Our Response to COVID-19
Latest News
3
April 2020
Our Response to COVID-19
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
The spread of COVID-19 has touched every part of the movements we serve. While we expect that the outbreak will continue to grow, we know that it is not a one-off challenge for the most marginalized communities among us. Our work as organizers remains unchanged during this time, and we will continue putting movements and movement leaders at the center of our response.
Last month, we shared an update on Way to Win’s coronavirus response and continuity plans. As our understanding of the sector develops, we would like to share more about Way to Rise’s response as well. Our response is guided by active discussions with over 70 movement leaders and with 37 deeper interviews with funders, networks, and other partners conducted by our colleagues Colleen Loper, Jennifer Pae, and Cristina Uribe. A full report can be made available to interested funders.
Our first priority is the health and safety of our staff, grantees, and partners. In addition to the steps we’ve already taken we have:
- Shared resources on telemedicine, including mental health, available to staff.
- Shared that our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) hotline is available to all grantees. The Optum Public Crisis Line is a toll-free emotional support helpline available 24/7 at (866)342-6892
- Shared premium access to Sanvello through our EAP to help staff and grantees cope with stress and anxiety.
In the near-term, Way to Rise will adjust our funding to focus on three priorities:
Stabilize the Sector
- Rapid response to support safety and security and to address racism, white supremacism, and right-wing attacks.
- Increased general support funding to grantees.
Support Resilience and Adaptability
- Wrap-around support for flexibility and continuity even as tactics shift.
- Specific focus on digital adaptability.
Keep Power Accountable
- Accountability for corporate power and levers of government.
- Monitor opportunities for co-governance and support.
We will make these adjustments while keeping faith with how our movement partners have called on us to organize philanthropy. We will continue to educate donors, co-design our funding strategy with frontline communities, and llook to new metrics that focus on resilience and power.
We will also continue to move resources. Way to Rise contributed to Way to Win’s $3.6 million rapid response grantmaking in mid-March, and we will continue to organize our donor community to ensure that fundig is moving.
We urge our funding colleagues to squad up so that movements have the resources they need to lead from a place of grace and security. Please let us know if we can be of service to you as you work to organize your institutions and colleagues.
Wishing you good health and safety during this difficult time.
Onward,
Nicole Boucher
Tori Miyagi
Latest News
3
April 2020
Our Response to COVID-19
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
The spread of COVID-19 has touched every part of the movements we serve. While we expect that the outbreak will continue to grow, we know that it is not a one-off challenge for the most marginalized communities among us. Our work as organizers remains unchanged during this time, and we will continue putting movements and movement leaders at the center of our response.
Last month, we shared an update on Way to Win’s coronavirus response and continuity plans. As our understanding of the sector develops, we would like to share more about Way to Rise’s response as well. Our response is guided by active discussions with over 70 movement leaders and with 37 deeper interviews with funders, networks, and other partners conducted by our colleagues Colleen Loper, Jennifer Pae, and Cristina Uribe. A full report can be made available to interested funders.
Our first priority is the health and safety of our staff, grantees, and partners. In addition to the steps we’ve already taken we have:
- Shared resources on telemedicine, including mental health, available to staff.
- Shared that our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) hotline is available to all grantees. The Optum Public Crisis Line is a toll-free emotional support helpline available 24/7 at (866)342-6892
- Shared premium access to Sanvello through our EAP to help staff and grantees cope with stress and anxiety.
In the near-term, Way to Rise will adjust our funding to focus on three priorities:
Stabilize the Sector
- Rapid response to support safety and security and to address racism, white supremacism, and right-wing attacks.
- Increased general support funding to grantees.
Support Resilience and Adaptability
- Wrap-around support for flexibility and continuity even as tactics shift.
- Specific focus on digital adaptability.
Keep Power Accountable
- Accountability for corporate power and levers of government.
- Monitor opportunities for co-governance and support.
We will make these adjustments while keeping faith with how our movement partners have called on us to organize philanthropy. We will continue to educate donors, co-design our funding strategy with frontline communities, and llook to new metrics that focus on resilience and power.
We will also continue to move resources. Way to Rise contributed to Way to Win’s $3.6 million rapid response grantmaking in mid-March, and we will continue to organize our donor community to ensure that fundig is moving.
We urge our funding colleagues to squad up so that movements have the resources they need to lead from a place of grace and security. Please let us know if we can be of service to you as you work to organize your institutions and colleagues.
Wishing you good health and safety during this difficult time.
Onward,
Nicole Boucher
Tori Miyagi