INNOVATING PARTICIPATORY GRANTMAKING THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED VOICES.

Philanthropists and United Way Bay Area’s new Community Ambassadors Council come together to inform grant making decisions.

January 27, 2022

In December, UWBA hosted a fireside chat with our funder partners to help the newly appointed Community Ambassadors Council learn about the grantmaking process. This group of 30 UWBA Ambassadors will be helping UWBA give out grants to our community partners in an effort to better integrate community voice and especially client voice into our programmatic, grantmaking, advocacy, and fundraising efforts.

The panelist for the fireside chat included Hana Ma, Sobrato Foundation; Saul Valdez, ECMC Foundation; Malila Becton-Consuegra, Stupski Foundation; and April Yee, College Futures Foundation. Moderated by the UWBA team, the panel discussion served to give insight and inspiration to the Ambassadors before launching into the process to decide on grants. In addition, the panelists were able to provide tips, tricks, advice and expertise to the Ambassadors. “Keep it grantee-centered, remember they are doing the hard work to save the world” recommended Malila Becton-Consuegra.

Building off UWBA’s SparkPoint Ambassador program, the UWBA Ambassadors Council consists of a diverse group of Ambassadors who have participated in one or more of UWBA’s funded programs as clients, staff or volunteers with lived experience and expertise in UWBA’s issue areas. The Ambassador Program is a way for UWBA to work with community members who have a vested interest in ensuring their communities have a voice in shaping programming and strategy. Ambassadors serve as a sounding board, offer ideas, speak at events, and contribute to our value of centering community voice in our work. Ambassadors receive a stipend for their hard work.

While the members of the UWBA Ambassadors Council learned a lot of information from the session, it also gave them a sense of heightened responsibility around wanting to do the work well. “I was impressed with the complexity of the giving process and the amount of work we need to do this well,” said one UWBA Ambassador, and this work is critical in creating the most innovative and impactful programs.

UWBA is grateful for our ambassadors for applying their lived experiences, giving their time and attention in shaping and designing community solutions.

Learn more about our Ambassador Program

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