Gathering Ground

From rapid response funds to resource reallocation to specialized webinars, leaders and boards across the philanthropic community are doing what they can to adapt to the needs of grantees and their constituents as they navigate the current state of the world. By lifting up the examples of two foundations' efforts to be more adaptive in real time, Mary and this fantastic panel discuss how public an...

Eric Ward's robust career has taken him from organizer to funder, and back to the communities he so valiantly stands up with. Listen to "Gathering Ground"'s latest episode to hear about Eric's work in the Pacific Northwest with Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, where he worked with leaders across sectors to progress human rights and anti-violence work. Eric also discusses his past...

On this very special live episode of “Gathering Ground,” we welcomed a panel of individuals whose contributions and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic are helping ensure support for artists across Chicago and Illinois communities. As we all know, this historic time has affected all of us, regardless of what our work is and how we carry it out. While many of us turn to work from home, individu...

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary sits down with Salamishah and Scheherazade Tillet, sisters and co-founders of A Long Walk Home , an organization dedicated to empowering young artists and activists to end violence against all girls and women. Scheherazade, Salamishah, and Mary have a deep conversation about Salamishah's journey into academia, her experiences with sexual violence, and how watchi...

Episode 10: Pamela Newkirk Download On this special episode of Gathering Ground, listen in on our first live-recorded episode: a conversation with  Diversity, Inc.  author  Pamela Newkirk  at  Women and Children First Bookstore .  Pamela and Mary discuss Diversity, Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion-Dollar Business  and the need to explore nuance and data in t...

This time on “Gathering Ground,” Mary hosts two thought leaders and comrades in community-building and racial justice: Angelique Power (President of The Field Foundation) and Tracie D. Hall (Director of The Joyce Foundation's Culture Program). Tracie shares with listeners her experience growing up in Los Angeles in the years following the Watts Rebellion, and the inspiration she found in the peopl...

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary and Teresa have some "real talk" about women's funds and philanthropy; Ms. Foundation's new strategic plan (which centers women and girls of color); and current foundation trends and the state of philanthropy for women and girls in the United States. Then, they give listeners some advice, including what to do if you and your supervisor are both burnt out. If you...

Mary and Vu trade stories about struggling along with nonprofit professionals who suck at vacationing ; they discuss working with people who are new to the workforce; and Vu talks about the birth of Nonprofit AF . After a robust conversation about equity and inclusion in nonprofits (and particularly in philanthropy), Mary and Vu answer listener questions about the nonprofit experience, including h...

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary talks to Rockwood Leadership Institute's Darlene Nipper about how to connect to the work of the Institute and Darlene's journey from trainer to CEO. They end the episode by answering a few of your questions!

In Gathering Ground’s fifth episode, Mary talks to Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation's (CAASE) Executive Director Kaethe Morris Hoffer. The two discuss Kaethe's Quaker-rooted road to feminism, her experience in legislative advocacy, the #MeToo Movement, the vital work of CAASE, and of course, they answer a few of your questions!

This time on Gathering Ground, Mary talks to Building Movement Project's Co-Director Sean Thomas-Breitfeld. Mary and Sean discuss the different iterations of the Race to Lead report and dive into the nuances of collecting and presenting community data within and on behalf of the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. And as always, Mary and her guest answer questions from Gathering Ground's listenin...

In this episode of Gathering Ground, Mary and Fund the People Vice President Yolanda Caldera-Durant discuss how Yolanda got her start in philanthropy and the important work of her organization. They talk about burn-out culture, talent investment, how we can support our nonprofit employees, and the amazing tools available from Fund the People, including their FREE toolkit, available at FundthePeopl...

In episode two of Gathering Ground, Mary sits down with Sol Flores, former executive director of La Casa Norte and newly appointed deputy governor for the state of Illinois. Mary and Sol discuss La Casa Norte's new $20 million building and what it was like to fund-raise for it. They end by answering a few of your questions.

In the inaugural episode of Gathering Ground, Mary sits down with Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance . Mary and Edgar discuss the nonprofit industrial complex, the Native Way, and how we can use our philanthropy for healing and true community building.