The Libra Foundation announced today that the Board of Directors approved doubling its grantmaking from $25 million in 2019 to $50 million in 2020. The doubling represents the Foundation’s focus on the historic importance of 2020 and a deep commitment to supporting organizations led by and building power with those most impacted by systemic oppression.
In the final docket of 2019, The Libra Foundation approved $12.5 million in grants to organizations led by and for those most impacted by systemic injustice–largely low-income communities of color–that are building power through grassroots community organizing to tackle society's most pressing problems.
The Libra Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Kathryn Snyder and maisha quint who will lead The Libra Foundation’s criminal justice grantmaking strategy. Criminal justice is one of three program areas in which The Libra Foundation focuses its grantmaking, along with environmental justice and gender justice.
The Libra Foundation has approved $12.4 million in grants to social justice organizations during the first half of 2019. The foundation’s latest docket includes $8.1 million to 31 existing grantee partners and $3.4 million to 23 organizations new to the Foundation.
The Libra Foundation is pleased to announce the hiring of Jennifer Agmi, who will lead The Libra Foundation’s gender justice grantmaking strategy. Gender justice is one of three program areas in which The Libra Foundation focuses its grantmaking, along with environmental justice and criminal justice and drug policy reform.
Building on a strong fifteen-year legacy of grantmaking to progressive causes and movements with a focus on social justice organizations that integrate human rights into their work, The Libra Foundation recently approved $8.4 million in grants, including $2.9 million to 25 new organizations and $5.5 million to 27 existing grantee partners.
The Libra Foundation has approved and disbursed $300,000 in grants to two organizations addressing the devastation caused by the Camp Fire in Butte County and the Woolsey Fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in November 2018.
The Libra Foundation has approved and disbursed $350,000 in rapid response grants to seven organizations addressing the unjust family separation policies of the current administration. The Libra Foundation board, appalled by documented human rights abuses at the border and elsewhere, requested staff research and recommend groups for immediate funding. Staff identified potential grantees through Libra’s existing network of grantees, as well as through funder collaboratives such as Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees and Solidaire. Libra staff conducted their own due diligence, enabling these organizations’ leaders to stay focused on their work to reunify families and protect their human rights instead of completing onerous paperwork. The board initiated and approved this docket and notified the organizations of their awards in less than three weeks.
The Libra Foundation announces the hiring of two experienced foundation leaders, Ashley Clark as Knowledge and Grants Manager, and Angie Chen as Senior Program Officer.
"The Foundation welcomes Ashley and Angie, each of whom brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to equity and justice," said Crystal Hayling, president and CEO. "Ashley has extensive knowledge of the sector and deep data management expertise, and Angie’s track record in developing strategic initiatives and partnering with grantees will together add tremendous value to the impact of our social justice grantmaking.”
The Libra Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of Crystal Hayling as its new Executive Director. “At this pivotal time in our country’s history, we want to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in social change philanthropy,” said Regan Pritzker, the family member who led the search process.
