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Racial Equity 2030 seeks to scale transformative ideas that will improve the lives of children, families and communities across the globe.
In 2019, we launched Lever for Change with the goal of unlocking significant philanthropic capital for transformative social change. We hoped our services would address the gap between wealthy donors' aspirations and their actual grantmaking.
When we speak of resilience, we think about people’s ability to withstand hard times and “bounce back.” The year 2020 has been a continuous source of unexpected shocks.
We are undeniably in an era of rapid change. During these uncertain, complex times, when many are peacefully disrupting the status quo, we need to move forward differently, to be more innovative, more inclusive. We need to transform our thinking and acting in ways that will lead to justice and equity for all.
On April 30, 2019, the MacArthur Foundation launched the second round of 100&Change, its global competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time. In the second round of 100&Change, we introduced a Peer-to-Peer Review process. Here is what we learned.
Always Growing, Auburn Gresham has been awarded the first ever Chicago Prize, a $10 million grant competition of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation that sought to invest in collaborative initiatives using physical development to spur economic activity, strengthen civic infrastructure, and improve the safety, well-being, and economic mobility of residents in the city's South and/or West sides.
At Lever for Change, our mission is to accelerate social change by connecting bold donors with highly rated proposals submitted through customized competitions. We are committed to openness and transparency in all of our competitions, and to providing value to each participant. We do this by publicly sharing information about the competition process, including the timeline, evaluation criteria, and judges. We also ensure that as many applicants as possible receive feedback on their proposals during each competition. Our platform invites applicants to think big and be bold as they strive for impact.
Today, Pivotal Ventures announced an additional $10 million for the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, thanks to support from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. The Challenge will now award at least three grants of a minimum of $10 million, with an additional $10 million to be allocated among finalists and determined at the award decision stage, bringing the total to $40 million for bold solutions to advance gender equality in the United States.
Progress is possible, if our society is willing to make big investments that tackle inequity at scale and remove the impediments that systematically erode the gains we achieve. Our mission at Lever for Change is aligned with these goals.
Last week, MacKenzie Scott announced $1.67 billion in grants to 116 organizations, following up on her Giving Pledge commitment to give away her personal fortune during her lifetime.