Press Alert FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Attention News and Financial Editors and Reporters November 17, 2006 Contact: Karen Topakian, karen@agapefdn.org 415-701-8707 Agape Foundation for Peace and Social Justice Wins “Philanthropy’s Nobel” For Outstanding Grant Maker Celebrating 20 Years of Honoring Philanthropy in the Bay Area Presented by Association of Fundraising Professionals – Golden Gate Chapter Northern California Grantmakers San Francisco, CA: Progressive, innovative grantmaking was recognized this week by the Association of Fundraising Professionals—Golden Gate Chapter (AFP-GGC) and Northern California Grantmakers (NCG) as they bestowed the honor of Outstanding Grantmaker on the Bay Area’s pioneering peace and social justice foundation, Agape. Since its formation in 1969 in response to the Vietnam War, the Agape Foundation has awarded more than $11.3 million in grants and loans to more than 700 grassroots peace and justice organizations. Unlike many non-profits, Agape does not solicit corporate or government grants. Agape raises its money from individual donors with average gifts of only sixty dollars. Philanthropy is traditionally seen as charitable giving to support those in need. But Tuesday’s award marks a notable shift in grantmaking from simply funding social services to funding social change. Social justice grantmaking targets problems at their source, helping to prevent societal disasters from occurring in the first place. For example, Agape funds environmental groups who work to oppose clear-cutting, such as the Ebbetts Pass Forest Watch, thus intervening before deforestation contributes to more flooding and erosion. The Foundation nurtures military counter-recruitment efforts such as the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County, which works to deter young people from entering the military, thus intervening before more lives are lost. The Foundation supports groups who work to raise the minimum wage, such as the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition, thus intervening before lower income families have to rely on food pantries and homeless shelters. “Our goal is system change,” said Agape Executive Director Karen Topakian. “Rather than clean up a mess after it’s happened, we try to prevent it beforehand.” Topakian noted that philanthropic organizations collectively control billions of dollars that could be used to confront the root causes of violence and inequity. “Today, only about 11 percent of all grantmaking goes to social change work,” she said. “We invite other grantmakers to join us and turn this statistic on its head by funding social change efforts.” # # # Please contact Karen Topakian for more information, and to arrange interviews with Agape Board Members and Agape grantees ( karen@agapefdn.org, 415-701-8707).
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