My Journey with Equitable Grantmaking

Biography

Amanda Kikonyogo is a recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health, minor in Data Science and micro minor in Health Equity from The George Washington University Milken School of Public Health. Through hands-on experiences, Amanda is committed to pursuing a career that uplifts historically underserved communities, especially people most affected by structural and institutional racism. Over the last few months, Amanda interned at Health Resources in Action (HRiA) with the Massachusetts Community Health & Healthy Aging Funds (the Funds) and is now a Full-time Program Coordinator with the Funds. 

Equitable Grantmaking as a Tool 

In the world of philanthropy and grantmaking, the concept of equity has become increasingly central. There’s a growing recognition of the need to address systemic injustices and historical inequities in the distribution of resources. This shift has given rise to the practice of equitable grantmaking, a powerful lens for building and critiquing the grantmaking process and allocation of funding.  

I first remember encountering equity and grantmaking as separate concepts. Equity is incredibly important to me as I speak from both lived experiences and learned experiences through coursework and community engagement. Equity encompasses the complex and valuable explanation for how people show up, access resources and healthcare, and ultimately make up their well-being. It recognizes all the multilevel factors that constitute people’s lives. When applied in various settings, equity acknowledges the many barriers or opportunities that must be addressed to ensure people can reach their full potential and fully utilize resources. 

Grantmaking was a new concept for me upon joining the fund’s effort. While I studied public health, I was not aware of the funding side and the financial aspects. Funding is a critical way to advance work on social determinants. Equitable grantmaking highlights the conscious effort to provide funds to a diverse group of organizations while implementing a recruiting, outreach, and application process that supports all applicants. This concept illuminated my perspective on the fund and the future work ahead. 

NonprofitAF, a blog offering insights on nonprofit practices, and RVC Seattle, an organization advancing racial equity in nonprofits, have collaborated to create an Equitable Grantmaking Continuum. This tool allows funders to evaluate their practices across different categories and determine their level of equity. By assessing areas such as representation, decision-making transparency, and responsiveness to community needs, funders can gain insights into how their practices impact organizations. 

I truly appreciate the tool because it embodies the principle of equitable grantmaking. It fundamentally transformed my understanding of funding in the public health domain. Before encountering this tool, I hadn’t fully grasped the critical role that funding plays in advancing work on social determinants of health. 

Through this tool, the importance of consciously directing funds to a diverse array of organizations became very apparent. It emphasized that recruitment, outreach, and application processes should be inclusive and supportive for all applicants. This approach ensures that resources are distributed equitably and that barriers to access are minimized. 

Through deeper research and application to The Funds work, I could see the broader impact of equitable grantmaking on community well-being. It reinforced the idea that supporting diverse organizations is not only fair but essential for addressing the complex factors that influence health outcomes. This realization fueled my passion for the fund and the future work ahead, as I now understand the profound difference that thoughtful, equitable funding can make. 

The Funds team is dedicated to fostering engagement and collaboration among grantees and community stakeholders through equitable grantmaking and evaluation practices. The Funds mission is rooted in challenging inequitable systems and enhancing the capacity to promote health and racial equity in Massachusetts. During the 2024 grantmaking cycle, the Funds employed equitable grantmaking strategies, including an idea phase and a diverse grant review committee.  

The Funds Idea Phase 

At the Funds there is a continuous effort to navigate the grantmaking sector through an equitable lens.  From prioritizing representation to fostering sustainable partnerships with grassroots organizations, these examples showcase the Funds commitment to promoting equity and justice in all our endeavors. 

Take, for example, our innovative Idea Submission Phase. Here, interested applicants can pitch their ideas before diving into the full grant application process. By giving organizations the chance to brainstorm and refine their concepts before committing to developing a multi-year full proposal, we’re ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or resources, receives support to access funding. 

We provided potential applicants with transparent feedback on eligibility, alignment with the Funds goals, and ways to develop their Policy, System, and Environment (PSE) change ideas. This process is about fostering a culture of collaboration and improvement, even if an idea doesn’t make it to the full grant application stage, the feedback provided can still be invaluable for organizations. It’s all part of our mission to build on the strengths of the organization, support their ongoing efforts, and drive meaningful change toward health equity.  

Personally, I found the process of reading through submissions and providing feedback to be incredibly enlightening. It allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing organizations working towards health equity. Through this experience, I’ve learned the importance of empathy, active listening, and constructive feedback in supporting the growth and development of an applicant’s grant application. 

The Funds Review Committee 

Another example of our commitment to equitable grantmaking is our review committee process. To uphold the mission of the Funds and ensure a thorough and fair evaluation process, the Funds team actively outreach and recruits review committee members with diverse perspectives, including individuals with firsthand experiences and a deep understanding of different Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). Comprised of experts from fields such as public health, community advocacy, policy, and representation from the target populations most impacted by this work, the review committee ensures a comprehensive assessment of each grant proposal to help inform final decisions of who is awarded. 

By leveraging the insights of individuals with lived experiences of marginalization and maintaining a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, the review committee plays a pivotal role in directing the funds towards initiatives poised to enact substantial and lasting change in communities impacted by health disparities. One of the most profound reflections from my involvement in this process has been witnessing the recruitment and assembly of each review committee for the funding areas. Assembling a review committee isn’t just about filling seats.  

Personal Insights and Future Directions  

Equity is inherently complex because it brings forth everything, lays it out on the table, and demands that you address it all. My first instinct is to tackle every issue at once. However, the real question is: how can that be sustainable? The reality is that in trying to address all equities and be as inclusive as possible, some things will inevitably fall through the cracks or hinder efficiency. That’s the significant challenge and complexity of adopting an equitable grant-making strategy. 

However, by shining a light on the grant-making process using the Equitable Grantmaking Continuum, we were able to identify areas that could be prioritized. Whether it’s aggressive outreach strategies to identify and fund underrepresented organizations or increasing our capacity to accept applications in various formats, such as PowerPoints, videos, and written essays, we’re ensuring that everyone can apply using their strengths. 

It’s about measuring what is feasible against our goals and finding a happy medium. This doesn’t mean we stop and say, “this is all we can do.” Rather, we’d prefer to make incremental progress toward our goals instead of doing nothing at all. Every step, no matter how small, counts toward making a difference. 

In wrapping up my exploration of equitable grantmaking with the Funds team, it’s been a journey filled with insights and inspiration. The dedication to collaboration, inclusivity, and amplifying diverse voices has been the driving force behind every aspect of our grantmaking process. From the initial Idea Submission Phase to the meticulous work of our review committee, I’ve witnessed the tangible impact of prioritizing equity and justice. It’s clear that equitable grantmaking isn’t just a concept, it’s a powerful tool for creating positive changes in communities affected by health disparities. 

As I continue my journey in this field, I am excited to build on these experiences and contribute to furthering the mission of equitable grantmaking. The lessons learned will continue to guide my efforts in supporting organizations dedicated to health equity.