"Best of the Best" Grantmakers Honored at the 2017 NCRP Impact Awards in New Orleans

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy honored Foundation for Louisiana, Groundswell Fund, Meyer Memorial Trust and Solutions Project at the 2017 NCRP Impact Awards for their leadership, innovation and commitment in helping solve the country's most pressing challenges.

"We watch for when funders do it right," said Jeanné Isler, vice president and chief engagement officer at NCRP. "And we believe that by highlighting when funders do it right, they can persuade other funders on the best ways to be on our joint mission of making our communities more equitable, more fair and more just."

Relevant, high-impact philanthropy

Flozell Daniels, Jr., chief executive of Foundation for Louisiana, accepted on behalf of FFL the "Mover and Shaker" Award for using its influence and expertise to help pass historic criminal justice reform legislation. He expressed a call for urgency.

"The challenge is in the moment. The time is always now," said Daniels, Jr.

Groundswell Fund's executive director, Vanessa Daniel, recognized those on the frontlines as she accepted the "Smashing Silos" Award for her organization's intersectional approach to supporting the reproductive justice movement.

"We dedicate this award to our grantees who transgress issue silos every day, the radical queers in Arizona working for health care and immigrant rights, the Black women in Pittsburgh fighting for environmental justice and abortion care, the Native women on the reservation demanding contraception access and birthing justice," said Daniel.

Doug Stamm, chief executive of Meyer Memorial Trust, talked about the foundation's "equity journey" to improve the foundation's impact as he accepted the "Changing Course" Award for incorporating stakeholder feedback on behalf of Meyer.

"Recognizing we didn't have the answers, we engaged thousands of Oregonians from the nonprofit sector and marginalized communities to help reshape and establish our strategic focus," said Stamm, "Today, we have emerged, thanks to the advice and direction of leaders from marginalized communities, as a strong social justice funder, advocate and ally committed to lifting up the voices of communities we work with. It has deeply impacted who we are and every aspect of our operations."

In a recorded video message, actor-activist Mark Ruffalo thanked NCRP and the staff of Solutions Project, an organization he co-founded in 2011, which received the "Get Up, Stand Up" Award for its rapid-response funding to indigenous efforts against the Dakota Access Pipeline in Standing Rock.

"The idea of a philanthropy that is immediate, responsive and ends up doing the most amount of good in the quickest amount of time seems like a reasonable thing to want but really radical at its core," said Ruffalo. "I really appreciate you giving us the award and shining the spotlight on the good work that we've been able to accomplish. … We've all seen the results of it. It's profound. It honors our most precious commodity … human life."

Sarah Shanley Hope, executive director of Solutions Project, personally accepted the award, noting the urgency to get funding where it's needed.

"We knew – Mark, our funders, staff and board – that this shift of resources was the most important action we could take as an organization because that's where we saw real change happening and not nearly enough resources flowing," said Shanley Hope. "Investing boldly, quickly and in real relationship with those at the frontlines of the most complex problems – like dirty energy's damage to our bodies and climate - is also an investment at the frontlines of the most innovative solutions."

An urgent call to action

Saket Soni, executive director of the New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice and the National Guestworker Alliance, offered a stirring call asking grantmakers to step up support for the many groups and activists from across the country that have ramped up their fight against injustice, inequities and hate in our communities. Soni described how earlier in the day he had a call with leaders of the relief efforts in the communities effected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma to share lessons learned from his experience with Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

"We held meetings with workers who described indignities and cruelties that were unimaginable in the 21^st century," said Soni. "But what was most surprising was that, even in the midst of that, they described their dreams."

He shared a quote from his mentor, Dr. Vincent Harding: "We are citizens of a country that is yet to be born. Our fight brings about its existence."

Profiles on the 2017 NCRP Impact Awardees are available on NCRP's website. The full program, including remarks from each awardee, may be viewed on NCRP's Facebook page. Photos from the reception are also available.

The 2017 NCRP Impact Awards was held in conjunction with the CHANGE Unity Summit in New Orleans.

About NCRP

The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy amplifies the voice of nonprofits and the communities they serve in the philanthropic sector. Through research and advocacy, it works to ensure that grantmakers and donors contribute to the creation of a fair, just and equitable world.

Since 2013, NCRP has awarded 19 Impact Awards to grantmakers in recognition of support, leadership and partnership with grassroots organizations and community leaders around LTGBTQ rights, minimum wage, environmental justice, health equity and other critical issues. A full list of past NCRP Impact Awardees are available on www.ncrp.org.

SOURCE National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

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