Funders and Philanthropy

The following isms uphold the power structure within philanthropy: capitalism, classism, racism, and patriarchy. This is not an exhaustive list. Visit the isms blog series to learn more.

These anti-oppressive recommendations are a starting point for partners across sectors to convene conversations to learn from one another, build awareness for anti-oppressive initiatives happening within the youth sexual health field, discuss opportunities for collaboration, and engage in action planning.

Building Awareness Across Initiatives

If you are leading an initiative or practice that is in alignment with the recommendations shared below, we want to hear about it, and would love to discuss how to elevate your work through this website and with partners.

If you would like a partner to explore and discuss these recommendations with, please contact Trailhead’s Youth Sexual Health Program team to connect.

  • Philanthropy has played a pivotal role in sex education. For example, in 1964, Dr. Mary Calderon founded SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States) with seed money provided by Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Foundation. In Colorado in 2008, an anonymous donor provided $28 million in funding to develop beforeplay.org – a campaign to normalize conversations around sex, expand family planning services, and provide access to long-acting reversible contraception as well as other sexual health resources. These are just a few examples of ways philanthropy has influenced sexual health and sex education. Despite this, according to the National Committee on Responsive Philanthropy from 2015-2019, $195 million was allocated to sex education focused work, however only 22% of total funding was designated specifically for comprehensive sex education. 

    Additionally, it is critical for funders and philanthropic entities to recognize and acknowledge the power they hold through funding and how their practices perpetuate harmful and discriminatory practices and inequities. Often power remains concentrated in white leaders and institutions, without a critical examination of the ways white supremacy is practiced and maintained. Vu Le’s excellent blog Nonprofit AF highlights the subtle ways that white supremacy manifest in nonprofit and philanthropy.

Recommendations for Anti-Oppressive Action

    • Identify gaps and work collaboratively to address them.

      • Center the experience of people made vulnerable by oppressive systems.

    • Address the need to be seen as an “expert” in the field.

      • Develop authentic relationships with the community.

      • Address funding practices that create barriers for the community to access money.

      • Address scarcity mindset created by competitive funding.

      • Understand the disparities in services created by a white supremacist system, name them, and use your funding and power to take action that is accountable and led by the community.

    • Know your lane and be humble

      • Stop duplicating processes (landscape assessments, data collection, oh my...) and start funding community engagement and community-led work.