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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.
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.
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.
Local biological scientist Dr. Adrienne Starks has been selected to serve on a committee that will award $30 million to expand the power and influence of women in the United States by 2030.
On June 20, the world marked World Refugee Day—a global tradition established in 2001 to celebrate and highlight efforts to address the plight of refugees and displaced people. This year, in the midst of a global pandemic, World Refugee Day came and went with little fanfare or awareness.
One of my early memories of my mom is watching her being arrested on the evening news. She and several friends were “sitting in” at the Trailways bus station lunch counter in Dallas, Texas. My mother, who designed and sewed her own clothes, always dressed up for marches and sit-ins. Even as a young child, I appreciated the performative aspect of her appearance—wearing a Chanel-inspired suit with matching handbag, shoes, and leather gloves, eating lunch at a counter where she might never have eaten voluntarily in a desegregated world.