This Juneteenth, ECFC calls on philanthropy to move beyond commemoration and step into action. True liberation for Black children, families, and communities requires a philanthropy that is not only reflective, but reparative.
True liberation for Black children, families, and communities requires more than acknowledgment. It demands investment, reparation, and trust. As we prepare to gather in Montgomery, Alabama—where the civil rights movement gained force and where its legacy lives on—we issue this call as an unwavering commitment to justice.
Actions for Philanthropy
- Practice trust-based philanthropy and shift to authentic power sharing and learning that informs action.
- Invest in reparative grantmaking for organizations led by and rooted in historically excluded communities.
- Advance child and family well-being by funding reproductive justice, economic justice, environmental justice, child care, and other early childhood investments that address the compounding impacts of racism from birth.
- Support narrative change by funding communications, storytelling, and organizing led by marginalized communities.
- Use your platform to champion policies that advance racial and economic justice.
Suggested Readings for Deeper Engagement
As we develop a formal pre-reading list for the Fall 2025 Member Meeting, we encourage funders to begin with these resources that connect our history, values, and strategies for racial equity and justice:
- Bearing Witness & Why We Keep Going: Reflections from Montgomery, AL (Blog post) – A personal reflection by ECFC’s Keami Harris on a recent site visit to Montgomery in May and how history deepens our collective call to action this Juneteenth and beyond.
Initiatives
- Improving Early Childhood To Create a Just Society – ECFC’s 2019 foundational report on its racial equity pillars: Learning, Practice and Collective Action.
- Centering Black Leadership in Philanthropy – ECFC-commissioned research into the lived experiences of Black leaders in early childhood.
- Centering Native Voices: Lessons from Philanthropy and Community – ECFC/Native Americans in Philanthropy commissioned with interviews of both EC philanthropists working in Native communities, and leaders in those communities. The reports are rich in detailed feedback, especially the recommendations for action.
Tools
- Championing Equity – A toolkit for funders seeking to invest in immigrant and other bilingual or multilingual children.
- What Can Philanthropy Do? Coming Together for Children in Immigrant Families in a Changing Policy Landscape – A brief developed with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees.