The Executives’ Alliance for Boys and Men of Color is a network comprising more than 40 national, regional, and community foundations. Our member foundations have various areas of focus, but they are bound by a shared commitment to help increase economic, educational, civic-engagement, and wellness opportunities for boys and men of color, and remove the systemic barriers that impede and harm them.
HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER
Working primarily through our special initiatives and funder workgroups, known as Collective Action Tables (CATs), the EA staff and consultants create opportunities for shared learning, coordination, and communication on key issues affecting boys and men of color. We also help funders put this learning into action by incubating and catalyzing strategic collaborations that create entry points for funders of various types.
Foundation presidents/CEOs participate in a peer community with other foundation executives through the CEOs’ Circle sessions, which take place at our semiannual membership meetings. They also field and respond to action recommendations that urge specific collective investment strategies or leadership actions.
EA members engage colleagues at other philanthropic institutions as thought partners and action partners.
Member Benefits
The EA network provides a strategic and collaborative home base for funders committed to the success of our nation’s boys and men of color. As the nation’s only funder network focused on this population, we connect our members to innovative and impactful efforts in the field and also serve as a platform for shared learning and strategic collaboration.
EA members enjoy the following benefits:
- A nationwide network of grantmakers and strategists
- A unique peer network of foundation presidents and CEOs
- Participation in funder workgroups (CATs)
- Access to electronic mailing lists
- Webinars on timely issues
- Members-only briefings and conference calls
- Access to technical assistance and strategic advisement
- Members-only email updates from the EA’s executive director
- Opportunities to enhance practice by learning from other funders
- Opportunities to share proposals for co-investment with other funders
- Access to funder toolkits and digital content
Find out how we help make philanthropy’s investments in boys and men of color more strategic and impactful.
Member Eligibility Requirements
The unit of membership in the EA is institutional. Any staffer member of a member institution receives membership benefits. However, the chief executives are expected to play an active role in this peer network. Membership is open to any public, private, or corporate philanthropic entity that commits to the following:
- Advancing the EA’s mission and vision
- Making tangible institutional commitments (monetary or otherwise) that align with the EA’s vision and priorities
- Participating in funder workgroups (CATs)
- Participating in semiannual meetings and other key activities
- Responding to action recommendations from the EA staff
- Facilitating learning and organizational change within their own institutions
- Engaging in ongoing interrogation of foundations’ work to support the BMOC movement
- Collecting and sharing institutional data, practices, and learnings
- Remaining a member for at least three years (renewable)
- Contributing financially to operations of the EA by paying dues (sliding scale, available upon request)