Good Things from Lemonada Media is a podcast about the good people in the world who are rolling up their sleeves and working hard to make things better. Each week, we'll be talking about this country's most complex and confounding issues in an effort to affect systemic change, with a rotating cast of incredible guests and Lemonada hosts. From the dire condition of the American foster care system to the decline of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, protecting democracy, and more, we’re focusing on solutions – with the people putting them into action

In this episode, as the federal government has been making unprecedented funding cuts, many communities are facing more uncertainty and less support. In response, the Marguerite Casey Foundation is making a bold move: they’re distributing $130 million this year to organizations working for racial and economic justice. In this episode, Carmen Rojas, the foundation’s president and CEO, gets into the reasons behind the move, which organizations will benefit and how this funding aims to fill critical gaps.

This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants.

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Traditionally, Black-led nonprofits have only received 2 to 4 percent of total philanthropic funding nationally. That’s in part why Liz Thompson co-founded The 1954 Project, which seeks to radically redesign how philanthropy connects with Black leaders in education. Every year, her organization awards a cohort of Luminaries with one million dollars each to continue their innovative work in education. In this episode, host Aimée Eubanks Davis is in conversation with Liz Thompson about her organization’s impact on the community.

Resources:

• Register for the Luminary Awards https://hopin.com/events/1954-project-luminary-awards/registration
• Why Black representation is especially important when it comes to charitable giving https://news.wttw.com/2021/04/26/why-black-representation-especially-important-when-it-comes-charitable-giving
• Beyond crisis funding https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/beyond-crisis-funding-black-led-organizations-saw-surge-donations-look-n1252539
• In philanthropy, race is still in factor in who gets what
• https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/01/your-money/philanthropy-race.html
• https://www.bridgespan.org/bridgespan/Images/articles/racial-equity-and-philanthropy/racial-equity-and-philanthropy.pdf
• The 1954 Project https://www.1954project.org
• The Cafe Group https://www.thecafe.org

This podcast is brought to you with the generous support from The Walton Family Foundation.

Aimée Eubanks Davis is the host. This series is produced by Priscilla Alabi and Kristen Lepore. Priscilla Alabi is the producer. Kristen Lepore is the supervising producer. Story editing is by Jackie Danziger. Story consulting by Sonya Ramsey. Sound design and mixing by Andrea Kristinsdóttir. Music by Hansdale Hsu. Additional music by Andrea Kristinsdóttir. Additional engineering from Ivan Kuraev. Executive producers are Stephanie Wittles Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer. Special Thanks to Liz Thompson, Meredith Moore, Acasia Wilson Feinberg and Maya Thompson.

Help others find our show by leaving us a rating and writing a review. To learn more about the 1954 Project and its mission to fund black leaders in education, visit www.1954project.org

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