Who can you run to?

This article was originally published in January of 2025.

Here we are. We are here. Barely two weeks into 2025 the reality is quickly sinking in that no one will free us but us. As the new administration begins to take shape and signal an aggressive shift to fascism and solidification of the new American oligarchy, we witness day-by-day philanthropic and nonprofit institutions fall in line with its agenda. Whether it be out of fear of litigation against race-based programs, violation of nonprofit lobbying laws, falling out of favor with funders and board members, or simply no longer feeling pressure to pretend to care about addressing injustice, the pretenders are steadily retreating into obscurity.

You may see this disguised in the language of “shifting our funding priorities,” “no longer accepting unsolicited proposals”, “pausing to examine the effectiveness,” and the like.

Soon enough, we will see who our true friends, backers, and supporters are.

Still, as changemakers we require resources to do our work -- eliminating racism and patriarchy, decolonizing and healing our communities, ending the exploitation of poor and working people is a lot of work! So we are left asking ourselves the question: Who will backfill the hole in our budget when supporters disappear or no longer align with our values?

If you don’t already have individual donors that you can rely on to invest and support your work, now is the moment to find, cultivate, and win them over. If you’re like many social justice leaders and have neglected pursuing wealthy individuals to invest in your organization because you assume their values don’t align, you’re likely missing out.

There are certainly potential donors who share your analysis and vision for the future, we just have to create pathways to their involvement. An individual donor base can help ensure stability over the long-term and be crucial in times of crisis, like now. And that’s what we’ll be focusing on a great deal this year with the newsletter and other content: How to tell stories and messages in a way that illuminates your values and helps you attract and secure new backers.

If this piques your interest, help us out by taking this quick survey to figure out what content you want to see first!