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GEO Strategic Direction: Centering Racial Equity

A path to transformation

Delivering On Our Commitments

In 2022, GEO launched a planning process aimed at mobilizing the GEO community around an explicit and holistic direction to center philanthropic practice on operationalizing racial equity. The resulting strategic direction, unveiled in 2024, articulates GEO’s vision, mission, values and goals for transforming philanthropy.

Culture

Grantmakers in the GEO community develop and deepen an intersectional racial equity analysis, including understanding (1) philanthropy’s historical roots in racism and exploitation, (2) the contemporary realities created and sustained by systems of oppression and (3) the current context of the communities they serve.

Practice

Grantmakers in the GEO community advance responsive and equitable practices such as providing long-term, flexible support to communities harmed by intersecting systems of oppression; centering community and shifting power in their grantmaking, capacity building, learning, and evaluation; and fostering equity in internal operations.

Learning

Grantmakers in the GEO community have an equity-centered learning mindset and embrace vulnerability, collective learning and unlearning, and collaboration.

Community

Grantmakers in the GEO community work effectively within a larger ecosystem of people and institutions, advancing equity across sectors.

Capacity Building

Philanthropy’s greatest contribution to achieving racial equity and an inclusive society is through investing in the leadership and capacity of nonprofits and communities to advance equity-centered change.

Capacity Building Resources & Events

Annual Report 2021

In this report, we are excited to share examples that illustrate some…

  • Annual Report

Annual Report 2018-2020

Across the philanthropic sector, the last several years have been a clear…

  • Annual Report

Year in Review 2017

The power of our community is undeniable when we look at the…

  • Annual Report

Making Meaningful Change

GEO frequently hears that grantmakers, no matter their role, want to make…

  • Publication

Year in Review 2016

In 2016, we prioritized finding new ways to build connections with each…

  • Case Study

Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?

Grantmakers recognize the value of supporting effective, well-led organizations - strong organizations…

  • Publication

Learn and Let Learn

This publication explores how learning communities can be powerful tools in creating…

  • Publication

On The Money

This publication highlights the financial challenges nonprofits face and the ways in…

  • Guide

Excerpt: Knowledge Gaps

An excerpt from GEO’s upcoming publication, On the Money: The Key Financial…

  • Publication

Annual Report 2008

GEO's 2008 Annual Report covers ten years of smarter grantmaking, stronger nonprofits…

  • Annual Report

Learning for Results

This publication explores what it means to be a "learning organization;" how…

  • Publication

New Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Learning Conference

Save the Date for GEO’s 2025 Learning Conference, hosted in partnership with…

  • Conferences

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

Culture

Grantmakers who are effectively working in service of nonprofits and communities create and sustain organizational cultures founded on several core elements, including a commitment to racial equity.

Culture Resources & Events

Annual Report 2021

In this report, we are excited to share examples that illustrate some…

  • Annual Report

Annual Report 2018-2020

Across the philanthropic sector, the last several years have been a clear…

  • Annual Report

Year in Review 2017

The power of our community is undeniable when we look at the…

  • Annual Report

Making Meaningful Change

GEO frequently hears that grantmakers, no matter their role, want to make…

  • Publication

Year in Review 2016

In 2016, we prioritized finding new ways to build connections with each…

  • Case Study

Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?

Grantmakers recognize the value of supporting effective, well-led organizations - strong organizations…

  • Publication

Learn and Let Learn

This publication explores how learning communities can be powerful tools in creating…

  • Publication

On The Money

This publication highlights the financial challenges nonprofits face and the ways in…

  • Guide

Excerpt: Knowledge Gaps

An excerpt from GEO’s upcoming publication, On the Money: The Key Financial…

  • Publication

Annual Report 2008

GEO's 2008 Annual Report covers ten years of smarter grantmaking, stronger nonprofits…

  • Annual Report

Learning for Results

This publication explores what it means to be a "learning organization;" how…

  • Publication

New Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Learning Conference

Save the Date for GEO’s 2025 Learning Conference, hosted in partnership with…

  • Conferences

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

Flexible, Reliable Funding

Flexible, reliable funding—such as general operating support, multiyear grants, and funds that cover indirect costs—is a necessary expression of trust in nonprofits and communities to shape the futures they seek.

Flexible, Reliable Funding Resources & Events

Annual Report 2021

In this report, we are excited to share examples that illustrate some…

  • Annual Report

Annual Report 2018-2020

Across the philanthropic sector, the last several years have been a clear…

  • Annual Report

Year in Review 2017

The power of our community is undeniable when we look at the…

  • Annual Report

Making Meaningful Change

GEO frequently hears that grantmakers, no matter their role, want to make…

  • Publication

Year in Review 2016

In 2016, we prioritized finding new ways to build connections with each…

  • Case Study

Is Grantmaking Getting Smarter?

Grantmakers recognize the value of supporting effective, well-led organizations - strong organizations…

  • Publication

Learn and Let Learn

This publication explores how learning communities can be powerful tools in creating…

  • Publication

On The Money

This publication highlights the financial challenges nonprofits face and the ways in…

  • Guide

Excerpt: Knowledge Gaps

An excerpt from GEO’s upcoming publication, On the Money: The Key Financial…

  • Publication

Annual Report 2008

GEO's 2008 Annual Report covers ten years of smarter grantmaking, stronger nonprofits…

  • Annual Report

Learning for Results

This publication explores what it means to be a "learning organization;" how…

  • Publication

New Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Learning Conference

Save the Date for GEO’s 2025 Learning Conference, hosted in partnership with…

  • Conferences

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

2025 Member Orientation

Join our next member orientation to learn about community benefits and discover…

  • Member Orientation

Learning and Evaluation

When grantmakers focus on learning for improvement, we use evaluation and learning to generate information and insights that help us better understand both how we are doing in our work and how to improve. Above all, we ensure that learning and evaluation activities are in service of nonprofit and community goals.

Learning and Evaluation Resources & Events

Annual Report 2021

In this report, we are excited to share examples that illustrate some…

  • Annual Report

Annual Report 2018-2020

Across the philanthropic sector, the last several years have been a clear…

  • Annual Report