Friday Rewind

The Friday Rewind offers a snapshot of PhilanthroNews —  that means news stories, articles, events of note, or information updates — from around our network and throughout the broad world of philanthropy. Whether you take a quick skim of the material or a deep dive through each item we hope to help inform your work and inspire your thinking.

1. “Why does it seem as if poverty is segregated to certain neighborhoods? What’s the secret to addressing the root of intergenerational poverty? How can we bring in new investment while preserving the history and culture of a place?” The first episodes in a new podcast series from Purpose Built Communities called “This is Community” address these issues and more.
2. We all engage in power dynamics all the time, whether or not we are aware or acknowledge it. We may unconsciously enable power for some and disable power for others, causing harm or missing opportunities to use power for good. Used positively, power helps communities thrive, and three key barriers to using it constructively and effectively are laid out in this article from Stanford Social Innovation Review.
3. A recent report from CEP reveals that there is often a gap between what a nonprofit wants and what a funder provides. The report shows that foundation leaders frequently cite a lack of internal staff capacity or time to provide support to strengthen their grantees. Given that, here are three non-traditional ways that foundations can support nonprofits: including addressing executive isolation, and rewarding honesty about problems. Read the article here
4. The Century Foundation recently released a report on pursuing adequate funding of community colleges, claiming that “to help restore social mobility in America, policymakers must provide community colleges the resources necessary to successfully educate the country’s aspiring middle class.” Community colleges are uniquely situated to address a paramount national challenge: reducing economic inequality. Students who complete an associate’s degree have higher rates of employment and significant earnings gains over those with only a high school degree or a general equivalency diploma (GED). With 86 percent of high school graduates going on to further postsecondary education and training, 2 experts are increasingly emphasizing the central importance of high-quality programs that provide ample support to ensure that a high percentage of entrants graduate and enhance their lives and careers. As institutions that serve all students regardless of background and preparation and are located close to where students live and work, community colleges are pivotal in efforts to reduce economic inequality and restore the American Dream—but can only succeed if they are adequately funded.
5. In a new report, the Fiscal Policy Institute details the resources community-based groups will require to maximize participation in the 2020 Census among “hard to count” residents across New York State. FPI proposes that the governor and legislature include $40 million in next year’s state budget for community-based organizations to do outreach around the 2020 Census. FPI notes that this should be in addition to whatever funds the state commits to its own outreach and media campaigns and funding to local governments. Read it here!

Friday Rewind is published each Friday by NY Funders Alliance staff. To submit a story for the Friday Rewind, please email programs@nyfunders.org.