#ForumCon24 Throughline: Advocacy, Action, & Awareness
#ForumCon24 – the one-and-only conference that convenes United Philanthropy Forum’s network of philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs) – brought nearly 270 leaders together to delve into the pivotal roles PSOs play in informing, convening, mobilizing, and supporting the philanthropic sector.
Amidst the lively sessions, unique site visits, and peer exchanges, #ForumCon24 featured valuable opportunities for network members to connect, learn, and engage in public policy and advocacy with their PSO colleagues from across the country. A clear and common thread throughout the conference was the importance of collective action and collaborations, with PSOs serving as sector catalysts to impact systemic change.
Catalysts for Systemic Change: Philanthropy, Equity, & Advocacy
Led by Forum Senior Director of Public Policy, Matthew L. Evans, one critical session explored a transformative approach in philanthropy, emphasizing the essential role of advocacy in achieving systemic change and racial equity, with philanthropy marrying their investments and grantmaking with meaningful engagement aimed at dismantling systemic inequities and building healthy, vibrant, and equitable communities.
Evans and guest panelists discussed philanthropy’s involvement in public policy and advocacy historically, noting its focus on issues that impact the way the sector does its work, primarily through fair tax policy and regulation. While that focus continues, the discussion explored the importance for philanthropy to recognize America's legislative history and how public policy has both intentionally and unintentionally negatively impacted Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. These policies, over time, have only exacerbated disparities that have lasted generations.
Philanthropy's involvement in public policy has evolved in the past few years, and panelists and attendees noted the ways that PSOs and their foundation members are now, more than ever, uniquely positioned to address systemic inequities by being active participants in the advocacy process.
Collective Action: How to Advance a Racial Equity and Justice Lens in a Post-Affirmative Action Climate
In a related session spotlighting opportunities for PSOs to join advocacy efforts seeking to impact systems change, Jamani Ashé and Juston Cooper presented ABFE's work to organize and mobilize collective action in Black communities to increase equitable access to philanthropic and public resources.
Ashé, Cooper, and participants spoke about the fear, confusion, and sheer misinformation that have flowed within and around the sector following the 2023 Supreme Court decision to overturn Affirmative Action in higher education, leaving many feeling paralyzed on how PSOs can continue to advance racial equity in this climate.
Ashé and Cooper detailed how ABFE convenes its diverse network to increase competencies around the impacts of Affirmative Action, drive increased funding to Black-led institutions, including HBCUs, and lead on narrative change advocacy to increase power-building for Black communities.
Public Policy Peer Community at #ForumCon24 and Beyond
During #ForumCon24’s dedicated time for peer exchange, the Forum public policy team and peer community Chair Shanetta Martin of Maryland Philanthropy Network centered the throughline of advocacy, systems change, and equity in dialogue with the public policy peer community. The policy team presented the Forum’s approach to public policy, advocacy and equity for the sector and communities, underscoring key policy and advocacy opportunities for the second half of 2024 and beyond.
Community members shared input about the Forum’s policy principles for the 119th Congress and ways to build on the network’s recent momentum, such as the largest Foundations on the Hill to date, impactful efforts informing proposed regulations on donor-advised funds (DAFs), garnering the most co-sponsors ever for the Charitable Act, and much more.
With the launch of the Forum’s first-ever State + Local Advocacy Alliance, the upcoming Philanthropy + Policy Institute on October 3rd, and ongoing work highlighting ways to double down in the wake of regressive attacks on sector racial equity efforts, there are myriad opportunities for network members to carry forward the ForumCon thread of advocacy, action, and awareness.
The public policy team looks forward to continuing this important conversation at our signature events, the Philanthropy + Policy Institute in October, Foundations on the Hill 2025, and beyond.
Nate Borek (they/them/theirs) is the Sr. Public Policy Associate for United Philanthropy Forum
