Carolyn Foundation

OUR VISION To improve the lives of children, families, communities and the environment through the involvement of successive generations of the family of Carolyn McKnight Christian. OUR MISSION To partner with programs and initiatives that effect positive change now and in the future. OUR VALUES Civility: We are committed to civil discourse and will act with respect and humility, even in the face of opposing views. In order to listen deeply to others, we will work to set aside our assumptions and expand our understanding of the experiences and perspectives of others. Concern for Community: We value the importance and character of communities. We aspire to work as equal partners with diverse community members to understand community needs, to develop solutions and to fund effective programs. Making a Difference: We work to make a significant difference with our emphasis in addressing root causes and effecting long-term systemic change. We know that many systems are often deeply biased, requiring courageous and tenacious work to address generations of inequality. Inclusion: We affirm and value the diversity in our communities and our family including but not limited to: race, gender, nationality, sexual orientation/identity, class, faith and family structures. We will seek out diversity and active inclusion in our processes to deepen our understanding by learning from others’ lived experience. Compassion and Reason: We will seek to bring both compassion and reason to our work to promote justice in all that we do. TO BE TRUE TO OUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES WE WILL: - Work as an ally with marginalized communities to acknowledge and address the underlying inequality that results in persistent racial and other disparities in our areas of work. - Use an equity lens as we review grant proposals and work to ensure our grantmaking approach creates outcomes that build and reinforce just systems. - Consistently re-examine and challenge our role in systems of power and inequity that result in the racial and other disparities we see in our communities. - Comprehensively examine our own structures, processes, behaviors and relationships to challenge our assumptions and biases and to strengthen our values.