Regional Funder Networks
Funders Together recognizes that any best practice at the national level is limited apart from its implementation at the local level. As we continue to connect foundations, United Ways, and other private funders across the country, we also promote local coordination to ensure philanthropy’s investment in housing justice is aligned in strategy and values. We employ a Director of Networks who liaises with regional networks and collaboratives, providing guidance from Funders Together’s national priorities, such as recommending guest speakers and topics, along with tactical support on network operations, such as collecting a repository of policies and procedures. In turn, Funders Together benefits from our members’ local perspectives and priorities, gleaning insight on the felt experience of housing-justice funding.
They are not rigid definitions, but at Funders Together, “network” refers to coalitions of funders that primarily meet for peer-learning, strategizing, accountability, and to promote opportunities for funding alignment or co-funding. “Collaboratives” pool funding or actively do grantmaking as a collective, in addition to the above functions.
Funders Together Networks
Funders Together supports and convenes the leaders of our regional networks and collaboratives for peer-learning, mutual support, problem-solving, and accountability. We also support those championing initiatives in local communities to form new regional networks. Our current Funders Together networks include:
- Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness
- Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego
- Funders Together to End Homelessness Los Angeles
- Funders Together to End Homelessness Baltimore
- Bay Area Homelessness Funders Network (in partnership with Northern California Grantmakers)
If you are interested in exploring or starting a funder network in your city or region, please contact Michael Durham.
Other Networks and Collaboratives
- Home for Good Funders Collaborative (Los Angeles, CA)
- Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative (State of Minnesota)
- NYC Fund to End Youth & Family Homelessness (New York City)
- Funders for Housing and Opportunity (National)
- Youth Transition Funders Group (National)
Do you represent a funder network? Email us to get added to the list.
Network Resources
Funders Together recognizes that our vision for housing justice on a national level, including its aspirational values and concrete policy implications, requires implementation at the local level. In support of this goal, we have created a resource for local funder networks: What We Cannot Do Alone: Assembling Regional Funder Networks for Housing Justice. Read more about it here.
- What We Cannot Do Alone: Assembling Regional Funder Networks for Housing Justice (Funders Together to End Homelessness, 2023)
- How Philanthropic Collaborations Succeed, and Why They Fail (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2019)
- Housing Justice and Systems Change through a Funder Collaborative (Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2022)
- Fiscal Sponsorship: A Balanced Overview (Nonprofit Quarterly, 2020)
- Funder Collaboratives: A Topic Brief for Donors (Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors, 2021)
- How Philanthropic Collaboratives Measure, Evaluate, and Learn (The Bridgespan Group, 2024)