As we shared in our previous post, we recognized early on that experiential learning opportunities would be a core pillar of Open Horizon’s programmatic partnerships.

In this time where leadership is not always altruistic, and organizations may struggle to align their actions with their values, we find it soothing when actions taken are aligned with professed values. Here at Open Horizon , we seek to walk our talk.

From the beginning of the idea of Open Horizon, co-founder Hershel Kleinberg has talked about the value of expanding opportunity. He names his own unearned privileges, such as the opportunities he’s had to study, travel, and work in different fields, and he envisions a world where these opportunities are available to all. I often think of our partner National Education Equity Lab, or NEEL, and their tagline “talent is evenly distributed, opportunity is not.” Open Horizon aims, via the four methods of our work (funding, capacity building, amplifying and convening) to expand opportunities so that all will have the advantage of an open horizon in front of them.

A foundational value at Open Horizon is equity. We acknowledge that there are systems and policies that perpetuate inequities and deny access to opportunities to many in our communities and in society at large. Whether it’s expanding the number of youth of color who study abroad, such as via our partners iFLY and TOCA, or uplifting and supporting Black women and gendering nonconforming folx in their ability to parent via Margins, we seek to advance equity.

One way that Open Horizon seeks to act in accordance with our value of community is to center community voices and to listen. This happens as we seek partners who fit into our geographic and/or identity focus areas, such as American Indian College Fund representing the native and indigenous voices that we seek to elevate, and such as the New Orleans Women’s & Children’s Shelter, breaking the cycle of homelessness for intact families in the US South. We also, thanks to our talented ED, D’Lynn Jacobs, seek out intermediaries and other experts to advise us on who is doing work that is aligned with education justice, economic justice, and health justice in indigenous communities and in the South.

Centering community voices means that we aim to lead by listening, which also aligns with our value of integrity. We follow the tenets of Trust-based Philanthropy, to regularly solicit and be responsive to feedback, to do our homework and reduce reporting burdens on our nonprofit partners, and to be flexible to provide support beyond funding that our partners identify as most important.

All these efforts lead to a relational approach to philanthropy, centering people and relationships, rather than positionality and money. It is our hope that by leaning into relationships, we remain agile as learners, thoughtful as actors, and can best support our partners in the social sector.

And we’re curious – Where do you see people and organizations aligning their actions with professed values? What’s on your horizon?

Written by Lisa Cohen , Co-Founder, Open Horizon