On June 10, 2019, the Elmezzi Foundation held its annual grantee convening in the form of a facilitated half day retreat for over 40 constituents from the non-profit and funder sectors. The aim of the afternoon was to explore the question of how organizations and funders can work together to develop a shared perspective on sustainability issues facing nonprofit leaders, their organizations, and their communities.  The intended outcomes of the convening were to deepen existing networks and build new connections, to create a space for peer learning and validation, and to participate in a generative conversation with practical takeaways for action.

After a brief welcome and an introduction to the Community Guidelines for the convening, participants were invited into the afternoons conversation by listening to three stories from leaders in the philanthropic sector who have faced issues and challenges regarding sustainability. This opened up the room to active participation and candid dialogue pertaining to the concepts of leadership, sustainability, financial stressors, and more. We then had a session led by Theatre of the Oppressed NYC. They used interactive theater to facilitate a conversation regarding sustainability and power dynamics in the field. The final session asked participants to grapple with the questions: How might organizations and funders work together to develop a shared perspective and what “sustainability” means, to elaborate on the challenges organizations face, and finally to imagine radical changes and identify practical solutions in the field.  This discussion asked people to empathize as well as work together to explore radical ideas for sustainability, and led to lively discussions and a general sense of commitment towards change.

Overall, participants shared their appreciation for the opportunity to participate in open dialogue about sustainability challenges, storytelling from the field, and an honest and safe space to address the power dynamics between funders and non-profits. We want to share with everyone some of the radical ideas that were articulated during the convening so everyone can benefit including:

• What if the funder was obligated to identity other institutional funding sources before grantees get weaned off?
• What if there was no such thing as a “hiatus” for grantees?
• What if philanthropy and organizations organize to force government to appropriately and fully support social services?
• What if funders and grantees work together to identify new organizations in the community and help bring them up?
• What if philanthropy made decisions to spend down?
• What if philanthropy leads with “we need something else”? What if there was space to grow into that new way?
• What if there was a new governance structure that was community centered where grantees and the communities they serve are able to inform how their funders are used best?
• What if there was a reserve fund for the sector?
• What if funders take more responsibility in supporting grantees in building relationships with other funders?
• What if there was no three-year sustainability plan to stick to?
• What if there was a trust based plan between funders and grantees?
• What if there was a dating app for funders, donors and organizations to find each other and establish a match?
• What if board members get involved through service with the organizations they fund?

The Foundation believed this afternoon acted as proof of our interest in a collaborative future between foundations and non-profit organizations, and as a space where non-profit leaders felt confident in sharing their challenges with grantmakers. We are excited and energized by the convening, and look forward to continuing to work alongside our colleagues to further address and change the issues facing sustainability in the sectors.