OMNI Institute’s Post

Building the Solidarity Economy in Massachusetts: A Decade of Progress and Lessons Learned 🌱 In Massachusetts, the last decade has been a time of visionary work toward a solidarity economy—an alternative to capitalism based on mutual aid, cooperation, and democratic ownership. Organizations like the Center for Economic Democracy, Boston Impact Initiative, and Boston Ujima Project have pioneered community-centered initiatives that are reshaping local economies. From the Greater Boston Community Land Trust Network, which empowers communities to steward land collectively, to the Boston Ujima Project $4.5 million investment fund, these projects are paving the way for economic systems that prioritize community well-being over profit. Each step strengthens community control, democratic ownership, and sustainable growth across sectors. As solidarity economics gain ground, it’s clear the work ahead requires not only resources but a cultural shift toward cooperation and collective impact. Read more in this assessment of a decade's progress by Penn Loh: https://hubs.li/Q02WrQT50 #SolidarityEconomy #CooperativeOwnership #EconomicJustice #CommunityWealthBuilding #SocialImpact Nonprofit Quarterly Greater Boston Chamber of Cooperatives

Fundraisers, do you know about the Guter Rat für Rückverteilung? The Guter Rat für Rückverteilung (“good council for redistribution” in German) is a group of 50 residents in Austria advised by experts - and convened at the request of Marlene Engelhorn, an Austrian heiress who seeks to give away her inheritance.   I've been following Engelhorn's philanthropy journey for a while (NYTimes, among others, have had ongoing coverage). In part, she's taken this path due to a lack of inheritance tax in Austria. Working with an advisory group, 10,000 Austrians were invited to participate in the council and give away 25 million euros that were part of her inheritance. If this sounds interesting, definitely visit the site (there is an English-language version) to hear about how this has all worked.   This is an inspiring idea about trust and giving. I don't think people with the most money are always well-equipped to decide how those funds should be used philanthropically, especially when that wealth was built on exploitation. This approach takes that idea and 1) adds a solid dose of perspectives, as the council came from many different backgrounds, and 2) bakes community engagement and deep consensus-building into the grant-making process.   I believe community is the answer to many of society's problems and am curious to see if other ultra wealthy individuals look to shake the elitism built into much of philanthropy and partner with those in their community to make an impact together. Civil and deep discussions about our values, as expressed by philanthropy, can build trust inside communities and create a virtuous cycle of helping, together.

We’re happy to announce that Irvine’s #PriorityCommunities initiative is committing $220 million in grantmaking through 2031 and expanding to Merced! The initiative launched in 2020 with a focus on building inclusive economies in five cities critical to California’s future: Fresno, Stockton, Salinas, San Bernardino, and Riverside. The expansion to Merced provides an opportunity to leverage and scale existing partnerships and resources for greater impact, given the city’s regional economic proximity to Fresno, Stockton, and Salinas. Our CEO, Don Howard, shares: “We are grateful to be able to expand our grantmaking in these communities that are vital to California’s success so that leaders can build on their accomplishments and continue the critical work to make their local economies more equitable for all residents.” The James Irvine Foundation Board of Directors also approved $27.6 million in grants last week to support Education First Consulting, LAUNCH Apprenticeship Network, Disability & Philanthropy Forum, National Domestic Workers Alliance, Access Plus Capital, Just San Bernardino, and Borealis Philanthropy. Learn more: https://irvine.ly/3P0ny6I

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, like many local authorities, faced challenges in navigating the complex landscape of funding opportunities. The need for funding software was imperative to maximise funding, coordinate cross-directorate bidding, and avoid duplication of efforts. Idox's GrantFinder helped streamline the Council's funding efforts across several departments, delivering time and cost savings, contributing to financial success, and improving support for community groups. Read the full case study to find out more about the notable outcomes for Dudley Council as a result of using GrantFinder, including unlocking £2,675,937 of funding this financial year for 28 not-for-profit groups. https://lnkd.in/e4WiTihQ #Funding #LocalAuthorities #CouncilFunding

🌱 Are funders moving beyond the role of grant maker in place-based initiatives? Funders are increasingly seen as active agents of change, taking on roles that go beyond simply providing financial support. 🌍 Key Insight: Over half of the funders who participated do more than grant-making. Many are actively building systems collaborations by fostering networks that drive change long after the grant period ends. The funders backing place-based work recognise the need for systemic change and investment in communities' capacity to tackle tough social challenges in the long-term. How can we make funders' roles even more impactful in this space? And, most importantly, how can funders collaborate to create better opportunities for collective impact? Read the full report : https://buff.ly/4ekP09L That brings us to the end of our Place-Based Map and Insights Report Series for now! We look forward to developing the research and using this tool to accelerate change in our communities. With thanks to the 15 organisations who have contributed data to the project: Civic Power Fund Corra Foundation Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Footwork Impact on Urban Health The Lankellychase Foundation Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales LocalMotion Local Trust The Rank Foundation Right To Succeed Save the Children UK Steve Morgan Foundation Youth Endowment Fund Youth Futures Foundation Interested to know more about our work at Place Matters, or hear further updates via our newsletter? Get in touch at: https://buff.ly/4fKBCwJ

Great news for nonprofits and community organizations that promote #digitalinclusion: the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced a new $1.25B competitive grant program for #digitalequity initiatives across the nation. Designed to uplift “locally tailored, innovative programs that have demonstrated track records in reaching underserved populations,” this program is poised to make a sizeable impact on collective efforts to close the #digitaldivide in our country. Learn more here, and spread the word: https://lnkd.in/ebrDgXpt

With the rising costs of living in the Bay Area, the nonprofit sector is faced with new challenges to retain skilled staff, adjust to living wages, and address staff burnout — all while responding to increased demands for services due to growing inequities. EBCF co-hosted a first-of-its-kind convening with RYSE Youth Center and the Bay Area Power Building Funders Table (BAPBT) on the working conditions of youth organizers in the Bay Area. Financial instability is an increasing concern, and youth organizers often have to participate in the gig economy with multiple jobs to piece together a living wage in order to meet the high cost of living. Read about what we heard from young frontline organizers on what funders can do to address these challenges and how EBCF and BAPBT will pursue these recommendations in 2024. https://lnkd.in/ecZr4dxf

Want to know how you can make a lasting impact in the Tampa Bay community? Foundation Tampa Bay gives some pointers on how to do just that. Click the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/4f0rjFi

If only every Monday included discussions of devolving power structures! This afternoon launched the Battersea Alliance Prospectus and Community Investment Strategy— an important moment for #placebasedfunding and #preventativehealth. With Rocket Science UK Ltd, Alistair Ross and I recently completed an evaluation of six community and voluntary sector organisations funded by the Alliance. These six initiatives, all broadly addressing isolation and mental health, generated an estimated £428,000 in social return on just £60,000 of investment— in other words, £5 of public savings for every £1 spent. It's great to see the power of supporting hyperlocal organisations deeply rooted in their communities... but the Alliance's vision is about more than just money. In a roundtable sprint on how the funding and monitoring landscape could better empower those closest to addressing need and inequality, I learned from a diverse group representing both the public sector and CVS. They voiced the need to: 💡 Devolve power. Funders need to shift the co-creation of outcome frameworks into the hands of the voluntary and community sector to ensure alignment and relevance. Community input can't be an afterthought- it should be our starting point. 🤝 Take a relational funding approach. Funders embed trust by clearly and consistently providing non-financial resources—knowledge sharing, relationship-building opportunities, and long-term capacity support for community leaders. Housing associations, like Clarion Housing Group, are doing innovative work in this space. 🌱 Value what matters. Historically, most funding models prioritise metrics over relationships. Yet, increasingly, regional/local funders are designing their programmes to reflect the value of mutual benefit, trust-building, and the time it takes to grow grassroots capacity. Imagine how a wider alignment on these values could transform funders' interactions with each other. This project has affirmed that trusting communities is the foundation of meaningful and sustained change. Funders, meanwhile, have such an exciting role to play as conveners and builders of equitable partnership. As major institutions like The National Lottery and City Bridge Foundation debut new strategies in 2025, I hope to see these principles steer the future...

Burnout, turnover, and implosion are some of the biggest hurdles being faced by so many movement, organizing, and power-building organizations today. What is philantrhopy’s role in resourcing and supporting grantees so that they can pay living wages, address internal conflicts and tensions, and ensure transition plans that minimize disruption of the work? Read about some of it in this EBCF article, and let me know your thoughts!