How We Work
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund seeks to build trust and equity in the way we approach philanthropy and work with grantee partners. Our goal is to unwind power imbalances in philanthropy, including by being transparent, responsive, and flexible. Our approach includes a commitment to participatory grantmaking, and emphasis on trust-based practices such as flexible funding and long-term operating support. In addition to financial support, we also aim to provide “support beyond the check” including through capacity-building programs.
How We Source Funding Ideas
Funding Approaches
Participatory Grantmaking
Participatory grantmaking puts substantial funding decisions in the hands of communities rather than fund staff communities. The process elevates community members as subject matter experts whose knowledge and experience informs effective and responsive funding decisions.
Funding Approaches
Flexible Funding
We provide organizations with the risk-tolerant grant support needed to test and demonstrate the impact of innovative, early stage, or less proven approaches. Flexible project grants offer partners significant autonomy to adjust scope, budget, and deliverables to ensure that they can be effective, all while working toward specific goals. We do not place restrictions on using funding for overhead or administrative costs. We encourage all applicants to include the full costs required to execute the proposed initiative. For example, we believe it is essential that mission-driven organizations have the resources to invest in the well-being of their staff, including ongoing learning and professional development, living wages, and holistic support.
Funding Approaches
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Co-funding
The Fund is excited to partner with other funders to drive more resources into immigrant and refugee communities. We seek partners who will support our existing grantees and investees, collaborate with us on our funding priorities, and co-create new initiatives. Our team provides program expertise, technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and communications support to ensure the success of co-funding initiatives.
Grantee Partner Community
The Fund strives to create a community of grantee partners that can collaborate, share knowledge and resources, and work collectively to drive lasting change in the U.S. and Canada. We also connect our partners with the broader expertise and networks of WES and with outside experts who can help organizations deepen their impact.
Funder Community
We are also active participants in several funder collaboratives, including Workforce Matters, Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), Toronto’s Workforce Funders Collaborative, and Impact United, where our team members hold leadership positions. The Fund is open to exploring other collaboratives and pooled opportunities that are aligned with our mission. We are also happy to share insights with funders who are interested in more intentional focus on immigrants and refugees.
Learning Orientation
The Fund aims to continually deepen our understanding of what is required for immigrants and refugees to succeed. We believe that learning from the field, adjusting our practices in response, and sharing back what we discover are critical to achieving our vision.
Core Values
In all we do, we prioritize these core values: