ELEVATE

UNITE. LEARN.

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Transforming Place-Based Philanthropy

Our country is a mosaic of different communities, each with its own story, strengths, and challenges.

As funders working to learn, build evidence and support these places, it’s crucial that we understand the local context and target our investments to the things that residents say they want and need.

But we often confront a common hurdle: the fragmentation of knowledge and resources. How do we bridge this gap and harness our collective expertise to make change? How do we learn from past successes and foster trust with the communities we aim to serve?

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Unite.Learn. ELEVATE is a dedicated community for place-based funders, particularly those focused on learning and evaluation, to share insights, exchange best practices, and co-create innovative solutions. 

Whether you're looking to refine your funding strategies, launch a new research effort, or co-invest in transformative projects, ELEVATE is the gateway to collective action and shared wisdom. Together, we’ll break down silos, share lessons from past efforts and forge partnerships that transcend geographical boundaries.

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Why ELEVATE?

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Elevate Place. Elevate People. Elevate Action.

By joining the ELEVATE community, you’ll be with like-minded learning funders pushing for transformational change. People who understand the nuances of your work and the many hats you must wear liaising with different stakeholder groups. Together, we’ll elevate not just our initiatives but the very communities we serve.

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Streamline Collaboration, Enhance Effectiveness.

Say goodbye to information overload. We curate and consolidate resources, freeing you to focus on what truly matters: catalyzing change.

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Increase Influence.

As a collective voice, we wield greater influence in shaping the conversation about effective research, evaluation, and learning practices. Together, we champion strategies that resonate beyond boardrooms and into the communities we aim to serve.

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What’s in store?

  • Co-design tools and strategies that redefine the boundaries of effective place-based philanthropy.

  • Discuss your successes and setbacks and tap the hivemind to tackle your toughest challenges.

  • Access a treasure trove of curated tools, templates, research and best practices to build on what’s working and avoid what isn’t.

  • Forge meaningful connections with fellow changemakers, unlocking new avenues for collaboration and co-investment.

Are you interested in learning more about the community? Sign-up for updates.

What Guides Us?

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ELEVATE is rooted in four core principles. If they resonate, then this is the community for you. 

1

Transformational, not transactional.

We view data and evaluation not as compliance tasks, but as catalysts for transformative learning and growth.

2

Community at the center.

We prioritize community expertise and collaborate in ways that are inclusive, non-extractive, and that reduce the burden on grant partners.

3

Bringing our whole selves

We believe that the best work happens when people can bring their whole selves and have fun.

4

Innovative progress.

We push boundaries and advance placed-based funding to make a real difference.

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About the Facilitators

Meet the minds behind the movement. Learn more about our facilitators, Martena Reed and Jennifer Marsack and their commitment to equitable philanthropy.

Get to know us
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Submit your interest today!

Join us on our journey and sign-up to receive exclusive updates and priority access to ELEVATE. Let's elevate place-based philanthropy to new heights together!