"Why Do We Shape Our Stories from a Donor-Centric Perspective? Shifting Our Lens to Community-Centric Storytelling and Fundraising"

When we think about best practices in philanthropy, we often focus on how external stakeholders will receive our messages -- including donor appeals, grant proposals, and event programs. But why is this the appropriate approach and do these practices honor the stories of the communities we serve? To further advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the funding space, nonprofit organizations and philanthropic institutions must re-examine how we communicate. Here are a few easy-to-implement changes that you can make in your organization today:

FACES OF WID- APRIL 2021

Name: Chloe Kimball
Title & Organization: Sr. Associate of Annual Giving & Events at Women’s Lunch Place
WID Role: Member
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Lives Currently: Brookline, MA
Education: BA, New College of Florida (Sarasota, FL)
Hobbies: Printmaking, apartment gardening, pasta making

WID Asks Why? Series: Pay Inequity

On April 14, 2021, a panel of non-profit professionals came together on the virtual stage to engage in a discussion on the important topic of pay inequity.

Faith Eutsay, Senior Consultant at Lindauer Global, thoughtfully moderated the discussion and asked the panel—Patricia D. Keenan, Vice President of Advancement, Community and Equity at Ellis, Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Talent Acquisition at Harvard Medical School, Andrea Silbert, President at Eos Foundation, and Sharon J. Stanczak, CFRE, Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the Whitehead Institute—tough questions on the matter to shed light on the systemic problem of pay inequity.

Ethics in Fundraising

On April 27, 2021, a panel gathered to discuss best practices for developing gift and donor acceptance policies, making ethical decisions on how to work with donors, and how to graciously decline gifts from controversial funders. This program was generously sponsored by CCS Fundraising.

March is Women's History Month. As women in philanthropy, we are taking a moment to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of those in the field.