From authors Shaena Johnson and Marni Rosen for The Katalay Foundation: “Participatory grantmaking can be a powerful tool to center the experiences and expertise of people who have deep knowledge of the issue areas in which grants are being made. It is also a process that comes with unique needs for support. Foundations that are engaging with participatory grantmaking must be aware of how their institutional practices do — and do not — set participants and grantees up for success.”
“I have also built trust through my ability to relate to the movement and organizational experiences of many of our grantee staff, due to my own lived experience,” said Johnson. “Having the ability to discuss ‘hard’ internal issues with executive directors and support staff has proven effective in building trust, as grantees have acknowledged that most institutions do not provide that additional support.”
“Time, availability, and ability to relate to grantees while shifting our systems to accompany our grantees in their work has all proven to help in repairing and rebuilding our relationships with our grantees.”