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This advocacy and civic engagement toolkit is designed for community and public foundations that want to educate and encourage their grantees about getting involved in civic and policy activities to increase organizational capacity and impact. While its primary focus is on the grantmaking activity of these foundations, the toolkit also addresses rules and guidance for policy involvement by foundation officials acting on behalf of their foundations.

This advocacy and civic engagement toolkit is designed for private foundations that want to educate and encourage their grantees about getting involved in civic and policy activities to increase organizational capacity and impact. While its primary focus is on the grantmaking activity of foundations, the toolkit also addresses rules and guidance for policy involvement by foundation officials acting on behalf of their foundations.

"Co-Creation" is a case study about the Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a project of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy. The case study, written by Patricia Bowie, examines co-creation, an emerging systems change collaboration model which grew out of a funder-and-state partnership. This unique partnership led to the creation by executive order of a new and independent Office of Early Childhood, which was formally approved by the Connecticut State Legislature in 2013. The companion piece, "Taking on New Roles to Address 21st Century Problems," looks at co-creation from the perspective of a regional association of grantmakers.

The Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative comprises 14 funders from around the state who bring many years of experience in supporting and operating programs that serve the needs of children and families.

This tool for unstaffed foundations includes an accountability self-assessment and a legal checklist. It is divided into nine topic sections, each of which is divided into three levels, which can help foundations tailor the tool to meet their specific interests and needs. Also included are an Excel spreadsheet to help tabulate responses, an extensive accountability resource list, and a glossary of key words and concepts used in the tool.

In predominantly renter-based markets across the Northeast, housing-related financial strain remains a significant barrier to household stability and long-term economic security. Yet innovative models are emerging that seek to flip that script, creating pathways for renters to build assets, reduce risk, and participate more fully in local prosperity.

Building on the momentum from AFN’s September 2024 webinar exploring regional strategies to increase affordability, reduce evictions, and deliver financial return or dividends to renters, this session will take a deeper dive into renter wealth-building models in action.

Join AFN, partners in New Jersey, and collaborators from national nonprofits and financial institutions as we explore promising approaches that leverage public-private tools, housing finance innovation, and credit-building strategies tied to rent payment. We’ll examine how these approaches can expand renter access to economic opportunity and help funders consider how to adapt similar efforts in urban centers across the region.

Speakers:
Rachel Levy-Culler, Housing Innovations Senior Specialist, Credit Builders Alliance (CBA)
Marcus Randolph, President & CEO, Invest Newark
Khaatim Sherrer El, Executive Director, Clinton Hill Community Action
Marco Villegas, Program Officer, JPMorgan Chase

 Who Should Attend:
Philanthropic leaders, community investors, housing advocates, and public-private partners working to advance financial security and equity for renters. This webinar is open to all and will focus on the New Jersey and Northeast AFN regions.

Captioning will be provided. If you have any other accessibility requests or questions, please email Paula Dworek. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be received by May 5, 2025, to ensure our ability to meet your request.