William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Robust media and information systems help us engage in constructive conversation, find common ground, and address society’s biggest issues. Press Forward is investing $20M to find solutions to common infrastructure challenges facing local newsrooms. Learn more about their Open Call on Infrastructure. ⬇️

More than half the world’s people are voting this year, and tomorrow Americans have their turn.   We are so grateful to the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation's U.S. Democracy Program grantees, and to our election administrators and poll workers for their tireless efforts to protect the right to vote for every eligible American—and we’re grateful to all the voters exercising that right in this year’s elections.   The Hewlett Foundation is committed to the rule of law and the norms and institutions of democracy, as our President Amber Miller noted in emails to our grantees and staff last week.   And as a nonpartisan philanthropic organization, regardless of election outcomes, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting our grantees and our collective work to ensure that people, communities, and the planet flourish.

🎉 Congrats to the 205 newsrooms across the U.S. that have been granted a share of $20 million from Press Forward, a nationwide initiative to strengthen communities through local news. From newsrooms focused on people of color and linguistically diverse communities to others covering vast rural areas where they are the only news source for miles — these independent, nonpartisan newsrooms report on people and regions that have long gone uncovered. Learn more about the new outlets and how to support local news: pressforward.news/grantees

The arts are a vital element of a well-rounded education. They provide students with the critical thinking skills and creativity young people need for learning, motivation, and self-expression. Every student deserves this transformative power in their education — a value shared by California voters who approved a historic investment in arts education through the Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) Act. A new study from SRI provides the first clear estimate of the teachers needed to meet current demands and provides recommendations for school administrators, higher education institutions, arts organizations, and funders on closing the gap. Together, we can ensure California has the visual and performing arts teachers needed to give every student access to a high-quality arts education. More from our Tom DeCaigny and Nathan Large on the new research and next steps: https://lnkd.in/gJGuh9uN

Momentum is building for Tribal energy sovereignty with the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy’s launch of the Indigenous Power & Light Fund for Energy Sovereignty. With an initial goal of $100 million, this revolving fund will help Native American tribes and Alaska Native communities expedite energy initiatives and tackle the upfront costs of clean energy projects that federal funding often misses. With over a third of the funding already pledged, the fund is on track to reach its goal by the end of 2025, potentially unlocking billions in federal resources for Tribal energy projects. Carrie Doyle, our Environment Program Officer, affirms, “The Fund will support Tribes as they work to take control of their energy futures and create impactful opportunities for economic development, energy sovereignty, and to be leaders in the transition to a clean energy economy.” We’re honored to support the fund as a founding collaborator and support the fund alongside the MacArthur Foundation, The Lemelson Foundation, and other philanthropies. By centering Indigenous voices, this fund ensures that the solutions to our most significant environmental challenges will come from those who have long been the most impacted. The Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy is dedicated to supporting Native American tribes in their self-determined transition to clean energy. Read more about the effort: https://lnkd.in/gaRYnAjN 📷: Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy

🎉 Join us in congratulating Liz Peters and Kristy Tsadick on their new roles as Vice President & Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel & Corporate Secretary! We’re grateful to Liz and Kristy for their continued leadership and support in strengthening our collective work to ensure people, communities, and the planet thrive.   As our new Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Liz Peters manages the foundation’s operations and oversees our GLO, HR, IT, facilities, finance, and legal teams. Liz previously served as our Interim President, and before that, as our General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for over a decade. https://lnkd.in/gPwSEwZT.   Kristy Tsadick has been promoted to General Counsel and Corporate Secretary after serving as Interim General Counsel during our presidential transition and Deputy General Counsel for the last 11 years. https://lnkd.in/gc9sfnMk.

We’re more motivated than ever to forge a future for women’s economic empowerment — thanks to the grantee partners who joined us at our #WEEConvening24. The last three days were truly inspiring, bringing together some of the most dedicated, thoughtful, and creative minds who have established the Women’s Economic Empowerment field. We explored so many topics — from shifting power and decolonial approaches, to civic and policymakers engagement — all with the goal of promoting gender-responsive economic policies. We leave this space with gratitude and excitement for the years ahead as we move gender from the outskirts to the center of macroeconomic policy.

When women prosper, so do their families, communities, and societies. That’s why, at the #WEEConvening24, we’ve been dreaming big with our grantee partners about what women’s economic empowerment looks like over the next 10 years. As part of our visioning session on day one, we asked ourselves what needs to happen to make our dream a reality and what indicators of true progress look like.   This week, we're looking forward to continuing to learn more about each other's efforts in the women’s economic empowerment field and deepening connections among researchers, advocates, policy experts, international institutions, and women’s rights organizations advancing macroeconomic approaches that support women’s opportunities and well-being. Stay tuned for more! Photo credit: Lydia Wanjiku/ Lensational

Calling all SDG supporters, innovators, and changemakers! Join us for the NEF Africa SDGs Week from 7-18 October 2024, where we’ll spotlight and celebrate the creativity, leadership, and impact of Africa’s youth in driving sustainable development, while also catalyzing collective action towards achieving the SDGs and building a brighter future for the continent. This is an exciting opportunity to showcase solutions, share knowledge, and accelerate progress towards achieving the #SDGs across 15 African countries. For more information and to get involved, click here: https://lnkd.in/gzRJdbM8 #AfricaSDGsWeek #SustainableDevelopment #YouthLeadership #WeAreTakingAction #Agenda2030 William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS)

The climate crisis demands that we move from commitment to action. We’ve refreshed our Global Climate strategy to meet this crucial moment. 🌍 Our goal: keep global temperature rise well below 2°C while ensuring a sustainable and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy. Our updated approach focuses on: 1️⃣ Advancing durable and equitable mitigation in high-emission geographies 2️⃣ Bolstering cross-cutting, multinational efforts on electrification, workforce development, critical minerals, climate finance, and communications 3️⃣ Strengthening the broader ecosystem of climate philanthropy Key to our strategy is collaboration with governments, industries, and communities to accelerate emissions reductions. Equally important is an outcome in which people and communities around the world benefit and have the support and resources to contribute to a flourishing planet. Learn more and read the full strategy here: https://lnkd.in/gZfRF2N8