ABOUT MN LEAD:
In 2024, Black Collective Foundation MN recognized that organizations and leaders advancing racial justice are under intense pressure from legal, political, and narrative attacks aiming to drive despair and diminish resources for programs that uplift Black communities and communities of color. In response, The Collective launched MN LEAD (Legal Education, Advocacy, and Defense), a multiracial effort building a robust, interconnected ecosystem that proactively addresses the strategic challenges to race-conscious programming, all while continuing to center the genius of Black-led change.
MN LEAD expands on a proven model in California launched by the Black Freedom Fund’s LEAD™ for Racial Justice, and is the first in a multi-state expansion of the initiative. MN LEAD brings together legal, advocacy, and philanthropic organizations and leaders to help Minnesota-based organizations navigate the legal landscape, prepare for this pivotal moment, and chart a proactive path forward. The initiative shapes narratives and support strategic efforts to strengthen and connect the ecosystem advancing racial justice.
“Organizations and leaders advancing racial justice are under intense pressure from legal, political, and narrative attacks aiming to drive despair and diminish resources for programs that uplift Black communities and communities of color. But in the face of these challenges, The Collective calls on philanthropy, business - along with all who hold the power and will to act - to double down, not back down. ”
The following values are guiding us as we advance MN LEAD:
Collective action is the path forward.
We partner and make connections wherever possible, focusing on what we can uniquely contribute and add to the sector.
We are committed to multiracial and cross-community solidarity. This work, while centered in racial justice, includes targeted communities like LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and Muslim communities.
We build and learn through practice. We make space for emergence and commit to being flexible as the political and cultural terrain shifts.
We are a community rich with wisdom, creativity, culture, and resources. We choose to lean into abundance in the face of narratives around scarcity that serve to drive us apart and pit communities against one another.
Healing justice is infused in this work and informs how we move together.
We recognize the importance of organizational privacy, safety and security.
MN LEAD provides various resources and Tools to Fuel the Minnesota racial equity ecosystem including:
Legal Assessment Tools
In-person and Virtual Trainings
FAQs on race-conscious programming and grantmaking
MN LEAD offers a legal assessment tool, FAQ on race-conscious programming and grantmaking, and other resources. Organizations and leaders are able to access educational webinars and in-person training sessions, primarily for funders and nonprofit organizations and initiatives serving communities of color, while also considering other sectors such as government, business, and education. The training sessions cover a range of topics such as the legal landscape, strategic communications and narrative-building, and specific rulings, to contextualize these issues within the broader history of movement building.
Why MN LEAD?
In our role as a backbone organization for Black-led change—and the state’s leading philanthropic organization on racial justice—the Black Collective Foundation MN is shaping a Minnesota where all Black people are holistically well, living in dignity and prosperity.
The Collective boldly invests in organizations, leaders, and ideas that embody the genius of Black-led change, working to fulfill the promise of a more just Minnesota. We support courageous visionaries across our state as they usher in a new tomorrow by shifting existing systems and creating news ones.
The federal climate has become increasingly hostile for racial justice movements, and uncertainty looms at state and local levels. Nonprofits, particularly those receiving government funding, are grappling with fears of jeopardizing their tax-exempt status and confusion about what actions remain legally permissible under recent executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. The stakes are high, and the challenges are mounting.
The retreat from racial equity and justice began well before these lawsuits, and the impact extends beyond the courtroom. In the face of these attacks, our collective response must be stronger and more determined, and above all, we must remain fearless.
Join Us Today
Thanks to your support and partnership, we’ve begun to build something rare: a cross-sector, multiracial, values-driven effort to protect and sustain race-conscious programming. Together, we are making it possible for nonprofits and funders to act with greater clarity, confidence, and solidarity.
If you are a funder, donor, or community organization interested in participating in MN LEAD, please complete the following form. We appreciate your interest and look forward to collaborating with you!
THANK YOU TO MN LEAD INITIATIVE ANCHOR FUNDERS
Margaret A. Cargill Foundation Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation
