Rethinking Philanthropy

Public policy decisions, at every level, have daily implications for place-focused grantmakers — whether its navigating complex local housing codes as part of a healthy homes initiative, ensuring an accurate 2020 Census, or sustaining and expanding funding to scale proven early childhood programs – federal, state and local policies are integral to the philanthropy sector’s goals for healthy, vibrant and sustainable communities.

NY Funders Alliance was created, in large part, out of philanthropy’s strong interest in leveraging multi-regional collaborations as well as understanding, and having a voice in, public policies that are impacting their communities.

The Philanthropy & Public Policy Fellowship will continue NY Funders Alliance’s commitment to strengthen effective philanthropy practice in New York by leveraging philanthropy’s collective, state-wide voice. This NY Funders Alliance Signature Leadership Initiative will focus on increasing philanthropic collaborations in New York as well as being a conduit for grantmakers to engage in, and learn about, local, state and federal policy.

There is increasing interest by New York grantmakers to leverage multi-regional collaborations to understand, and have a voice in, state policies that are impacting the communities they serve. Further, their biggest challenge to pursuing advocacy is limited staff capacity and time. By utilizing a fellowship program to increase NY Funders Alliance’s ability to serve the sector we are expanding our entire network’s public policy capacity as well as growing critical professional leadership of the sector to effectively work at the nexus of public-private partnerships.

The fellowship expands NY Funders Alliance core offerings for all grantmakers in our network, is a pilot initiative with the goal of developing a sustainable funding model for additional cohorts. The inaugural pilot is made possible by support from the Adirondack Foundation – Generous Acts Fund, Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

Introducing Our Fellow

We are pleased to announce that E. Michelle Butcher has been selected as the inaugural Philanthropy & Public Policy Fellow at NY Funders Alliance!

Michelle has a Bachelor of Science in Urban Studies and Planning and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from University of New Orleans. She also has received a Master of Public Administration with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Conflict Resolution from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Michelle comes to us with a background in affordable housing and environmental policy as well as community engagement and development with a focus on data collection and analysis. At Maxwell, her capstone project assessed the economic impact of human service nonprofits in Central New York. Underlying these accomplishments, she has built a strong grounding in the power of public-private partnerships as a means to collaboratively address entrenched, complex community challenges. She is excited about the opportunity to continue to build her skills and strengthen New York State grantmakers’ ability to actively engage in substantive policy on behalf of our communities.

Michelle is looking forward to applying her skill set to work on a variety of policy issues important to New York grantmakers, with a lens towards strengthening our collective capacity, along with supporting her professional growth.