2024: In the spirit of the season
As we settle into 2024, I remain excited about the promise a new year holds. Many of us use this season to set intentions and plan for a year ahead that is stronger than the last. At the Meyer Foundation, we find ourselves in a similar mindset — considering and planning for ways we can strengthen what we do and how we do it.
In the spirit of this season, I’m excited to share a few key areas of our work at the Meyer Foundation this year that I believe reinforce our values, enhance our partnerships in the community, and ultimately bring us closer to our vision of a more just, connected, and inclusive region.
A strategic refresh: Staying the course and deepening our commitment to racial equity and justice
It’s hard to believe that 2020 was already four years ago. That summer, Meyer staff last went through a strategic refresh process that included deep consultation with leaders in the national movement for racial and economic justice, several of our local partners advancing racial and economic justice within Greater Washington, and many of our peers in philanthropy with a long track record of supporting movements and organizing. One of the bodies of work that emerged from that summer was the Fund for Black-led Change, for which we aim to continue growing momentum beyond the initial five years.
We’ve operated under the last iteration of our strategy since then, and now, we again see a ripe opportunity to recalibrate. Our team has begun working with Noor Consulting on a strategy refresh that we aim to conclude in early fall.
In addition to engaging internally on this strategy refresh, the Foundation is committed to engaging grantee partners, peer philanthropy, and the regional community to ensure their strengths, needs, and aspirations are centered and accounted for as the strategy is refined. We look forward to updating you on this process in the coming months.
Welcoming new staff
Amid much of the work of the last several years, the Meyer Foundation has operated with a very efficient but lean team. Recently, we’ve been able to welcome some new faces: Jaqueline Tucker, Esq. (she/her) was hired as VP, Community Partnerships & Strategy; Sapna Pandya, MPH (she/her) was hired as Director, DC Partnerships & Strategy; Leni Dworkis (they/them) was hired as Director, Maryland Partnerships & Strategy; and Reena Singh (she/her) was hired as Grants Associate. Together with our longer-serving staff, the individuals in these roles stand ready to support our prospective and current grantee partners by stewarding resources with our beliefs, mission, and vision in mind.
Welcoming new board members
In addition to our newest staff members, we also recently welcomed our two newest board members: Lisa Woll (she/her), nonprofit consultant and advisor, and George Jones (he/him), CEO of Bread for the City (BFC). With Lisa’s expertise in advancing social policy, human rights, and more, and George’s longtime local leadership and successful efforts to embed racial equity into all areas of BFC’s work, we have a board of directors who continues to be well rounded and attuned to the long-term work of systems change and building connected and sustainable organizations.
Enhancing our capacity building support to grantee partners
As Karen FitzGerald (she/her) shared last fall, we’re thrilled to have revived our capacity-building program, aimed at supporting current grantee partners with their most relevant self-identified needs. Stay tuned this year as we continue to roll out enhancements to the program, including making more consultants available and launching the Restoration Fund through which Meyer will provide resources to support the healing and wellness needs of grantee partners.
Marking and reflecting on 80 years
Finally, we continue to operate in a period of reflection at the Foundation. This year is an especially significant one for reflection at Meyer: 2024 marks the Foundation’s 80th year, and with 80 years comes a great deal of history and transformation. Since 1944, amid a backdrop of countless major events that have reshaped our region and our world, the Foundation has sought to resource our grantee partners with the funding and support necessary to meet evolving community needs.
In the last decade, the Foundation has made clear its commitment to focus resources on systems change to address root causes of persistent racial inequity and injustice in our region. We remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing a region where everyone can thrive, yet nimble in our approach toward that end. This anniversary year, we’re considering how we can meaningfully mark this milestone in a way that celebrates the vibrant communities in our region. We look forward to sharing more about our plans.
There’s much to be excited about in 2024 as we continue to move forward out of a state of transition and into a state of transformation. I am excited to continue to meet with and chat with many of you to learn what you’re planning for in 2024 and how we might support each other.
