Jolley Foundation

Equity-Driven Strategy, Capacity for Growth
Jolley Foundation
The Jolley Foundation partnered with Indigo Innovation Group to co-design a racial equity and racial justice strategy, align operational capacity and resources, and support the onboarding of a new executive director. The collaboration strengthened the foundation’s ability to implement long-term equity goals and drive impactful change.

About Jolley Foundation
The Jolley Foundation is a small family philanthropy focused on addressing social justice, racial equity, and community development. Committed to making a meaningful impact, the foundation invests in initiatives that support marginalized communities and drive systemic change in pursuit of equity and justice.

The tools and resources you’ve introduced us to over the past months will help us build our own capacity to strive toward our vision of a just, compassionate, and vibrant community.
- Tish McCutchen
Challenge
The Jolley Foundation sought to develop a strategic plan centered on racial equity and racial justice while preparing for the onboarding of a new executive director. The organization needed a clear operational strategy to align its mission and values with its equity goals. This included assessing its current state, identifying key levers for change, and increasing capacity and resources to implement a long-term equity-focused framework.
Centering equity in philanthropic strategies maximized meaningful outcomes.
Solution
Indigo Innovation Group collaborated with the Jolley Foundation to design a racial equity and racial justice strategy. Key components of this four-month process included:
Facilitating a current/desired state analysis using an equity footprint framework to prioritize critical levers for change.
Co-developing an operational strategy that addressed capacity, resources, and network-building to support implementation.
Engaging board members and staff in strategic discussions to ensure alignment and buy-in for the new strategy.
Designing an onboarding plan for the incoming executive director, seamlessly integrating leadership transitions into the overall framework.
This comprehensive approach empowered the foundation to evolve its philanthropic efforts, ensuring equity and justice were at the center of its mission and operations.
Results
Indigo Innovation Group’s guidance helped the Jolley Foundation develop a clear, equity-focused strategic plan that aligns with racial justice principles. The operational strategy was strengthened to support leadership transitions, long-term growth, and impactful philanthropy.
Impact
Impact: The foundation now has a roadmap to prioritize resources and build capacity to achieve its equity and justice goals. This collaborative process provided a strong foundation for the Jolley Foundation to navigate future challenges and continue evolving toward its vision of a just, compassionate, and vibrant community.
With a push here, a pull there, with pointed questions to encourage us to go deeper and words of affirmation to remind us we’re not starting from zero, you have skillfully guided the Jolley Foundation’s trustees and staff over the past months as we looked at our work through the lens of racial equity and racial justice.
- Jolley Foundation Trustees and Staff