Common Counsel Foundation

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The Common Counsel Foundation, founded in 1988, is a grant-making foundation which encompasses a number of funds. Funds are directed to progressive organizations that work to build the leadership of low-income people, women, youth, people of color and others working for justice, equity, and a healthy, sustainable environment.[1]

About

Founded in 1988, Common Counsel Foundation partners with families and individual donors to expand philanthropic resources for progressive social movements. The organization prioritizes support for community-based organizations building the leadership of low-income people, women, youth, people of color and others working for justice, equity, and a healthy, sustainable environment. Over its more than 20-year history, Common Counsel Foundation has developed a reputation for progressive community-oriented philanthropy highlighted by grant-making that is defined not only by who we fund, but also by the principles and practices that guide our work. Common Counsel donors and member funds share a special interest in supporting organizations committed to grassroots community organizing for racial, economic, and environmental justice, policy reform, and social change.[1]

Ear to the Ground Project

Ear to the Ground Project was financially supported by the Center for Third World Organizing, the Movement Strategy Center, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the Mitchell Kapor Foundation, the Common Counsel Foundation, the Solidago Foundation, Steven Phillips and Susan Sandler, Quinn Delaney, and Connie Cagampang Heller & Jonathan Cagampang Heller.[2]

Personnel

Board of Trustees

As at October 7, 2010, the following served on the Board:[3]

Staff

As at October 7, 2010, the following served on the Staff of the organization:[4]

Affiliated Personnel

Member Funds

The Foundation is home to the Abelard Foundation West, Acorn Foundation, Penney Family Fund, the Victor and Lorraine Honig Fund, the Grassroots Exchange Fund, and the Social and Economic Justice Fund. In partnership with its member funds, the foundation provides grant support to "well over 200 community organizations each year" and helps advance a broad range of initiatives towards progressive social, racial, economic and environmental change.[6]

Abelard Foundation West

The Abelard Foundation is a family foundation with 50 years of experience in progressive philanthropy. The Foundation is committed to supporting grassroots social change organizations in predominantly low-income communities and communities of color that seek to expand community control over economic, social and environmental decisions affecting their communities' wellbeing.[6]

Trustees

2008 Grants

In 2008, the Abelard Foundation West awarded 23 grants totaling $260,000:[8]

2009 Grants

In 2009, the Abelard Foundation West awarded 22 grants totaling $260,000:[9]

Acorn Foundation

Not to be confused with ACORN (now defunct)

Established in 1978, the Acorn Foundation is a family foundation dedicated to advancing community-based organizations working for environmental conservation, sustainability and environmental justice.[6]

2008 Grants

In 2008, the Acorn Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $126,000:[10]

2009 Grants

In 2009 the Acorn Foundation made 12 grants totaling $120,000:[11]

Penney Family Fund

Formed in 1999, the Penney Family Fund supports organizations based in Oregon and California that work to advance human rights, community social, political, and economic empowerment, government accountability, and environmental sustainability. The foundation formed after the James C. Penney Foundation restructured in early 1999. Since its inception, the foundation has supported 282 organizations for a total of $5,770,010 up to 2009. The foundation focuses on two areas: "Green Pathways Out of Poverty" and "Youth Organizing & Leadership Development".[12]

2008 Grants

In 2008, the Penney Family Fund awarded 29 grants totaling $465,000:[13]

2009 Grants

In 2009, the Penney Family Fund awarded 15 grants totaling $297,500:[14]

Victor and Lorraine Honig Fund

The Victor and Lorraine Honig Fund has operated for over 30 years to support community organizations that are "working to advance equality, opportunity, justice, and civil rights for low-income communities and communities of color" in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The Fund also works to support organizations that connect local social justice efforts with national and international movements for peace and justice.[6] The Fund has been a donor advised fund member of the Common Counsel Foundation since Summer 2005.[15]

2008 Grants

In 2008, the Victor & Lorraine Hong Fund awarded 72 grants totaling $406,000:[16]

2009 Grants

In 2009, the Victor & Lorraine Hong Fund awarded 68 grants totaling $410,500:[17]

Social and Economic Justice Fund

The Social and Economic Justice Fund is a collaborative grants initiative that supports organizations working on civil and human rights, youth organizing, alternative media, and economic justice for low-income immigrant communities, and communities of color in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.[6] Created in 1999 as a joint program between the former Progressive Way of the Bay Area and the Common Counsel Foundation, it is funded by individual donors and has made 45 grants totaling $111,500 since 2000.[18]

2005 Grants

In 2005, the Fund made 8 grants totalling $9,500:[19]

2006 Grants

In 2006, the Fund made four grants totaling $11,000:[19]

2007 Grants

In 2007, the Social & Economic Justice Fund awarded 5 grants totaling $9,500:[19]

2008-2009

In 2008 and 2009 the Fund awarded the following grants:[20]

Grassroots Exchange Fund

The Grassroots Exchange Fund is a community-guided rapid response small grants program established to build bridges between grassroots social and environmental justice organizations throughout the United States. GXF grants help community-based organizations to engage in collaborative campaigns, strengthen key cross-region and cross-sector movements, and participate in organizing and technical assistance trainings.[6] The program focuses on three goals:[21]

  • To strengthen the ability of small organizations to participate in public debates
  • To strengthen key cross-region and cross-sector movements
  • To contribute to collaborative policy victories in the realms of social, environmental and economic justice

2008

In 2008, the Grassroots Exchange Fund awarded 53 grants totaling $43,950:[22]

2009

In 2009 the Grassroots Exchange Fund made 45 grants totaling $36,700:[23]

Residency Programs

In addition to issuing grants, the Common Counsel has worked for over 20 years to support and coordinate residency programs that advance leadership development and leadership sustainability among grassroots organizers, community leaders, and social and environmental innovators. The organization is currently the fiscal sponsor of the Windcall Institute and the Mesa Refuge Writers Retreat.[24]

Windcall Institute

Windcall bar.gif

The Windcall Residency Program was founded by Susan and Albert Wells and operated on their ranch in Montana from 1989 until 2006. The Wells family foundation, the Abelard Foundation, is part of the Common Counsel Foundation consortium of family foundations.[25]

Holly Fincke is the Director of the Windcall Institute.[26]

Board

The following serve on the board:[27]

Advisory Board

The following have served on the advisory board:[27]

Residents

The following have attended the recidency program:

1989 - 2008:[28]

2009-2010:[29]

Mesa Refuge Writers Retreat

Mesa bar.gif

The Mesa Refuge Writers Retreat was founded by the Common Counsel Foundation in 1998. As of January 2010, the retreat split off from the foundation, becoming an independent organization. The retreat has hosted over 500 writers who are working to advance strategies for economic and environmental sustainability and social equity.[30]

Visit the KeyWiki page on the Mesa Refuge Writers Retreat here.

The retreat's website is: http://www.mesarefuge.org.

References

Template:Reflist

  1. Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Common Counsel Foundation: About (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  2. Ear to the Ground, About, accessed Nov. 12, 2015
  3. Common Counsel Foundation: Board (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  4. Common Counsel Foundation: Staff (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  5. Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 Common Counsel Foundation: Supporting CCF (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  6. Jump up to: 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Common Counsel Foundation: Grant Programs (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  7. Common Counsel Foundation: Donor Services (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  8. Common Counsel Foundation: 2008 Abelard Foundation West Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  9. Common Counsel Foundation: 2009 Abelard Foundation West Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  10. Common Counsel Foundation: 2008 Acorn Foundation Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  11. Common Counsel Foundation: 2009 Acorn Foundation Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  12. CCF website: Penney Family Fund (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  13. 2008 PENNEY FAMILY FUND GRANTS (accessed February 17, 2023)
  14. CCF website: 2009 Penney Family Fund Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  15. Common Counsel Foundation: Victor and Lorraine Honig Fund (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  16. CCF website: 2008 Victor & Lorraine Honig Fund Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  17. CCF website: 2009 Victor & Lorraine Hong Fund Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  18. CCF website: Social and Economic Justice Fund (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  19. Jump up to: 19.0 19.1 19.2 CCF website: 2005-2007 SEJ Fund Grants List (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  20. CCF website: 2008-2009 SEJ Fund Grants List (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  21. CCF website: Grassroots Exchange Fund (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  22. CCF website: 2008 Grassroots Exchange Fund Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  23. CCF website: 2009 Grassroots Exchange Fund Grants (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  24. CCF website: Residency Programs (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  25. CCF website: About Windcall (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  26. CCF website: Windcall Staff (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  27. Jump up to: 27.0 27.1 CCF website: Windcall Board & Advisory Board (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  28. CCF website: Windcall Residents 1989-2008 (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  29. CCF website: Windcall Residents 2009 & 2010 (accessed on Oct. 7, 2010)
  30. CCF website: Residency Programs (accessed on Oct. 8, 2010)