Magic Cabinet

Rural community power for the win! Uplifting this inspiring blog post from Neighborhood Funders Group on how organizations across the Pacific Northwest are working to build power in rural communities, featuring insight from Magic Cabinet Engagement Officer Joaquin Uy. More on this work below ??

As a learning organization, our goal wasn't just to create something for nonprofits — we wanted to build with them. Over 10 years, we experimented with three Puget Sound nonprofits to develop a new model for philanthropy. The lessons learned became the guiding principles for our approach. https://bit.ly/3ChlzrM

"I think we can all agree that we need to get better at listening to the experiences and needs of nonprofits and the communities they serve. Traditional reporting misses the opportunity to do that. Alternative reporting practices can be a better way to center equity and invite new voices to the table." In this article from Proximate , author Rachel Kimber shares how funders can reinvent reporting practices to uplift community voices and foster spaces for deeper collaboration and trust.

Our Bay Area Mix and Mingle event is in the books! Many thanks to our cohort partners who joined us for a fun evening of networking and nourishing conversations ??

That's a wrap on #PNW2024! Our team spent three days learning, connecting, and exploring a more equitable future for philanthropy alongside our incredible peers. Many thanks to Philanthropy Northwest for bringing us together in Missoula–we're excited to integrate what we learned into our work!

As we began to explore funding in Native communities, we knew we needed to connect directly with Native leaders and organizations to build trust, deepen our knowledge of the funding landscape, and understand how we could best support emerging priorities. In our latest blog post, our team shares insights from our learning journey, which includes lessons from the Native Voices Rising Funder Learning Fellowship and 2024 Native Americans in Philanthropy Conference. Post linked in the comments!

A full house of 65+ philanthropists and government grant-makers met yesterday at Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience in Seattle for a successful and exciting event organized by Communities of Opportunity, Seattle Foundation, and Magic Cabinet. “Public-Private Partnerships: Coming Together to Transform How We Fund Organizations and Invest in Communities” was created in direct response to community partners urging these sectors to collaborate and continue to support community-led initiatives.? ? These partners came together to explore different approaches to supporting nonprofits in historically underinvested communities through trust-based and participatory grantmaking. Sili Savusa,?COO co-founder, invited the room to trust?and listen to community and to think about what we need to be aware of and what we need to disrupt when it comes to continuing to invest in community.?? ? The outcome of this event was the beginning of a promising conversation between representatives of these sectors to learn from each other’s experiences in partnering. We’ll also explore momentum for the creation of an ongoing table in King County and Washington state where public and private grant-makers can be thought partners, collaborate, and strategize toward advancing Community Power building?to move the needle in each of our sectors. ? We’ll share more about this event soon. If you’re part of a philanthropic or government grant-making organization and you’re interested in participating in the next gathering, please contact Elsa Batres-Boni at Communities of Opportunity, [email protected] ? Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Kathi Littmann, Ed.D, Jackie Vaughn, Elena Perez, Sili Savusa, Matias Valenzuela #GrantMaking #Philanthropy #CommunityPower #PublicPrivatePartnerships

Missoula, here we come! We're excited to connect and learn alongside our peers at Philanthropy Northwest's 2024 Conference! This three-day event will unite Northwest funders and philanthropy practitioners to advance a more equitable future for the sector. Join us for Day Two of #PNW2024, where we'll unpack our cohort model and explore practical strategies for building organizational capacity and fostering a culture of learning within foundations. More details on our panel and the full conference agenda below. We'll see you there!

Introducing our third fiscally sponsored cohort — Community Weavers Unite! ? This cohort, comprised of AGE UP, Alphabet Alliance of Color, and First Five Years & Beyond are equipping their communities with the skills and resources to address inequities, support self-determination, and empower future leaders. Learn more about each organization and their work below!

While we don't have a say in how our partners deploy their grant funds, we do enjoy seeing the various capacity-building projects they bring to life. During their time in a cohort, our grantee partners at East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA), Glover Empower Mentoring, East African Community Services, MISSSEY, Inc., and Community Passageways have refreshed their brand identities, leading to increased visibility and deeper connections with their communities. See their transformations at the link below!