Helping nonprofits closest to the pain, to move closer to power.

About the initiative

ELEVATE is a national learning and action network of 21 Funders aimed at strengthening historically marginalized communities through “actionable programs” and equity-centric data sharing. It is one of the first nationwide initiatives aimed at leveraging the power of the collective to help elevate the capacity and voices of BIPOC-led/serving grassroots organizations.

Join leading Funders from across the United States with ELEVATE

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How do funders benefit from being a part of ELEVATE?

 

Deploy Trust-based capacity building support for nonprofits

Funders are able to deploy Trust-based capacity building solutions for local nonprofits through a combination of technology, 1:1 nonprofit coaching, and peer-to-peer learning. Acknowledging the specific needs of BIPOC-led/serving grassroots organizations, the infrastructure enables funders to be responsive in order to meet changemakers where they are.

 

Access data to drive Equity-centric goals

Grounded in real-time data, funders can access quantifiable insights into the capacity and advocacy needs of BIPOC-led/serving grassroots organizations throughout the country. This in turn helps funders uncover blind spots while informing strategic plans and investments as it pertains to grassroots and equity-related initiatives.

Professional development & Mentorship

Funder staff new to implementing programs for historically marginalized communities get to learn from others who’ve been there, done that! Staff get matched to mentors on topics like Capacity Building, Fundamentals of Equity, Equitable Grantmaking and Equitable Evaluations. Quarterly professional development sessions with experts adds to the knowledgebase.

 
 

Peer-to-peer learning & Resource sharing

Through a combination of virtual 1:1s and Slack based resource sharing, funders can democratize best practices and learnings as it pertains to efforts focused on strengthening historically marginalized communities. Funder staff also get to leverage peers in the cohort as sounding boards by framing questions and challenges they may be dealing with at work. 

Hear from ELEVATE participants

  • “Participating in ELEVATE was really a no-brainer. Being able to connect and collaborate with other funders who have prioritized leaders, organizations, and communities that are typically overlooked will help inform and strengthen our work. We’re looking forward to learning what work our peers are doing to increase grantee voice and power and move to be more inclusive and equitable in their communities,”

    -Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Grants & Initiatives at The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis

  • “ELEVATE provides an opportunity for our Foundations to connect with other funders to learn what they are doing to engage more deeply with BIPOC-led organizations, share best practices, challenges and trends. It is our hope to listen and learn and contribute to changes in grantmaking and capacity building that will make us and other funders more accessible and ensure that we are focused on raising BIPOC-led organizations within our communities,”

    -Jackie Downing, Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Support at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

  • “BIPOC-led organizations face a multitude of challenges – recruiting and training staff and board, having equitable access to social and professional networks, communicating the full scope and impact of their work, and receiving unrestricted multi-year funding. Despite all the challenges they face they continue to do transformational work in their communities. Supporting them through capacity building affirms and supports their work and it helps to build and strengthen the skills they need for sustainability and increased impact,”

    -Aerial Ozuzu, Director of Grants & Initiatives at The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis

  • "Supporting grassroots nonprofits is critical. These organizations include people who are directly affected by the problems in their communities. They use collective action and bottom-up decision making, which allows them to nimbly address challenges. We need to allot resources for these grassroots organizations and help them increase capacity to do what they do well – serving with people, and not at them"

    -Virginia Holmes, Executive Director of Michigan Community Service Commission, an arm of the Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity for the State of Michigan

Want to learn more about ELEVATE?

You can also reach out to us by emailing elevate@resilia.com!