Inspiration

The Fund is inspired by the 10 Principles of Community-Centric Fundraising model for grantmaking, developed by … and focuses on tackling the Social Determinants of Health which believes the well-being of an individual or family encompasses more than their physical or mental health. Their housing, education, air quality, and the environment in their neighborhood can all affect their economic well-being and, therefore, their ability to access care. We seek to influence a whole set of systems changes rather than interrupt only one part. We decided to tackle the social determinants of health and equity issues that plague our society, becoming barriers to success.

A wide-ranging structural iniquities lead to some people being left out of ‘traditional’ funding mechanisms; our Fund wants to give more opportunities for more people, especially from underrepresented communities, to be more involved, engaged, and aware of the resources available to them. To address, support, and serve the entire person, the Social Equity Access Fund and all of us as philanthropists need to invest together in a holistic solution that addresses all the social determinants of health. We are working to fill that gap primarily in the Greater Boston area and beyond nationally and even internationally.

The fund follows trust-based philanthropy practices that lead to community liberation and address inequities within the philanthropic field. These practices are; to give unrestricted multi-year funding, do the homework, simplify and streamline paperwork, be transparent and responsive, solicit and act on feedback, and offer support beyond the check.*

Trust-Based Philanthropy Project “ The 6 Grantmaking Practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy”

 

Principles

  • Make philanthropy more diverse, accessible, and equitable.

    Even though over 50% of those living under the poverty line are people of color, philanthropic funding in support of racial and ethnic minorities accounts for only roughly 8% of overall funding in the U.S.

    Our investments vow to uplift grantees working in predominantly diverse communities and organizations led by leaders of color with the lived experience of the issues they are trying to address.

  • Balance the power between donors and grantees.

    People of color, including many leaders of color in marginalized groups in the workplace and the community, often feel invisible. They are either completely unseen, unappreciated and undervalued, or even ignored and discounted due to racism, sexism, and other societal -isms.

    We address the unequal balance of power within the philanthropic field by practicing trust-based philanthropy. We know our nonprofit partners and leaders are true experts on society's most pressing needs. We believe it is our responsibility to enable them to carry out their work and will limit unduly burdensome grant-writing and reporting requirements.

  • Break down silos and facilitate collaboration to foster capacity building.

    As funders, we have the unique opportunity to advocate for and support our nonprofit partners. We are committed to building authentic and transparent relationships with our nonprofit partners; in this way, we can learn together and think beyond capital to solve the systemic issues they deal with in their work.

  • Amplify voices and empower communities

    Those most impacted by their results seldom influence grantmaking decisions. We will use our platform to let the real experts speak on the issues that affect them and their communities, shine light on lesser-known interventions, and advocate on behalf of funding strategies that are proven to better support grassroots organizations and marginalized communities.

  • Value transformation over transactions.

    There isn’t one answer to all of society's inequities, no medicine for all societal ills, but we know, however, as the African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” We want to support our partners to go further by building collaborative relationships that bring a long-lasting transformational value to the communities, rather than a band-aid solution that becomes just a transaction. These often leave the partner needing further support from other sources, with only part of the investment they need, but not enough to bring the total project or program to fruition without needing to raise funding from other sources. That is why we prioritize distributing unrestricted funding so organizations can best decide their pathway ahead. We also try to match our funding with other funding mechanisms and partnerships that may not know about the project before but will be exposed to it.

 

Process

The Social Equity Access Fund investments 501c3 nonprofit organizations in the priority areas of Social Equity and Access for the betterment of housing conditions, health care accessibility and affordability, cultural and educational, and socio-economic stability.

Our grantmaking model is as trust-based, collaborative, and relational as possible and does not often require a formal letter of inquiry. We prioritize general operating expenses and multi-year funding opportunities. Potential investments are identified and vetted with the focus of advancing socio-economic and racial justice, with the desire to elevate and empower communities equitably.

Realizing the sheer volume of unmet needs in nonprofits and communities, we know we cannot solve every issue, nor can we offer enough funding to correct all inequities. By humbly acknowledging that we have limited resources and acknowledging that nonprofits are overwhelmed already by unduly burdensome RFP requirements, we are not currently accepting unsolicited funding requests or letters of inquiry.

 

 Social Determinants of Health

 

Education

Economic Stability

 
 
 
 

Community Viability

Individual Wellness

 
 

 Priorities 

 
 
 

Our grantee portfolio is made up of a diverse group of small and large, local and national nonprofits serving across issue areas affecting the Social Determinants of Health. While there are many approaches and models that are effective at creating change, below are a few priorities that make a grant compelling to us. 

  • The organization is taking a transformational approach to solving societal challenges through collaboration, systems change, or multifaceted interventions.-domino effect 

  • The organization’s Board and Leadership have a strong representation of traditionally marginalized populations.-lived experience

  • The organization or program is explicitly and intentionally serving BIPOC communities.

  • The organization is in need of support beyond monetary and is interested in fostering a partnership.

  • The organization has a learning mindset and openness to risk. 

 
 

Types of Support

Emergency Relief Investments

ERIs are one-time investments distributed on an ongoing basis throughout the calendar year to address the urgent basic needs of the community.

Community Investments

Community Investments are multi-year investments distributed in Education, Economic Stability, Community Viability, and Individual Wellness at set points in the year.

Engagement Investments

Engagement Investments are two-year partnerships created with other movement partners and organizations that can help us to better address a systemic challenge in the community.