Dear friend,
As the attacks on immigrant communities and protesters continue to escalate, plugging into networks that share your values and commitment to collective liberation is as important as ever. For decades, Neighborhood Funders Group has specifically focused on grassroots organizing and power building as the key to effective social change strategies.
In my community, we are witnessing the excesses of US militarism on full display as the LAPD, thousands of National Guards, and over 700 Marines violently suppress protests against ICE raids that began two weeks ago in the Fashion District of Los Angeles. While the federal administration has not yet released an official number of workers that were detained, we know many people have already been deported.
And last month, in Nashville, where NFG will host its 2025 National Convening, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collaborated with the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) to conduct nearly 600 immigration-probing traffic stops in South Nashville, TN. More than 100 people were arrested during the raids, most of whom were later transported to detention facilities in Louisiana.
Over the years, we have been a political home to hundreds of grantmakers looking to find their place in philanthropy and the co-conspirators that would help advance their work. This year, we’ve planned a critical space for connection, strategy and action for the NFG community at the National Convening in Nashville, TN July 15-17. The last day to register is on Friday, June 27th.
NFG is committed to protecting the safety and security of Convening attendees during these uncertain times. This year’s Convening Community Guidelines are meant to support the participation of all Convening attendees, speakers, and invited guests. Our goal is to create a flexible and responsive approach to supporting everyone’s well-being while acknowledging evolving public health and community safety considerations. Ahead of the Convening, we’d like to highlight two important parts of the document:
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NFG is working with Sequeerity, a Minneapolis based, de-escalation team that is owned and operated by queer, and poc womxn. Sequeerity LLC’s goal is to create and maintain safe spaces for everyone, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to the years of experience in the security field, they provide alternatives to security without judgement. They will be supporting us so that we know who is in the NFG spaces at the hotel, the learning visit, and at the Gala event. In order to know you are part of NFG, Sequeerity will be checking to make sure everyone is wearing an NFG Convening lanyard and badge. Only registered participants will receive a badge, so it’s important that you are registered to attend. We ask that you wear your lanyards at all times during the event or you may be turned away. We will be able to print you a new badge at the registration table if you lose yours during the Convening.
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At NFG, disability justice is a paramount value and goal. For the 2025 NFG National Convening, we ask that you take two rapid tests for COVID during the event: on Monday, July 14 or the morning of Tuesday, July 15th and again on the evening of Wednesday, July 16th or the morning of Thursday July 17th. We will have two COVID test kits available for each attendee at the registration table. Should you test positive for COVID during the Convening please do not join us for the rest of the event., Please monitor any potential symptoms you may feel (fever, cough, fatigue, etc.) while attending the event. Information about how to get support if you are unwell will be shared with participants via the conference app (Whova). We also encourage the use of masks while indoors. We will have KN95 masks on site, but please bring your own if you opt to wear them. And, as you participate in plenaries and concurrent sessions, please always use a microphone to best ensure that everyone can hear you speak.
We also want to remind you to prepare for hotter temperatures in Nashville (fans will be offered in your swag bag upon registration!). NFG will regularly monitor and modify our guidelines and protocols as needed and accordingly in order to maintain a safe, inclusive and adaptable Convening environment.
Since our first National Convening in Cleveland (1995), we have centered this event on philanthropy’s responsibility to move more resources and be more accountable to BIPOC and low-income communities. We’ll continue this practice in Nashville by harnessing the strengths of NFG as a political home and community of funders that are invested in powerfully resourcing grassroots organizing ecosystems for the long-haul.
In solidarity,
Manisha Vaze
