Safety Net Funders Network
Client: San Francisco Foundation
Project: Safety Net Funders Network
Service Area: Grantmaker Education
Content Area: Affordable Housing, Safety Net
The Safety Net Funders Network was launched by a group of San Francisco Bay Area foundations, including The San Francisco Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, Y & H Soda Foundation, and United Way Bay Area, in response to the Great Recession and its impact on the region’s social safety net.
The network aimed to inform immediate safety net grantmaking priorities, identify longer-term systems change goals, and share knowledge gained about needs and emerging best practices in safety net grantmaking.
Based on our expertise in facilitating grantmaker learning and our strong knowledge of the Bay Area social services sector, csb philanthropic solutions was engaged to facilitate the network’s learning activities and related research. We developed and facilitated in-depth, interactive issue briefings with key policy advocates, nonprofit providers, and funders.
We also coordinated site visits to safety net providers in key neighborhoods and provided ongoing group facilitation. In addition, we researched, wrote, and coordinated the online publication of a report on Bay Area safety net grantmaking and developed issue briefs on specific safety net topics. Network participants reported that the learning activities and publications were engaging and valuable for informing their grantmaking.