Throughout history and the present, we see examples of steadfastness during tests, reliance on God for perseverance amidst trials, and strong relationships that offer mutual sustenance and solidarity during crises. We seek to build the structures needed to navigate trials as an organization and support our partners in cultivating their resilience, too.
CULTIVATING
RESILIENCE
THE CURRENT REALITY
The philanthropic sector often provides project-based giving, offering grants or alternative means of support to an organization’s specific programs with strict requirements for use within a particular timeframe. While this approach to funding helps various programs flourish, in many cases, they do not lay the groundwork necessary for an organization to be able to sustain its practices across all programs and be prepared in case of an emergency — for example, the challenges that arose as a result of COVID-19.
1. Data shows that very few grants distributed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic invested in long-term General Operating Support. For the 57% of grants that were multiyear, only 12.4% included General Operating Support. (10)
2. Over 50% of foundation CEOs indicated that these few multiyear, General Operating Support grants were distributed across only a small number of grantees. CEOs also indicated that they would be in favor of increasing this number, but “most CEOs did not report any plans to change their current practices.” (11)
Wayfarer Foundation believes that resilience is a crucial tool of support when providing resources to and earning the trust of our partners.
In May, our team interviewed 82% of our partners, and one of the most common things we heard was: multi-year and general operations grants are catalytic for nonprofits. We awarded $1.5 million in multi-year grants in 2022 (nearly 20% of all grants), and 83% of our grants were for general operations.
Our Strategic Plan calls us to make even more multi-year and general operations grants in the years ahead. It is our deep hope that this kind of grantmaking frees up the time, resources, and imaginations of our partners so that they can dream big, build sustainable organizations, and focus on their vital on-the-ground work.
THE WAYFARER WAY
The 100 Horses Women’s Society is the Native-led, nonprofit arm of a decades-long effort to empower matrilineal leadership among young women on the Cheyenne River Lakota reservation in South Dakota. Their work is based in revitalization of the Išnáti Awíčalowaŋpi, or Coming of Age ceremony, one of the seven sacred rites brought to the Lakota by the White Buffalo Calf Woman. Outlawed by the US government until 1978, this sacred event is designed to help young girls recognize their inherent nobility.
Along with this spiritual practice, they provide the tools she will need to take a place of leadership among her people and the world. As they have progressed in this work, they have helped groups on other reservations hold this vital ceremony, laying the groundwork for a new generation of matrilineal leadership.
100 Horses Society
(10) The Center For Effective Philanthropy, 2020
(11) The Center For Effective Philanthropy, 2020
Top banner image: © Kelly Lacy