Published
2023-06-28
Section
Community Voices
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Maryan Abdinur, Camille Gonzalez, Ambar Hanson, Rabya Hassen, Danyelle O'Hara
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All work in IJPS is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Copyright of content published in IJPS belongs to the author(s).
How to Cite
One Foundation’s Journey towards Centering Community-Led Work
Maryan Abdinur
Camille Gonzalez
Ambar Hanson
Mortenson Family Foundation
Rabya Hassen
Danyelle O'Hara
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/ijps.v10i1.5465
Keywords: Foundation, Philanthropy, Community Engagement, Trust-based philanthropy, Decolonizing Philanthropy, Community Development
Abstract
For decades, the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors have been trying to solve issues in communities that have been harmed for hundreds of years by the impacts of colonization, capitalism, and other isms. One thing has become abundantly clear: if nonprofits and foundations continue determining solutions, the changes in communities will be mostly slow and unsustainable. Embracing this truth, Mortenson Family Foundation has been working to share power with communities for decisions about how and where resources should be allocated. We are doing this because people in and close to communities are best situated to define and implement solutions in the most meaningful, relevant, and sustainable ways. This article highlights some of our learnings as we embrace our emergent journey to build a more equitable partnership among our foundation, the nonprofits we partner with, and the communities we all care about.
