Nairuti Shastry, a racial and economic justice researcher, and Zac Chapman, Resource Mobilization Director at the New Economy Coalition, dive into the challenges of funding revolutionary movements. They discuss the contradictions in philanthropic practices and emphasize the need for funding alternatives that truly support anti-capitalist efforts. The conversation also touches on community-led initiatives that promote economic transformation and solidarity, envisioning a future where governance and economic structures are radically reimagined.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Philanthropic institutions often exacerbate systemic issues by misallocating resources, hindering funding for anti-capitalist movements aiming for true change.
A solidarity economy champions collective resource management and community governance, promoting cooperation and equitable systems to dismantle traditional capitalism.
Deep dives
The Limits of Philanthropy
Philanthropic institutions are required to distribute only 5% of their endowments annually, leaving 95% unallocated, often invested in industries that contribute to systemic issues like climate change and social injustice. This creates a paradox where foundations address crises through grant-making while simultaneously funding the very structures that exacerbate them. This dynamic complicates the funding landscape for anti-capitalist movements, as organizations struggle to find financial support that aligns with their goals. The discussion highlights the urgent need for a reevaluation of how philanthropic resources are utilized to better support efforts that seek genuine systemic change.
Imagining a Solidarity Economy
A solidarity economy envisions a world where resources are collectively managed and communities have the agency to govern essential services like housing and healthcare. This approach diverges from traditional capitalistic structures by emphasizing cooperation, community-led initiatives, and regional ecosystems that prioritize marginalized groups. The conversation explores how various social movements can federate efforts to create interlinked, robust infrastructures that promote equitable economic systems. It stresses the importance of building relationships and networks that support not just individual projects, but a comprehensive alternative to current economic paradigms.
Resourcing the Revolution
Transforming the current economic system requires not only financial capital but a broader vision for resourcing activism sustainably. This encompasses creating feminist, anti-racist, and environmentally just movements capable of scaling their impact beyond isolated projects into comprehensive systemic change. Activist organizations are encouraged to seek funding that aligns with their values, including from sources outside traditional philanthropic channels. By redefining what it means to be 'fully funded,' movements can chart paths that elevate community resilience and democratic governance over mere growth metrics.
This is a free preview of the episode "Will the Revolution Be Funded? w/ Nairuti Shastry and Zac Chapman." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast
As a Patreon subscriber you will get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. Find out more at Patreon.com/upstreampodcast or at upstreampodcast.org/support. Thank you.
How do we resource the necessary work to dismantle capitalism and transition to a more democratic, just and regenerative economy—especially when capital will fight and/or co-opt any attempt to disrupt the status quo that they benefit from and when capital owns and controls most foundations and granting institutions?
This is the important and highly relevant question we will tackle today with our two guests Nairuti Shastry and Zac Chapman. Nairuti is a racial and economic justice researcher-practitioner and the Founder and Principal of Nuance, a social impact consulting firm, as well as a senior researcher at Beloved Economies. Zac is the Resource Mobilization Director at the New Economy Coalition, a steering committee member of Massachusetts Solidarity Economy Network, and board member of LittleSis. Together they recently wrote an article titled, “Will the Revolution be Funded?” published by The Forge.
In this conversation we explain why it is so hard to find funding to do anti-capitalist movement work and how we can find aligned funding both within and outside of mainstream philanthropy. We learn about ways that activists and organizations are working to fight against and transform the nonprofit industrial complex and the existing philanthropic culture and institutions. And finally, we ask what it truly means to resource the revolution and support ourselves beyond financial capital.
Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support
If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship