Grantmakers in Action: Liberty Hill's Visionary Panels at SCG’s 2026 Annual Conference

The philanthropic and nonprofit sectors are facing an era of unprecedented challenge. Between widening inequalities and strains on community resources, the stakes have never been higher. With our movements under continuous threat, the burning question on the sector’s mind is, “How can philanthropy step up, fight back, and protect our communities?”

The urgent call to action took center stage at the SoCal Grantmakers 2026 Annual Conference: Renewing Our Purpose, where the region’s most impactful leaders gathered to forge powerful, long-term strategies for a resilient future.

As Liberty Hill celebrates 50 years of powerhouse movement building, we stepped into the arena not just as participants, but as the trusted, frontline philanthropic thought-leaders. Our executive and senior staff, donor activists, and partner organizations lead three dynamic plenaries, showcasing our cutting-edge social justice strategies in action.

Get ready to be inspired! Explore the high-impact takeaways and visionary insights from our hosted sessions below:

• Arts, Climate, and Narrative Change: Storytelling for the Future We Need
  Gabriele Almon (Television Academy), Gustavo Herrera (Arts for LA), Julia Meltzer (Clockshop), and Jon Christensen and Angelo Logan (Liberty Hill Foundation) examined how storytelling and cultural practices can ground climate justice work in lived experience, strengthen community power, and deepen public engagement. They advocated for sustained, multi-year support for arts, storytelling, and cultural strategies led by frontline communities, with a focus on building durable narrative ecosystems rather than individual projects. They also advised funders to break down silos between environmental and arts & culture funding by embedding narrative and cultural work into climate portfolios and to align around a shared narrative framework leading into key 2026 policy moments, including support for convenings, field coordination, and rapid-response storytelling that centers community-led climate narratives.
  
• Rebuilding Trust and Accountability Through Participatory Grantmaking
  Manal Aboelata (Liberty Hill Foundation), Celia Bernstein (Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation), Megan Castillo (ReImagine L.A. County Coalition), Alfonso Directo (ACT-LA), and Gina Peralta (Heising-Simons Foundation) shared how foundations can use participatory grantmaking to share decision-making power and strengthen how resources move to community-rooted organizations. Speakers urged funders to move from risk-averse models to trust-based approaches that participatory grantmaking requires. This grantmaking requires funders to adequately invest in infrastructure and multi-year funding that strengthen trust and stability, enabling grassroots organizations to be effective. They recommended that funders start small and pilot participatory grantmaking by including community members, organizers, and those directly impacted in funding decisions. Move from risk-averse models to trust-based approaches that value lived experience and community expertise.
  
• Transforming Los Angeles' Youth Development Ecosystem
  David Carroll (Los Angeles County Department of Youth Development), Joseph Devall (Ballmer Group), Josh Green (Urban Peace Institute), Abigail Richards (Young Women's Freedom Center), and Lisa Small (Liberty Hill Foundation) examined how philanthropy can help Los Angeles continue to build a legacy of public investment in young people. They encouraged funders to pool funds and explore how philanthropy can partner with government to move public dollars more effectively, especially in areas where agencies face capacity or trust gaps with communities. They emphasized the importance of incorporating participatory approaches that engage system-impacted youth, families, and community leaders in shaping funding priorities and program design. They also urged funders to use their voice and relationships to advocate for sustained public investment in youth development and community-based solutions.

SoCal Grantmakers (SCG) is a community of philanthropists and grantmakers working to make a difference in our communities and around the world. Our members include family, private, public, independent, community and corporate foundations and corporate giving programs, individuals, and government agencies.