I was thrilled to join the Participatory Grantmaking Community for a conversation about the tensions of fundraising for participatory grantmaking (PGM) along with Paul-Gilbert Colletaz from the Red Umbrella Fund and Yodit Tesfamariam from Camden Giving. We started the conversation with some guiding tensions about whether it matters where the money for participatory grantmaking comes from, why different tensions arise when fundraising for PGM, when all that is sorted, what (if any) is the role for donors in participatory grantmaking?
Despite Firelight not being a participatory grantmaker, I joined the conversation because our commitment to community-driven systems change means that we are committed to community agendas in a sector that is too often driven by donor agendas.
I touched on building trust and how can we strive to fundamentally shape a relationship and a sector founded on solidarity, rather than charity and colonialism.
Ultimately, the key question is: who sets the agenda for change?
Sadaf Shallwani 