NCRP STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ROLLOUT – DETROIT
Our ninth NCRP Strategic Framework Rollout event was held March 8, 2017 in Detroit. The following themes emerged from the discussion at this event (most popular in bold):
- Civil society, philanthropy and the public sector have figured out a way to work together to support Detroit, but haven’t figured out how to expand that success of recovery to the neighborhoods.
- Education reform, small business support and other successes of the Grand Bargain are assets that can benefit the larger city, not just downtown. It needs to be an inclusive recovery.
- Philanthropy has stepped into some unique spaces in the region: pensions, transit, etc. We will need to recalibrate as government recovers. What will the expectations be for philanthropy in 15 years?
- Talk about privilege to people with privilege. It needs to be infused overtly into the conversations. Privilege creates two Detroits.
- Philanthropy needs to take a humility pill. People in the field already know what philanthropy is just learning now. Philanthropy sometimes needs to purposely step back, but there is not a track record for doing that.
- When marginalized communities challenge what philanthropy is doing in their communities, philanthropy can marginalize them further with backlash.
- Right now we need to build the infrastructure of social movements. It’s good to see the framework address that.
- Executive directors of social justice groups are torn between responding to their base in a democratic way and responding to priorities driven by philanthropy.
- Philanthropy should continue to deepen its commitment to racial equity. The framework calls for this.
- Philanthropy should be more responsive to communities. The framework outlines how to do this.
- Philanthropy has been stepping up in the region, but there is still a gap in funding because government funding has declined.
