Listen up, I am trying to put together a coherent rant about the ways in which we can fund activism better. I would appreciate your comments to make this better.
Hey Donors, Activists, Change-Makers!
There is a better way.
There is a better way for us to work together, make change, and keep food on the table and our bills paid.
There is a way for us to build strong and equitable alliances.
And that’s to start by making alliances that extend from the grassroots up to institutions, instead of down from institutions to the grassroots.
Yes. Some of the work of change has to be done by institutions with the capacity to manage complex projects, lobby politicians, protect activists, and bring groups together. But, institutions should not have power over allocating funds or determining which groups can be involved.
These decisions must be made in a deeply democratic way. Grassroots activists need to be given a respected and leading role, rather than being beholden to those holding the purse strings.
We want a future where the work of liberation and climate justice is honored and sustainable. We want a future where Water Protectors, human rights defenders, and frontline activists are supported financially and materially.
Our very survival depends on this.
We’ve tried the top-down approach. It doesn’t work. It pits groups against each other in the competition for funds. It makes collaboration strained. It leads to resentment rather than connection.
While donors often claim to encourage collaboration, diversity, and inclusion, their policies make this practically impossible. Instead, the policies lead to a profound lack of trust. This is because institutions mine less powerful groups for ideas and for grant proposal clout without compensation or inclusion if awarded funding.
So it’s time for change. If we want a free and democratic world that gets climate change under control while respecting and lifting up human rights, we need a different way of working.
Donors, you have the money. You say you want more inclusion and more solutions to the climate disaster. You say you support human rights. It’s up to you to change the way you are funding the work.
Let’s think together about ways we can share the funds in order to support the people on the frontlines.
Activists deserve breaks. They deserve healthcare and warm beds. They deserve to do the work without fear of losing everything and without burnout.
People on the frontlines know what’s needed. It’s time to listen and to act.
