Civil society groups across the world have historically confronted a multitude of pressures to defend human rights and civil liberties. Armed conflicts, economic volatility, technological disruption, plus the erosion of democracy and human rights by far-right forces are putting intense pressure on groups’ resources, time and energy. Shockwaves from the unprecedented scale and pace of cuts to foreign aid from USAID and European funders are reverberating through social and climate justice organizations. And leaders around the world are grappling with painful choices. As these intersecting challenges unfold, so do our efforts of collective sensemaking and strategizing.
The way forward may not be immediately clear, but history—and experience—tells us that pausing to share insights and learn from one another strengthens our capacity to act with wisdom and clarity. By gathering diverse perspectives, making sense of global shifts together, and uncovering creative possibilities, we can find opportunities even in crisis.
In this three-part interactive webinar series, you’ll hear from Spring experts and social and climate leaders globally about:
- how they’re interpreting the seismic shifts in geopolitics and financial flows;
- dynamic ways to adapt operations and approach funding diversification; and
- what generative ways of working can help sustain our missions in the long-run.
Join us to get inspired and energized by stories of alternative operating models, innovative approaches to reducing dependency on grants, and collaborative approaches to the leadership and care needed to move through crises resiliently.
DETAILS
SESSION 1: Reckoning with changing funding realities
🗓️ April 22
⏰ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm ET (UTC-4) Convert to your time zone
💡 Explore how funding flows and geopolitical landscapes are changing—and what that means for resourcing rights and justice organizations and movements worldwide. We’ll be joined by Dr. Kellea Miller of Human Rights Funders Network and Ikal Angelei of Friends of Lake Turkana. Kellea sits at the table with hundreds of funders and has the inside scoop on how philanthropy is responding to this moment, while Ikal, as an Indigenous leader, brings experiences and perspectives from her work on the frontlines of climate change. Kellea and Ikal will each bring powerful lenses for understanding the past and present to help imagine the future of funding for rights and justice work globally.
This session will focus on:
- The state of funding for rights and justice work—understanding the recent funding shifts in foreign aid and responses from philanthropy.
- The role of philanthropy—exploring how philanthropy can provide strategic support to civil society now, including by remembering what has worked in the past and taking more collaborative approaches to movement support.
- Resilience beyond grants—rethinking the relationship between “making money” and advancing justice so that we can be unapologetically creative about our finances.
SESSION 2: Exploring alternative funding models: What are the possibilities?
🗓️ May 8
⏰ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm ET (UTC-4) Convert to your time zone
💡 Dynamic approaches to operating and diversifying funding support
SESSION 3: Thriving together: Collaborating with care and creativity
🗓️ May 22
⏰ 10:30 am - 12:00 pm ET (UTC-4) Convert to your time zone
💡 Nurturing generative ways of working together to sustain their missions in the long-run
🌎 The webinars will be held in English, with simultaneous interpretation available in Spanish, Portuguese and French.
