Fall 2004

What I've Learned
Wealth - A Means to an End:
Reflections on 10 Years of Good Fortunes

by Karen Kelley-Ariwoola

"Wealth," reminded a recent fortune from a favorite Chinese restaurant, "should be a means to an end." That phrase is also a wise commentary on the lessons I have learned during my 10 years at The Minneapolis Foundation.

My adventure at The Minneapolis Foundation began on March 16, 1994. Although I had prior nonprofit experience, this was my first job at a funder and, within a week of starting, I was "on the streets" doing my first site visits. As a transplant from Chicago, not only did I have to learn the ropes of my job, I also had to find my way around Minneapolis. But the nonprofits welcomed me and taught me so much. They consistently reminded me that no matter how good we feel about our work there is still much to do. They also taught me that the best funders get out of the office - often - to listen and talk to the people most affected by the issues.

I loved being in the neighborhoods, seeing firsthand the work of nonprofits, learning the art and science of grantmaking, and talking directly to those who benefited from our grants. The daily opportunity to see the results from the charitable direction of wealth in our community was the thing that got me up in the morning and kept me coming back each day. And, it still does.

But the same work that inspired me also brought frustration and raised more questions than it answered: Why are some social problems so intractable? Why is our society so comfortable with some people having a lot and others having so little? What will it take to build the public will for a more equitable society? What is the unique role of funders in creating social change? Ten years later, these questions still motivate me.

Midway through my first year at The Minneapolis Foundation I had the opportunity to attend my first Council on Foundations conference and begin to grapple with these questions. It was a wonderful introduction to the value of community foundations as a special kind of philanthropic institution. As community foundations, we have access to a wide array of tools for community change - from grantmaking and convening to strategic communications and innovative investment strategies. Over time, I have realized that social problems must be attacked from all angles - creatively bringing all of the tools to bear on the persistent issues facing our community. I'm convinced that this craft we call philanthropy is one at which we can continually get better and more creative, using the wealth of our financial and human resources toward a great end.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging issues facing our community. One of the joys of being a program officer at The Minneapolis Foundation is the chance to be a generalist - to work on many different issues - and see how the dots can be connected. But I have also enjoyed the opportunities to go deeper on key issues, particularly education. All of these experiences have taught me so much about the complexities of systems, the challenges of erasing disparities, the importance of leadership and accountability, and the best practices that can be brought to bear to impact problems.

As I reflect on these 10 years, I'm also struck by the challenges and, sometimes, the loneliness I have felt as one of a handful of people of color in the field. I deeply appreciate the support that I have gotten from my affiliation with the Association of Black Foundation Executives, as well as other affinity groups of color. These colleagues have been a virtual lifeline at difficult times. I'm pleased that in my own hiring I have been able to add to the diversity of our field, and I challenge all of us to keep this as a goal. I am also struck by the generosity of our wonderful trustees and donors. Without them, the resources that we have to give wouldn't exist.

Since 2002, I have been the vice president of community philanthropy at The Minneapolis Foundation. This role has given me the opportunity to learn more about all of the functions of a foundation as part of the foundation's management team, and to oversee a creative merger of program, grantmaking and donor services functions into one department. In this job I get to balance the celebration and kudos for the good work of my staff with the sometimes-challenging feedback from donors and grantees that point out that even when we think we are doing our best, we could do some things better. As I look to the next 10 years, the need for accountability for our choices and actions will be paramount. But at the heart of the work will be a stern reminder that poverty and disparities in our community are still far too prevalent and that many among us are not thriving. The words of my fortune — "wealth should be a means to an end" — still ring true as we work toward an end that brings justice and equality for all.

© Copyright 2004 Minnesota Council on Foundations
Reproduction in any form without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

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