How can we support and strengthen our communities in the face of rising housing prices and gentrification? Adam Zimmerman is the CEO of Craft3, a CDFI that is working to invest in communities and help them build wealth and resilience. Craft3, along with NOAH and CHF, was recently granted $5 million through JP Morgan Chase’s Advancing Cities initiative. They’ll use the grant to help finance local ownership of real estate and reduce displacement.

In this episode:

• How they were selected to receive the grant (4:56)
• The impact this funding will have (8:42)
• Which neighborhoods they’ll focus on (12:15)
• The challenges that come with their work (15:17)
• Two key actions for nonprofits and community leaders (19:27)

Additional resources:

• Craft3
• Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH)
• Community Housing Fund (CHF)
• Three Portland nonprofits to share $5 million grant to invest in communities at risk of displacement – OregonLive

The Public Space is brought to you by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. NAO strives to connect, improve, and advance all nonprofits to help build a thriving and vital Oregon. 

In the fall of 2020, Oregon was faced with deadly wildfires that spanned across several parts of the state, one of which grew from 500 acres to 130,000 acres overnight! With the help of a longtime friend and the extraordinary community of Santiam Canyon, Deana Freres was able to establish the Santiam Canyon Wildfire Relief Fund which helps fill the needs of those affected by the Lionshead and Beachie Creek wildfires. Deana also shares what drives her in taking such a leadership role in her community and offers guidance we can all take when faced with devastating events.

The nonprofit sector has a racial gap in its leadership. Sean Thomas-Breitfeld shares empirical data collected from surveys, focus groups, and interviews conducted across the U.S. He discusses how 2020 events have galvanized people and movements into action, and have started a whole set of changes that should be continued in 2021. He offers tangible actions that we can take to address the racial gap in nonprofit leadership.

In this episode:

• The Building Movement Project (3:25)
• Organizations vs. Movements (6:22)
• What the Race to Lead survey data told us (7:52)
• What 2021 will look like for nonprofits (15:00)
• Affecting and influencing change in 2021 (16:07)
• Ways foundations can invest in nonprofits (16:57)
• Ways organizations can support movements (18;19)
• Tangible ways to address the racial gap in nonprofit leadership (21.43)

Additional resources:

• Building Movement Project
• Race to Lead Series
• Race to Lead Surveys
• Let’s Talk About the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap and White Advantage – Independent Sector
• Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matters for Nonprofits – National Council of Nonprofits
• Equity and Inclusion Lens Guide – Nonprofit Association of Oregon
• Navigating Race and New Leadership in a Time of Upheaval – Stanford Social Innovation Review
• Nonprofit Resources to Support Racial Equity – Nonprofit Leadership Center
• The Social Sector Has an Internal Racism Problem – SOJOURNERS
• How Can Philanthropy Redistribute Power – Trust-Based Philanthrophy Project