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ReWork Philanthropy Community of Practice

Art credit: Fernando Marti

At ReWork the Bay, we are committed to driving meaningful change by shifting power dynamics in the world of philanthropy. Founded in 2020, the Equity at Work Council (EWC) embarked on a mission to create a more equitable and inclusive philanthropic landscape. We are rewriting the script on grant-making, placing the spotlight where it truly belongs – on the remarkable individuals and organizations actively driving the essential work to bring about this transformation. To provide a solution, ReWork the Bay (ReWork) is sponsoring a funder Community of Practice (CoP) and accepting applications now, register here!

Allow us to proudly introduce you to some extraordinary EWC contributors, portrayed through the beautiful artwork crafted by Fernando Marti. These partners are instrumental in translating our mission into a tangible reality.

Here’s a brief overview of our journey so far:

2020: Pioneering Change

The Equity at Work Council (EWC) set forth a groundbreaking set of strategy recommendations. These recommendations were visionary as they had a pragmatic focus on redistributing the power traditionally held by funders to the EWC. This marked a pivotal moment in our commitment to reshape the philanthropic ecosystem.

2021: Taking Concrete Steps

Building on the momentum of its emergence in 2020, we witnessed significant progress in 2021. The EWC and ReWork funders came together to approve a comprehensive ReWork Philanthropy strategy. This strategy was meticulously crafted and included the establishment of a short-term Working Group. The primary objective of this group is to redesign ReWork’s decision-making and authority structures to facilitate the transfer of power to the EWC.

Our Vision and Goals

At ReWork Philanthropy, our overarching goals are clear:

Radical Redesign: We are dedicated to reworking our decision-making and governance structure. Our aim is to shift power to the EWC in three crucial areas:
- Strategy Direction & Ratification
- Budget Oversight & Approval
- Grantmaking Recommendations & Endorsements

Decisions That Empower

To achieve these goals, we have implemented the following actions:

Strategy Setting: The EWC is empowered to set and approve ReWork’s overall strategy and priorities, always within the bounds of ReWork’s mission and the sponsor authority of theSan Francisco Foundation (SFF).
Budget Oversight: Budget oversight and decision authority, previously held by ReWork Funders, has transitioned to the EWC. This shift of authority is within the parameters of SFF’s sponsor authority.
Grantmaking Empowerment: Grantmaking decision authority, once vested in ReWork Funders, now rests with the EWC while staying aligned with SFF’s sponsor authority.
Funder Advocacy: Our funders actively contribute their influence and advocacy to amplify ReWork’s efforts, narrative, and approach within their institutions and the broader philanthropic field.

Are you a funder interested in learning with us on our journey to reimagine philanthropy with community at the center? Join us! Together, we can work together towards an equitable future.

Meet our Community of Decision Makers

Pui Ling Tam. Program Lead Walter and Elise Haas Fund

Pui Ling Tam’s main areas of work responsibility include Economic Well-being grantmaking and accountability to our grantees and nonprofit ecosystem. This includes leading the Endeavor Fund, Policy grants, and supporting our youth grantmaking team, the BAY Fellows, and their leadership of Possibility grants. Reach out to Pui Ling if you seek assistance on: the topic of nonprofit well-being (sometimes known as talent justice, wage equity, or quality, empowering jobs); or, the practice of youth- and community-led grantmaking. Pui Ling is a long-time school- and community-based educator, youth development practitioner, and former executive director of a fiscally sponsored nonprofit. She brings her experiences as a working mother and public school parent to her work; she is well-versed on youth voice on multiple awesome fronts. She is inspired to work at the Fund because it aims learn, to collaborate, and to shift power in meaningful ways.

Jeffery T.D. Wallace, President & CEO, LeadersUp

Named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People, Jeffery Wallace is a social impact entrepreneur engineering solutions to the social, economic, and
racial disparities impacting America’s most vulnerable workers – young adults of color. As President and CEO of LeadersUp, Jeffery leads a movement to evolve
Corporate America’s approach to at-risk talent and create an inclusive economic recovery post-COVID-19. Under his leadership, LeadersUp has impacted over
60,000 young adults for an estimated total economic impact of $956M.

A native of Richmond, California, Jeffery proudly attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education before earning a master’s in organizational development from the University of California, Berkeley.

Christina Garcia, Christina Garcia Consulting

Guided by her passion for social justice, equity, and inclusion, Christina Garcia has dedicated her career to operationalizing the connection between mission, values, and practice to increase social impact. Drawing on her experience in inclusive facilitation, strategy and program development, and evaluation, Christina partners with her clients to develop and integrate actionable practices that improve strategy and culture with a learning mindset. Christina is a 2018 Coro Women in Leadership alumni, 2015 Presidio Institute Cross Sector Leadership Fellow, serves on the Board of Directors of Mercy Housing California and Spring Impact, and is a member of Nonprofit Quarterly’s inaugural Race + Power Advisory Committee.

Max bell Alper, Executive Director North Bay Jobs with Justice

For over 20 years, Max has organized for economic, racial, and climate justice with low-wage immigrant workers throughout California. With a particular emphasis on leadership development of workers and the most impacted communities, they have successfully developed and implemented strategic comprehensive campaigns where workers win real tangible victories on their immediate needs while building long term power. Max lives in west Sonoma County with their partner, where they try to spend as much time as possible tending to the Land, fruit trees, roses, and native plants.

Leslie Payne, Initiative Director at James Irvine Foundation

Leslie leads the Better Careers Initiative at the James Irvine Foundation, a workforce development portfolio that focuses on job training and access as tools for community accountability and repair. She is passionate about shared ownership models as a way of advancing Irvine’s North Star of ensuring low-wage Californians have the power to advance economically. Prior to Irvine, Leslie held a variety of roles in mission-driven organizations in the private and independent sectors, specializing in strategy, innovation, and partnerships. She serves on the board of Innovate Work Labs and Telescope. She has almost two decades of experience helping organizations learn, adapt, and grow to find effective ways of meeting complicated challenges. Leslie received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley and MBA from Georgetown University.