“Act as an ecosystem” to advance just policy solutions

Reflections from Women’s Foundation of California’s Funder Policy Institute, May 2024

Lisa Fujie Parks, Associate Program Director, Prevention Institute?

One of the roles Prevention Institute plays is to lead and design national, state, and regional initiatives that re-grant or guide the use of public and philanthropic funds to community-based organizations, power-building groups, and community collaboratives. Recent examples of these efforts include SHINE (Safety & Healing in Networks of Equity), Communities of Care, People, Parks, and Power, Intersections Initiative, and SYNC (Strategies for Youth and Neighborhood Centered) Safety. We also provide staffing and strategic thought partnership support to national and state funder collaboratives, including serving as the long-term strategic advisors to the national Convergence Partnership.?

In this capacity, I am grateful to have attended Women’s Foundation of California’s Funder Policy Institute in May. The goal of the Institute was to increase philanthropic resources to support policy advocacy advancing racial, economic, and gender justice in California. Through engaging first-person stories and presentations from community organizers, policy advocates, philanthropy leaders, and elected officials, I gained deeper insights into:?

1. An intersectional feminist approach to supporting policy advocacy that centers those closest to issues and solutions;
2. Best practices to support policy change and budget advocacy efforts that target state and local governments;
3. How to optimize support for advocacy and lobbying; and,?
4. Trust-based approaches to building partnerships with community advocates, movement leaders, and legislators.

In the context of a formidable California State budget deficit for FY 2024-2025 and challenges in the national landscape, we explored the many tools available to invest in policy solutions that support thriving, equitable communities. I especially appreciated hearing from organizers from Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition and Starting Over, Inc., who shared their advocacy successes, and from Elena Chávez Quezada, Senior Advisor on Social Innovation for Governor Gavin Newsom, who highlighted opportunities for public-private partnerships to address intersecting economic, climate, environmental, and human rights challenges. While some of the policy tools discussed do not apply to Prevention Institute as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the discussions inspired and affirmed our commitment to community-centered policy work.?

Key themes I am carrying forward from the Institute include:?

1. Taking risks and strategically disrupting assumptions about how we do our work.?
2. Centering those closest to issues and solutions, including people with lived expertise and grassroots organizers.
3. Commitment to co-learning and co-creation across organizations, fields, and sectors.?
4. Continuous investment in leadership and capacity-building.
5. Long-term investments that achieve outcomes beyond the grant period.?
6. Embracing the six principles of trust-based grantmaking, including among intermediary non-profits.
7. Comprehensive policy solutions that include budget equity, policy implementation, rules and regulations, as well as legislation.?
8. A shared narrative strategy, carried out as a collective voice, to ensure our messages are clear.
9. Redefining “winning” to include learning, and exercising, building, and wielding collective power.?
10. Investing in equitable relationships and operating as a collaborative ecosystem, across community members, community organizations, intermediaries, funders, and policymakers.??

These themes align with and reinforce the work we are growing through deep, trusted partnerships, at Prevention Institute.?

A highlight of the Institute was the 2024 Legislative Reception, where Funder Policy Institute fellows gathered with Dr. Beatriz Solís Policy Fellows and alumni, Capitol partners, and philanthropy partners. We celebrated the California intersectional community power ecosystem that has collectively advanced over 50 pieces of intersectional feminist policy for health, safety, and prosperity for all. Thank you to Women’s Foundation of California for your vision and stewardship, and for including me on behalf of Prevention Institute.?

Through our collective, courageous efforts, may the eras of extraction and empire-building give way to thriving ecosystems of care, equity, and justice for communities and the land, supported by corresponding State and local policies, systems, and budgets.