectors of this democracy.”
This election is no exception. Multi-racial coalitions, especially those led by Black women, did incredible organizing to push us closer to the dream of a true democracy. What we saw in states like Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and more is the culmination of years of hard work by our partners and many others to build power with racial equity at the center.
In the days and months ahead, we will continue to support the proven leadership of our partners who have worked courageously for years to ensure that our democracy not only survives but evolves toward one truly rooted in inclusivity, justice, and equity.
The Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF) is requesting proposals from outsourced chief investment officers (OCIOs) to manage its endowment of approximately $450 million and to co-create a mission-aligned investment strategy that enhances its impact, further integrates the programs and investing functions, and continues to meet its financial goals.
For the past 18 years, NCF has engaged in the practice of mission-aligned investing, beginning with innovative shareholder engagement efforts that helped shape the way foundations think about their role and responsibility as asset owners. In 2018, the foundation committed to align 100 percent of its endowment with its mission and values. Since then, NCF has worked closely with its current OCIO, Global Endowment Management, to make significant progress towards that goal, including: adoption of a mission-aligned investment policy, $180 million in new impact investments or commitments, divestment from $128 million in unaligned assets, implementation of a portfolio-wide impact measurement system, and, most recently, adoption of an investing equity lens with specific commitments around manager diversity throughout the portfolio and pipeline.
“Our commitment to mission-aligned investing is a reflection of our values,” said Interim President and CEO Rey Ramsey. “We are intentionally casting a wide net, and we are excited to identify the partner who will join us in the pursuit of greater impact.”
Godeke Consulting, an impact investing strategy and advisor search firm, will manage the search on behalf of NCF. The foundation is also continuing its partnership with Frontline Solutions, a Black-owned, national consulting firm, to ensure the process fully reflects the commitment to justice and equity that both firms share.
The RFP will occur in two phases: a Preliminary RFP, which is open to all advisers who believe they would be a strong partner to NCF in implementing its mission-aligned investing strategy, followed by a Final RFP, which will be by invitation and based on a careful review of the preliminary responses received. Because criteria such as assets under management or years in business can create unintended barriers or biases in a traditional search process, NCF welcomes joint-proposals and other creative solutions from the field during this open invitation period.
The deadline for submitting proposals is October 30, 2020. Responses will be collected online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/NCFpreliminaryRFP. View the RFP at a glance here.
If you have any questions about participating in this Preliminary RFP, please contact Steve Godeke of Godeke Consulting at steve@godekeconsulting.com.
Please direct all media inquiries to communications@nathancummings.org.
Please note that applications for the 2021-2022 fellowship cohort are now closed. For more information about our fellowship click here.
June 16, 2020 — Nathan Cummings Foundation is accepting applications for the sixth cycle of our fellowship program. The program provides three individuals with up to $150,000 over 18 months to turn an inspired idea that advances social justice into a reality. Fellows also receive hands-on training, resources, and leadership development to scale the impact of their work.
“Amid the coronavirus crisis, anti-racism uprisings, and a pivotal election year, we have a chance to promote extraordinary progress,” said Vice President of Programs Leticia Peguero. “The moment calls for bold and visionary leaders who are building a better future. Our fellows are those leaders.”
Our fellowship is designed for emergent leaders in the U.S. who have limited access to institutional philanthropy and whose work is traditionally underfunded. The topic of a fellow’s project should generally align with the foundation’s focus on climate change and inequality. It should aim to transform systems and mindsets that hinder progress towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all people, particularly women and people of color. The foundation is also interested in innovative approaches that cut across topics.
Our current fellows are engaged in groundbreaking work that builds power in their respective communities for the long-term. Chas Moore is helping cities across the United States renegotiate police union contracts and reinvest dollars in communities through Better Before More and the Austin Justice Coalition. Wahleah Johns is bringing solar energy to Native communities while training the first generation of Navajo solar installers through Native Renewables’ Navajo Clean Energy Program. Jonathan Lykes is providing healing and training systems operators in trauma-informed, Black, queer, and feminist approaches to care and policymaking through the Keeping Ballroom Community Alive Network (KBCAN).
Applications must be received by 11:59 pm EST on September 1, 2020. Fellows will be selected within eight months of the application deadline. The 2021-2022 Fellowship cohort will officially begin in June 2021.
We strongly encourage movement builders, disruptors, and system thinkers from all backgrounds and fields to apply. Applicants should demonstrate a deep understanding and clear analysis of the field in which they work. They should also have a history of success in this field but be positioned to benefit from the Foundation’s support.
Learn more about the program and apply at nathancummings.org/our-fellows.
Nathan Cummings Foundation and 350+ foundations and individuals in philanthropy are standing together to say that anyone who uses this health crisis to attack Asian Americans endangers us all.
No matter where we come from or what we look like, we owe it to each other to unite across differences and renounce anything and anyone that seeks to divide us.
Last week, I shared the foundation’s commitment to doing what we can to accommodate immediate and emergent needs as our grantees adjust to the current crisis.
COVID-19 has illuminated inequalities that have existed for centuries, and we know that many of our communities will feel the impact of this crisis first, deepest, and for the longest time. The foundation remains grounded in our intention to contribute to strong, equitable institutions that will endure for the long-term.
To support grantees to adapt in this moment of uncertainty, we have identified actions we will proactively take to reduce our demands on them:
- Flexibility in grant deliverables. All grants may be considered unrestricted, general operating support and used however is most beneficial for our grantees and their constituencies.
- Flexibility in proposal and reporting deadlines. We are happy to adjust timelines and are considering ways to make proposals and reports less cumbersome and time-consuming.
- More efficient grant payments. Getting resources to our grantees will happen in a more effortless manner.
- Fewer requests for time. It is always our intention to be in grantee-led relationships. We honor this commitment by eliminating unnecessary meetings and requests — now and as we move though this crisis.
- Equity-focused responses with other funders. We are in conversation with other funders to encourage the widespread adoption of flexible, responsive practices and exploring collective actions that prioritize an equity lens.
As the situation evolves, we expect that our grantees’ needs will evolve too. We are available and want to hear from you — but we will wait until you reach out.
We have unending appreciation for the dedication our grantees have to doing what keeps our communities healthy, safe, and strong.
With gratitude,
Leticia Peguero
Vice President of Programs
Nathan Cummings Foundation and 650+ philanthropies have pledged our commitment to nonprofit partners that are responding to the emergent needs of their communities in this global crisis.
We believe philanthropy must do what is required in this critical moment and to adjust our practices to build strong and equitable institutions for the long-term.
In light of the public health risk of COVID-19, and in alignment with the Office of the Mayor of New York City, Nathan Cummings Foundation staff will work from home until further notice. During this time, our meetings will be held virtually or postponed until re-opening our office is advisable. We will make every effort to ensure there is no disruption to our grantmaking and operations.
NCF remains steadfastly committed to our partners and appreciates that organizations are adjusting plans to prioritize safety, well-being, and the emergent needs of their communities. We understand that many groups are now taking on additional work and want to reassure you that we will be as accommodating as we can to support you during this time.
We encourage you to reach out to your program contact if you have any questions regarding your grant or requests for accommodations to be made, such as deadline extensions or changes to deliverables.
Supporting our partners is at the center of everything we do. As we navigate these evolving circumstances, our priority remains the same. Thank you for your dedication to doing what keeps our communities healthy.
We will provide updates as they become available.
With gratitude,
Leticia Peguero
Vice President of Programs
Earlier this year, I traveled to Israel and the West Bank to learn about the work our grantee partners are doing to promote a multiethnic democratic society in Israel for all Israelis and Palestinians. This trip was an opportunity to get proximate to the people closest to the complex issues on the ground and to have courageous conversations with people I don’t often have the chance to meet.
I couldn’t stop thinking about the day I visited the small Palestinian village of Susya with Breaking the Silence and the Center for Jewish Nonviolence after I heard that the Trump administration overturned US policy on Israeli settlements. For anyone who has seen the effects of the occupation up close, this announcement is outrageous and heartbreaking.
It was a hot day in Susya, over 100 degrees, when we looked into a well that had been destroyed by Israeli soldiers. A family welcomed us into their home, a modest tent, and we ate a beautiful meal together, served with support from their young granddaughter, Dalia, who stole my heart. My heart sank when I heard the horrific stories of violence, restrictions on movement and access to water, because their community had been slated for demolition to make way for an Israeli settlement. The family said that they hoped someday Dalia would know peace, and that they were grateful to have Jewish allies working together with them to end the occupation.
This is not the first time the government has sought to deny the existence of the occupation and its crushing impact on Palestinians. Last year, the US Department of State removed the word “occupied” in reference to the Palestinian territories in its annual human rights report. Today the Israel and Palestine Director of Human Rights Watch, Omar Shakir, is being deported for his work to oppose the settlements. Seeing the occupation in real life makes it clear how far some US and Israeli politicians have gone to avoid telling the truth about the situation and how far they will go to silence dissenting views.
I remember how inspired I felt when I met Daoud Nassar at the Tent of Nations, an educational and environmental family farm and summer camp for Arab youth. Settlers have destroyed the Nassar family’s olive groves time and again in an attempt to run them off their ancestral land, but the Nassars have only become more committed to bringing people together across difference. Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have come to learn and restore the groves, including Jewish Israelis and Americans. On the table where young campers eat, this message was painted: We can only be human together.
Nathan Cummings Foundation supports efforts to bring the occupation to an end as soon as possible in a way that honors the dignity and humanity of Palestinians and ensures the continuation of Israel as a truly representative democracy of all its people through our strategic partnership with the New Israel Fund. The growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank represents an ongoing miscarriage of justice and deepens animus between Israeli and Palestinian people. I encourage anyone who is on the fence to see the occupation up close, and to meet the families who have been devastated and displaced. It is impossible to come away from the experience unchanged.
Despite the Israeli government’s persistent campaigns to undermine progressive efforts to create a just, vibrant, multiethnic democracy, our partners will not be deterred. They continue to build strong coalitions across difference and promote a vision of pluralism and peace.
As Ayman Odeh, the head of a coalition of Arab and Arab-Jewish political parties in the Israeli Parliament, recently wrote: “We have proven that cooperation between people, Arab and Jewish, is the only principled political strategy that will lead to a better future for all.”
Hate is an existential threat. And solidarity is the path to an inclusive society that values justice and equality. I urge others in philanthropy to call out moments like these that stand in the way of that path and to resource the civil society actors who are nonviolently resisting the status quo at great risk to their lives. These visionary leaders and social movements challenging racist, anti-democratic forces need our support.
Many of our partners have spoken out about the announcement, and I am incredibly proud of their bravery. It is an honor to stand with them — today and every day.
Sharon Alpert
For more in-depth analysis, read these statements from our grantee partners:
A vast movement for climate justice continues to rise worldwide, directly challenging the powerful interests of those most responsible for the climate crisis, while working towards building a just and equitable response that ensures the health, safety and dignity of all people. At its center, the climate justice movement is driven by an understanding that economic and racial disparities result in unequal, unjust impacts—impacts which are already being felt in communities across the country. Just as importantly, many of the solutions we will need are emerging from these very communities on the frontlines.
Like the Waters, We Rise: Climate Justice in Print opens at the Nathan Cummings Foundation on Thursday, November 21, launching a celebration of the bold, graphic work of print-based artists who are on the frontlines of our Climate Justice movement.
Artists have long been at the heart of this movement, finding bold, inspiring ways to help uplift struggles, reveal connections between climate and intersecting issues, build public support, and paint a picture of the world we are working to create. Like the Waters, We Rise tells the story of this expansive climate justice movement through a collection of print-based works developed as part of—or inspired by—occupations, direct actions, and mass mobilizations. Taken together, these works show the many terrains of struggle, points of intervention, and solutions of this continually expanding movement of movements.
Like the Waters, We Rise is developed in collaboration with Interference Archive, an all-volunteer “archive from below” located in Brooklyn. For the last eight years Interference has dedicated itself to carefully collecting, documenting, and preserving the cultural work of social struggles throughout the past several decades.
The exhibit takes place in two parts. The first opens at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and includes a selection of recent print based work (2005-present) beginning the year that Hurricane Katrina crashed onto the shores of the Gulf Coast. The second opens at Interference Archive in February 2020, and will include a collection of archival prints documenting the historical legacies of movements that gave birth to the current climate justice movement, including the Indigenous sovereignty movement, the farmworker movement, Black liberation struggles, and more.
The work shown within these exhibitions provides a partial look at a continually growing body of work, one that shows the growing strength and reach of the climate justice movement, a movement through which so many of our issues, struggles, and communities are connected.
This project was organized by Raquel de Anda (lead curator) and Nora Almeida, Ryan Buckley, Sophie Glidden Lyon, Josh MacPhee, and Siyona Ravi.
Participating artists include: AgitArte, Nikila Badua, Bemba PR, Rae Breaux, Mona Caron, Hannah Chalew, Onaman Collective, Kate DeCiccio, Alec Dunn, Design Action Group, Dignidad Rebelde, Extinction Rebellion, Juan R Fuentes, Gan Golan, Lacy Hale, Aaron Hughes, Jakarundi Graphics, LMNOP, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Nicolas Lampert, Cesar Maxit, Saiya Miller, Dylan Miner, Sunrise Movement, The Natural History Museum, Peter Pa, Paperhand Puppet Intervention, Sadie Red Wing, David Solnit, Chip Thomas, Rommy Torrico, Jessica Sabogal, Rachel Schragis, Jess X Snow, Meredith Stern, Eleanor Warner, Josiah Werning, Ernesto Yerena, Bec Young.
Please join us for an opening reception on Thursday, November 21 from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. RSVP via Eventbrite is required to attend as space is limited. Guests are first come, first served.
To set up an appointment to visit the exhibition Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m., please contact exhibits@nathancummings.org.
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Raquel de Anda is an independent curator and cultural producer based in Brooklyn, NY. De Anda began her career as Associate Curator at Galería de la Raza, a contemporary Latino arts organization in San Francisco, CA (2003-2010). Her work spans a variety of practices, including producing trans-media film based projects, organizing public interventions and mass mobilizations and curating exhibitions at museums, galleries and alternative arts spaces across the country.
Rooted in the Jewish tradition of social justice, the Nathan Cummings Foundation works to create a more just, vibrant, sustainable and democratic society. The Foundation focuses on finding solutions to the two most challenging problems of our time – the climate crisis and growing inequality – and aims to transform the systems and mindsets that hinder progress toward a more sustainable and equitable future for all people, particularly women and people of color.
Interference Archive is a library and social space run entirely by volunteers in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Its mission is to explore the relationship between cultural production and social movements. This work manifests in an open-stacks archival collection, publications, a study center, and public programs including exhibitions, workshops, educational visits, talks, and screenings, all of which encourage critical and creative engagement with the rich history of how people have organized to transform and improve their lives.
For the past year, Claudia Horwitz, Shifra Bronznick, and I have been working together to discern how the Nathan Cummings Foundation can continue to strengthen Jewish movements for justice for the long-haul at a time of racial injustice, growing antisemitism, assaults on democracy, and growing global authoritarianism.
The exploration is part of a larger body of work in the Voice, Creativity, and Culture portfolio that includes building the power and capacity of multifaith movements for justice to shift dominant narratives about race, class, gender, and ethnicity and building the solidarity and empathy necessary for a multiracial, democratic society.
We are writing to update you on our progress and let you know about a significant investment the Nathan Cummings Foundation is making to deepen the internal and spiritual capacities of Jewish justice leaders.
We heard from many of you that, in order for the US Jewish community to more directly lend our collective power to the birthing of a multiethnic democratic society in America, the Nathan Cummings Foundation — in addition to our funding for the Jewish justice movement ecology — should explore long-term, capacity building investments (like the foundation did fifteen years ago with the Selah Leadership Initiative) in the internal and spiritual capacity of Jewish leaders engaged in pursuing justice.
We heard a clear, collective hunger to steep movement work in the Jewish tradition’s rich lineage of sacred text, prophetic teachings, ritual, and song.
We heard a call to support Jewish justice leaders in deepening their analyses on antisemitism, racism, economic inequality, and other forms of oppression, and the ways they feed on one another.
We heard a need to help Jewish organizers better understand their relationship to non-Jewish communities and for catalytic investments in the leadership of Jews of Color, LGBTQ Jews, working-class Jews, and other Jews more likely to be on the margins. We heard that a range of experiments are already underway to make this well of resources more accessible and impactful for more people in our community and our movement.
Responding to these needs, the Board of the Nathan Cummings Foundation approved an initial $900,000, two-year grant to the Rise Up Initiative, which will fund, coach, and convene a range of initiatives that strengthen the internal and spiritual capacity of the Jewish community to lend its power to intersectional movements for justice.
The Rise Up Initiative will focus on funding and supporting experimental initiatives at the intersection of transformative leadership rooted in Jewish tradition and justice movements, helping to amplify and synthesize their fruit. Shining and mirroring this work out to a larger circle will scale up impact on individuals, organizations, institutions, and existing networks. Ultimately, we hope this work will equip Jewish justice leaders with internal capacities to boldly lead in helping to birth a multiracial democracy in America.
The Rise Up Initiative’s strategies will be:
- Grantmaking to spur innovation, with a focus on experimental work that has seen early success and/or the potential to transform both social justice institutions and movement building. Limited rapid response funds are also available.
- Offer tailored leadership and organizational assistance through coaching, training, consulting, and mentorship. This is designed to help leaders manage adaptive challenges, and cultivate shared leadership, deeper listening, and strong strategy.
- Convene “bright nodes” of work to deepen relationships, cross-pollinate capacities, and integrate wisdom. Recognizing the energy it takes to bring people together, we will make creative use of available virtual modalities for connection to both build toward and sustain follow up from in-person convenings.
- Capture and share stories and strong practice through participatory research and multi-media dissemination. We want to help folks create innovative ways to document and share their work through a range of mediums.
- Lay groundwork for a Radical Yeshivah, an exciting idea that emerged during the interviews and has the potential to respond to many of the aspirations named by practitioners. A diverse group will take this ancient form, and lessons from current exciting iterations, and design an approach that embodies the social justice movement in form, content, and spirit.
The Rise Up Initiative will be staffed by Claudia Horwitz and fiscally sponsored by the Social Good Fund. Regular update calls and communications will provide opportunities for ongoing feedback and updates on the initiative. We hope over time to attract additional funding partners to grow The Rise Up Initiative’s potential for impact and capacity for grantmaking.
The Rise Up Initiative will continue to work with key partners that helped immeasurably during our strategy development.
- Inside Out Wisdom and Action Project, led by Rabbi David Jaffe and Dan Gelbtuch, builds capacity of Jewish social justice activists through classical Jewish spiritual practices (Chasidut and Musar) to turn burnout and despair into creativity and resilience.
- Jewish Women of Color Resilience Circle, led by Yavilah McCoy, supports Jewish women leaders of color through a transformational leadership development practice that links activism, relationship building, spirituality, and self-care.
- Taproot, led by Rabbis Irwin Keller, Diane Elliott, and Eli Herb and organizers Adam Horowitz, Rachel Plattus, and David Bronstein, supports an immersive, week-long gathering of intergenerational Jewish study and experience for a diverse group of activists, artists, and changemakers to tap into their Jewish background for resilience strategies and wisdom in the Bay Area.
- Reconstructing Judaism’s Reset Initiative, led by Jessica Rosenberg, supports Jewish justice organizations to develop approaches of combining spiritual and other resilience practices to transform and invigorate organizational culture.
It has been a sincere pleasure to speak with so many of you about this project, and we welcome your thoughts and questions. If you are interested in learning more about the work as it evolves or how to get involved, click here to sign up for updates.
Via Confluence Philanthropy : “Many foundations are committed to social justice – yet they continue to rely on a “business-as-usual” approach in their investment practices. Maintaining the status quo is often counterproductive as it produces some of the same barriers that mission-focused organizations are attempting to tackle through grantmaking.”