One of the things I like most about Greater Washington’s funding community is the degree to which everyone is open to working collaboratively. Whenever I’m in touch with colleagues to better understand their funding strategies or to discuss ideas for new work, I’m always impressed by their willingness to share information and to consider working together in new ways.
The power dynamic in philanthropy can make candid feedback a rare commodity for foundations. That’s why earlier this year we invited our grantee partners to share their opinions on our work and their experience with Meyer by participating anonymously in the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Grantee Perception Survey.
I recently attended a meeting at my temple that focused on Ta-Nehisi Coates’s bestselling book, Between the World and Me—a personal exploration of racial history in the U.S. Members were interested in engaging in a conversation about our role as allies in moving racial equity forward in our community.
The Meyer Foundation’s board of directors approved the first round of grants under the Foundation’s new strategic plan on June 2. The 80 grants, which totaled $3.25 million, reflect the Foundation’s mission to build an equitable Greater Washington region in which economically vulnerable people thrive.