We envision a region that is just and caring, where all people truly have the power to live healthy, prosperous and whole lives free of fear and marginalization. Grantmakers For Southern Progress believes as these transformative changes are achieved in the South, it will lay an indelible foundation for the achievement of lasting equity and justice in the country overall, for “As the South goes, so goes the Nation.”
Our Philosophy
Trust the experience of local leaders from affected communities and the information they convey, even when it is uncomfortable.
– Excerpt from the full As the South Goes report.
Support equity-focused structural change in the South.
As a membership organization, Grantmakers For Southern Progress’s primary audiences are Southern-based and National funders who are interested in or already committed to supporting equity-focused structural change in the South. These funders fall along a spectrum of interest, knowledge, experience and relationships within the South, and Grantmakers For Southern Progress works to meet our partners where they are and support their progression along the spectrum from interest to investment, grounded in our values around philanthropic giving and practice.
Our Core Values
Centering Community
- GSP values the wisdom of Southern Communities.
- We value and respect the people who are most affected by the decisions we make.
- We believe the voice of the community should guide and direct funding in the South.
Structural Change
GSP’s goal is to help achieve significant and sustained progress in the economic, social, and political outcomes of those least well off in the South. Centering racial, gender, and economic equity and social inclusion in our work and analysis creates the opportunity for GSP to engage Southern-based and national funders committed to structural change in the South.
Education & Data
- We practice sharing knowledge that builds community within GSP’s core and outer circles.
- We value learning from each other and partner organizations.
Centering the South
We have a deep conviction that when marginalized Southerners gain power and win, everyone wins. The South is a critical area of investment for progressive change in the country.
As the South goes, so goes the nation.
Equity & Justice
- Transformative change in this country and the South is not possible without centering racial and gender equity.
- We hold ourselves to the value of using a race and gender lens in the work we fund and the work we present at funder meetings.
Relationships
- We build relationships and ongoing learning starting at the center.
- Sustained relationship-building is one of the most powerful change tools there is.
- Relationships that are reciprocal and are not extractive.
Ignite Change With GSP
Join Our Network and Ignite Change! GSP is a membership-based network of philanthropic leaders, practitioners, and individuals dedicated to leveraging resources for structural change in the South.