There is a Mary Oliver poem that is so present for me right now. It’s titled “The Uses of Sorrow” – Someone I loved once gave me/ a box full of darkness/ It took me years to understand/ that this, too, was a gift
In this 2020 box of darkness of loss, pandemic, national disagreement, and the multiple layers of grief we are experiencing, there has been a gift for me that I have deep gratitude for. It is the time, community, and conversation that is leading me to re-think on an even deeper level the practice of fundraising and how the traditions associated with it have affected social justice. One of the thoughtful partners I have discovered in this dialog with myself, my clients, and my community is the CCF Movement. Community-Centric Fundraising is a movement to evolve how fundraising is done in the nonprofit sector. I am following with great interest this series of data-gathering on the current perceptions of the fundraising and philanthropy field. Self-reflection is an important part of how I am evolving my practice — and perhaps most importantly myself. Traditions built on faulty foundations cannot carry us forward to a more just future. This series of infographics and research will be a powerful tool in that continued evolution. What resources are you using to further your work in terms of social justice? Read some of the results from CCF’s survey of more than 2,000 development professionals on the subject of social justice and fundraising: CURRENT FUNDRAISING PRACTICES & PHILOSOPHIES ARE HARMFUL