A New Chapter: Reflections and First Impressions
"So, where were you before you joined Upadhyaya Foundation?"
It's been seven weeks since I've joined the team at the Upadhyaya Foundation as its Lead. In this short span of time, getting acquainted and reacquainted with colleagues and friends from the social impact sector has felt like both a welcome party and a homecoming party at the same time! Much of the thinking that’s made its way to this post has also been reiterated, reshaped, and influenced by these conversations.
As someone who has only ever worked in the social impact sector over the past fifteen-odd years, I have somehow managed to have a non-linear career trajectory from working with community-based organisations to intermediaries to philanthropies as well as working independently as a communications facilitator across thematic and functional domains. But more important than all the roles I’ve essayed, it’s what brought me to the Foundation that’s more important.
For the uninitiated, Upadhyaya Foundation is a family philanthropy committed to the cause areas of animal welfare, disability inclusion, as well as arts and culture. In only its third year of operationalization, it already supports ~40 social purposes organisations and special projects. This support is not limited to project-based grants but upholds flexible funding towards innovation in programme design, general operating expenses including salaries, and strengthening organisational capacities as well as nurturing sustainable ecosystems through dialogue and collaboration.
However, at first glance these seemed like buzzwords; even to someone with my background. Until, of course, I began getting better acquainted with the work and the people associated with it. Hearing first-hand from partners on both sides of the ‘doing’ and ‘giving’ aisle, the ethos and approaches of the Foundation, as advocated by the founders and upheld by the team, gives me more reasons to celebrate getting to be a part of the Upadhyaya Foundation.
Why? Because it ties into experiences, reflections, takeaways, and questions I have gathered from my work so far. As I further step into this role and build on what ecosystem engagement and strengthening can look like from an Upadhyaya Foundation point of view, here are three areas I will continue to delve on; the last of which is where the real work lies.
Power of narratives to inspire collective action:
“We are the stories we tell ourselves” was the mantra on which I designed and facilitated expressive writing and communication programmes for close to 5 years. And because of it, I have both experienced first-hand as well as witnessed individuals and organisations be able to influence and be influenced by the power of storytelling.
To me, situating the power of narratives within the varying contexts of animal welfare, disability inclusion, as well as arts and culture is another opportunity to centre-stage them within the wider narratives of climate action, equity and inclusion, as well as heritage and belonging.
How can we strive towards ensuring animal welfare commands its space with the sameness of clean energy and just transition? What more would we have to do to ensure that inclusive hiring practices also make room for the full spectrum of accessibility needs of people with disabilities? What systemic changes are needed for “Make In India” to uphold the dignity of its artists and artisans? Narratives that string together the interconnectedness of our multitudinal lived experiences can empower us towards collective action.
Co-creating a compassionate world is not and cannot be a zero-sum game:
Even if you’ve only spent a few years in the sector, you will realise that it isn’t uncommon for the mention of ‘collaboration’, ‘partnership’, ‘collective’, ‘network’ and the likes to be dropped in conversations, conferences, and in conversations at conferences! You will also realise that there is nothing radical about them as ideas. You are likely to concede that the ‘wicked problems’ and the ‘polycrisis of our times’ do in fact demand a coming together. Even so, finding and co-creating common ground isn’t as algorithmic as it is purported to be.
To which my hypothesis is that herein lies the opportunity to make room and hold space for differences and even tensions while co-creating solutions iteratively.
The natural world, after all, demonstrates in more ways than one that there is space for seemingly disparate realities to coexist. An orchestra reinforces the magic a skilled conductor can pull off in harmonising different pitches and instruments. So why then treat the agenda of co-creating a compassionate world as a zero-sum game? Because partnerships and collaborations require the ‘investment’ of time and money from philanthropy.
Power of philanthropy to fund organisations, strengthen infrastructure, and build the field:
If it’s the desire for legacy that drives philanthropy, then what is the legacy of philanthropy? Whether the intention is charitable giving or de-risking innovation or creating alternate modes to multiply impact or something in-between, philanthropy has had the power to influence and shift power imbalance. The social impact sector, however, is no stranger to what happens to projects, programmes, and even organisations when funding runs out without having enabled a contingency, let alone a continuity plan.
Philanthropy needs to continue wielding its influence, power, and resources in ways that outlive its own moment in time. What can it borrow from systems thinking to zoom out and design thinking to zoom in when deciding on how to give?
As someone who has been on both sides of the ‘doing’ and ‘giving’ aisle, I suspect some of the answers lie in listening to practitioners and to the research to fund especially under-resourced interventions, yes, but also directly fund institutional capacities and readiness to withstand shocks as well as build the field by influencing the ecosystem to rethink its legacy, both, critically and creatively.
Narratives shape what we believe is possible. Collaboration is how we act on it together. But none of it moves without philanthropy willing to fund the unglamorous work of making it durable. The collective responsibility of converting these ideas into action-oriented leaps is not driven by any one organisation, let alone one individual. So if something in here finds resonance with what you are doing or hoping to do, know this is an open invitation.
Comments