A Network of Community-based Foundations Committed to Social Justice Philanthropy

The Funding Exchange was founded in 1979 as a network of community-based foundations committed to supporting movements for progressive social change. The network began with six member foundations and has grown to 16 in 2009. Since our beginning, we have seeded and sustained community organizations that have played a critical role in every arena of social justice. We have led in the transformation of the institution of philanthropy itself, helping direct more funds to community organizing and pushing mainstream philanthropy to be more accountable to grassroots communities. In all of our organizations, we have organized contributions from people of all income levels and have mobilized people with wealth to support social change.

During these years our role has evolved from only supporting movements to actively helping to build effective movements. We continue to promote an analysis of social change which is based on effective solutions to root causes of injustice, which are manifested differently in different regions. Each member fund is committed to five principles:

• Economic Justice - We believe that ultimately real systemic change cannot happen without a major redistribution of wealth, power, and resources.
• Anti‑Oppression and Racial Justice - We work from an analysis that all oppressions are inter-related and cannot be structured into hierarchies of oppression and injustice. We promote equity around race, gender, sexuality, class, age, and ability.
• Grassroots Social Change - We fund grassroots organizations that have a critique and analysis of power grounded in social-justice values, and that claim this power for themselves and their constituencies. We engage in high-risk grantmaking, funding local organizing by constituent-led groups as well as research, policy development and media who are accountable to broad-based movements.
• Commitment to Growth and to a Strong Network - Our network is a structure to support our existence as social change organizations. We are stronger in numbers as we seek to support social change movements as effectively as possible and leverage power and resources within the institution of philanthropy. We commit to work together nationally to define and build a network of anti-racist foundations that work for social justice.
• Finally, we remain united in our commitment to community‑controlled grantmaking by those who've experienced injustices directly and to our common goal of:

"Change, not Charity" ™

Click here for a list of our Member Foundations.

Please contact Ron Hanft for more information at ron.hanft at fex.org