Charlotte Funders Collaborative
Power, Philanthropy, and Racial Equity in Practice
Charlotte Funders Collaborative
Indigo Innovation Group partnered with the Charlotte Funders Collaborative to co-create a nine-month learning and leadership program. This transformative process equipped grantmakers with the skills and tools needed to navigate power dynamics, develop adaptive leadership capabilities, and embed racial equity into their philanthropic practices.
About Charlotte Funders Collaborative
The Charlotte Funders Collaborative brings together public, private, and family foundations dedicated to driving systemic change. Focused on advancing equity and justice, the collaborative leverages collective resources to address systemic inequities and foster lasting community impact.
The Funder Collaborative’s work with Indigo Innovations was nothing short of transformational. What had been a loosely organized group of individuals who would gather periodically to discuss issues of shared interest became a more closely knit body of individuals committed to working in relationship with one another to re-think and re-imagine how we do our work.
- Kathryn Firmin-Sellers
Challenge
The Charlotte Funders Collaborative engaged Indigo Innovation Group to lead a program that would address the intersection of philanthropy, power, and racial equity. Nearly 40 grantmakers representing public, private, and family foundations sought to deepen their understanding of power dynamics within philanthropy and to explore ways to embed racial equity into their grantmaking practices. The collaborative needed a learning program that would facilitate these conversations, build adaptive leadership skills, and provide practical tools for addressing power and equity.
Transforming grantmaking practices required confronting existing power structures.
Solution
Indigo Innovation Group collaborated with the Charlotte Funders Collaborative to design and lead a nine-month learning and leadership program. The program deeply explored power dynamics within philanthropy, focusing on building, sharing, and wielding power through the NCRP’s Power Moves framework. Through trust-based philanthropy principles, participants engaged in practices fostering transparency and equity. Additionally, national and regional peer conversations enriched the learning experience by providing diverse insights and strategies. The program also included comprehensive data analysis, equity choice points exploration, and individualized coaching to equip participants with practical tools for applying racial equity principles to their work.
Results
The program equipped nearly 40 grantmakers with tools and frameworks to address systemic inequities and integrate equity-driven practices into their philanthropy. Participants gained adaptive leadership skills, established a shared commitment to racial equity, and built trust-based relationships among funders.
Impact
Impact: The Charlotte Funders Collaborative emerged as a cohesive, equity-driven network prepared to drive meaningful change. With Indigo’s guidance, the group laid the foundation for long-term transformation in Charlotte’s philanthropic landscape. Their work continues to influence grantmaking practices, fostering a community of funders united by a shared vision for justice and equity.
- Kathryn Firmin-Sellers
