To Our Nonprofit Partners:
Amidst all of this upheaval, thank you for staying true to your missions and your communities. Because of your work, everyone—everyone—is healthier, safer, more resilient, more empowered, and more united.
We know that many of you have faced significant and abrupt funding cuts over the last few months. We also know that many of you have been targeted by fear-mongering and that your constituents may be facing immediate threats to their rights and wellbeing.
Please know that we will continue to stand with you and support you. We admire the bravery and love that you demonstrate in your work, and we are proud that you are advancing American ideals while being confronted by their opposite.
While it is impossible for private philanthropy to fill the chasms left by government cuts, we are working hard to be responsive, to move money quickly, and to remove barriers—now is too existential a moment for a wait-and-see approach or for complex processes.
Since our founding in 2019, we have sought to ground our grantmaking in trust, transparency, and accessibility. Most of our funding is already general operating; an increasing amount is multiyear. This year, in response to the exigencies of this moment in history, we have:
- Set our 2025 payout to above 11.5% (likely more, given market volatility)
- Distributed $1.5m in early responsive and discretionary grants to some amazing organizations (check them out!), with more to come in June and in our fall cycle
- Offered accelerated installments of multiyear grants to organizations whose funding has been cut or whose focal communities have been targeted
- Shifted our reporting process to prioritize conversation instead of written forms
- Reviewed our processes to ensure we’re not asking partners to agree to anything that conflicts with new funding mandates
- Continued to streamline and shorten our application process
Still, we are a small funder and recognize our limitations. We received 366 funding requests in our February cycle, more than ever and far more than we have capacity to fulfill. For our summer/fall cycle, we are looking at ways to prioritize current and past partners while still keeping the door ajar for aligned organizations that are new to us. We’ll update you on this soon.
Meanwhile, we know that circumstances remain challenging and that the coming days may see added headwinds. For Oregon nonprofits, if you are not already tuned into the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, their updates, resources, and calls to action are useful and timely. Nationally, the National Council of Nonprofits and the ACLU have similarly topical resources.
Thank you again for everything you do to shore up our communities. We are buoyed by your fortitude and by your deep care for your constituents. Please let us know how we can help: we always love to hear from you and welcome your insights.