Chinook Fund

09/16/2026

Join our email list to stay up to date with Chinook Fund and our grassroots leaders. Our monthly newsletter, Seed Notes, comes out the last Tuesday of each month. Sign up to make sure you get our September newsletter! https://chinookfund.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c9f783ccac79d2f9f55a64710&id=96e327973f

[Image description: Group of grassroots leaders gathered together for a photo and a call to action to subscribe to Chinook Fund's monthly newsletter, called Seed Notes]

09/09/2026

Mac Liman has been with the Chinook Fund community for nearly 20 years, serving as a board member, Giving Project facilitator, donor organizer, as a donor herself, and in countless more ways. New Mexico-based writer Susanna Penfield recently published a two-part article telling the story of how Mac came into an inheritance and how she strategically redistributed the vast majority of that wealth to constituent-led, community-wide, systems-change groups around the country and globe.

Explore our latest Seed Notes newsletter for the links to the story about Mac's trash inheritance and redistribution journey: https://mailchi.mp/chinookfund/august-seed-notes-b9ecip3hcn

09/02/2026

"As one of seven member funds in the Giving Project Network (GPN), Chinook Fund recently participated in an annual convening to meet with fellow practitioners to discuss approaches and strategies, diagnose and address challenges, and celebrate engaging Giving Project members to support grassroots organizations. Intentional conversations to dig deep and examine our practices allow our network and each fund to improve over time.

The GPN uniquely creates flexibility for how each member fund implements Giving Projects while being supportive of expectations which allow for funds to effectively operate these efforts. Since launching the Giving Project in 2016, the capacity of our team has been enhanced as a part of this learning community."

Find the latest Seed Notes newsletter in full here:
https://mailchi.mp/chinookfund/august-seed-notes-b9ecip3hcn

08/26/2026

One of our Giving Project alums will be speaking at the Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Institute!

Fundraising professionals from across the Rocky Mountain region will gather for the 2026 RMPI, AFP Colorado's premier conference for learning, connection, and professional growth. Centered on this year's theme, Creating Community with Courage and Collective Action, RMPI will challenge attendees to explore new ideas, strengthen their leadership, and return to their organizations with practical strategies they can immediately apply. Check out one of the amazing sessions that will be part of the conference this year.

From Contacts to Community: Activating Mentorship in Your Career Journey with Emma Byers

In today’s competitive job market, success is rarely a solo endeavor. This session explores how fundraisers can leverage mentorship as a powerful, community-driven strategy for navigating a job search with confidence and purpose. Aligned with the theme of creating community with courage and collective action, attendees will learn how to identify, approach, and engage mentors in authentic, mutually beneficial ways. Through practical frameworks and real-world examples, participants will discover how to build meaningful professional relationships, expand their networks, uncover opportunities, and strengthen their career prospects. Leave with actionable tools and the confidence to ask for guidance and support.

Register for RMPI 2026 today: https://bit.ly/RMPI26

08/20/2026

One of the sessions we are looking forward to at RMPI! Learn more about the conference and registration at: https://afpcc.org/rmpi/rmpi-overview

Fundraising professionals from across the Rocky Mountain region will gather for the 2026 Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Institute (RMPI), AFP Colorado's premier conference for learning, connection, and professional growth. Centered on this year's theme, Creating Community with Courage and Collective Action, RMPI will challenge attendees to explore new ideas, strengthen their leadership, and return to their organizations with practical strategies they can immediately apply.

Today, we're highlighting one of the outstanding sessions you'll experience this year:

Who Pays for Collective Action? Confronting the Hidden Costs of BIPOC Labor in Philanthropy

Presenters: Chris Talbot & Lucas Land, CFRE

Collective action requires honest conversations. Chris Talbot and Lucas Land will examine how unpaid BIPOC expertise and labor have become normalized across philanthropy and what organizations, professional associations, and fundraising professionals can do to change those practices. Through real world examples and practical discussion, attendees will gain tools to build more equitable and accountable partnerships that strengthen our entire sector.

Both presenters bring extensive experience in community centric fundraising, equity centered leadership, and nonprofit practice, making this an important conversation for anyone committed to creating stronger and more inclusive philanthropic communities.

Whether you're looking to strengthen donor relationships, develop sustainable leadership practices, or explore new perspectives that challenge and inspire your work, RMPI offers a day of learning designed for today's fundraising professionals.

Register today: https://bit.ly/RMPI26

08/10/2026

Current and former grantees: this year is about hearing from YOU.

Over the next year, Chinook Fund is pausing our Giving Project to fulfill our strategic plan, deepen relationships, and evaluate our programming. Here’s what that means:

✔️ Every current and former grantee will have voluntary ways to share feedback — in-person sessions, surveys, and 1:1s.

✔️ Grantees whose grants end next year (multi-year recipients awarded in Fall 2024 & Spring 2025, and single-year grantees awarded in Fall 2025 & Spring 2026) will be eligible for a special, one-year grant opportunity.

✔️ We won’t fund new proposals or recruit new Giving Project members during the Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 cycles.

✔️ We’ll welcome new proposals and Giving Project members again in Fall 2027.

Our door is always open. Want to grab time with a staff member? We’d love that. 💛

08/10/2026

Sharpen your skills and deepen your insights in intimate dialogue with seasoned practitioners in the Session II Workshop Block at the 2026 Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Institute, Creating Community with Courage and Collective Action, Friday September 18 at UCAR, Boulder.

Session II Workshop Block participants will build effective and authentic communications strategies through the use of story seasons, dive into DAFs, or explore what is needed to foster philanthropy that is inclusive and accountable.
One session will be "Collective Action to Level Up Philanthropy & Protect Race Explicit Grantmaking" with Jodeen Olguín-Tayler.

As communities face urgent challenges, the CHANGE Philanthropy–led Level Up initiative is mobilizing grantmakers to increase grantmaking budgets, raise endowment payout rates, and invest in community-led solutions that advance gender and racial equity. In just seven months, CHANGE Philanthropy has secured commitments to move an additional $600 million into the field over two fiscal years.

This workshop will explore how the Level Up initiative is successfully advancing
philanthropic advocacy to increase endowment payouts, expand grantmaking, and shift resources toward power-building strategies led by organizations rooted in directly impacted communities. Participants will gain insights into the strategies, partnerships, and lessons driving this growing movement for greater philanthropic accountability and impact

We hope to see you there!
👉https://bit.ly/RMPI26

07/29/2026

We are thrilled to announce Chinook Fund's Spring 2026 grant recipients, as decided by our Spring 2026 Giving Project members. The cohort granted $184,000 to fund 22 social justice organizations across Colorado. To learn more about each grantee, visit chinookfund.org/grantees.

07/23/2026

Big news: We’re pausing the Giving Project over the next 12 months to sharpen our direction for the years ahead.

We remain committed to mobilizing critical resources during this time and will host a special grantmaking cycle for our current grantees.

We’ll be taking the time to gather vision and feedback from grantees, Giving Project alumni, movement peers, and community leaders so our work stays bold, responsive, and accountable to the people on the front lines of driving systems change.

We can’t wait to build what’s next, together. Stay tuned—there will be lots of ways to be part of it. ✊

07/21/2026

Rocky Mountain Philanthropy Institute (RMPI) is on September 18th in Boulder! This year’s theme invites attendees to examine how courage shows up in fundraising work: in ethical decision-making, honest conversations with donors, and standing firm in organizational values. Scholarships are available; apply by August 14. .
Chinook Fund's Development and Communications Manager is on the conference planning committee and would love to connect with you there! Some sessions she is most looking forward to:
- Who Pays for Collective Action? Confronting the Hidden Costs of BIPOC Labor in Philanthropy
- Collective Action to Level Up Philanthropy & Protect Race Explicit Grantmaking
- Engaging Latine/o/x Donors
- Beyond Inspiration: Disability-Conscious Fundraising That Builds Trust, Equity, and Results.
https://community.afpglobal.org/afpcocoloradochapter/rmpi/rmpi-overview