FUNDERS

CrossCurrents Foundation

The Foundation

The CrossCurrents Foundation was established in late 2006 to promote social, environmental and economic justice. The work of the Foundation is rooted in the idea that there are times when ordinary people can make significant change if advocates for change have sufficient resources to engage in civic activities.  CrossCurrents focuses where it believes private funding can make a strategic difference to community organizing and public education campaigns.

What are the current projects your foundation is working on?

We're laser-focused on civic engagement. We invest our grantmaking resources in strengthening the capacity of non-profit advocacy organizations to have a voice through voter engagement and broad based civic participation. We believe that voice will lead to a more just and sustainable environment and improve the ability of community organizations to address crucial problem areas such as health care reform.

CrossCurrents is also keenly interested in supporting emerging artists whose work contributes to a more just society.

What are the foundation’s primary areas of interest?

The Foundation's first project in the arts – called Brushfire -- will appear publicly in September 2008. It will include a national art exhibit in Washington, DC with 40 artists addressing a range of topics related to the globalization of the economy and the environment, environmental justice, civil liberties, the crisis in health care, voter suppression and similar issues. Around the country, non-profit organizations will sponsor simultaneous exhibits in museums and alternative spaces. The national and local exhibits will be linked via the web.
The Foundation's first civic engagement grants will be made in August of 2007.

What makes your foundation unique?

CrossCurrents is a small family foundation that is nimble and therefore able to make quick decisions and rapidly change gears to address emerging issues, as needed.   The two co-founders have respectively spent a lifetime working in the areas of civic engagement and in the arts. Most grants will be for core operating support.  Applications are by invitation only for the time being.

Are you working on any projects that you need collaboration on from other funders?  If so, please describe the project.

The Brushfire arts project presents a unique opportunity for other funders to support the arts and the environment simultaneously, by sponsoring local exhibitions that will be connected to the planned national activities. A tool-kit and more information on Brushfire will be available upon request.
In addition, CrossCurrents is collaborating with other foundations to support state-based non-profit civic participation initiatives.  These initiatives can be highly effective vehicles for bringing public support for the environment into the public discourse.

The Foundation and EGA

Why are you a member of EGA?

The answer is simple; civic engagement, the environment and the arts and social justice are too important to not to be part of the largest network of environmental funders in the nation.  

How has EGA affected or enhanced your work in the environmental field?

The September 2007 national conference is the first opportunity CrossCurrents has to meet with EGA funders and EGA staff. Through  EGA's network we look forward to meeting funders whom we do not know and with whom we can work.  We plan to discuss best practices with environmental funders in order to learn how effectively to maximize our philanthropy and to share our ideas with others. The many new initiatives EGA profiles help us stay informed about critical activities in the community of funders.