Although members of racial and ethnic minority groups account for about 40% of the U.S. population, only about 8-9% of grants are explicitly designed to help people of color in the U.S. Join us for a discussion about philanthropic giving trends for foundations, how equity impacts funding for grassroots and BIPOC-led nonprofits, and what you need to build a just grant writing framework.

Rachel Branaman, Principal Consultant

Rachel is the principal consultant of Talem Consulting, which provides nonprofits the tools they need to build capacity, fundraise, and dismantle systems of inequity. Our team builds culturally responsive strategies for staff, board, and volunteers to tell your story and share your impact from concept to completion.

Rachel has a Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University and has served in development and executive director roles for a variety of arts and social service organizations. She also served in the U.S. Peace Corps in Namibia from 2009-2011.

Rachel uses her understanding of DEIA practices to build resources and training materials for nonprofits to begin to change their beliefs, patterns, and actions that may harm staff, participants, and community members. Her workshops prioritize 1) acknowledging the problems that exist in primarily White-led nonprofit spaces, 2) providing insight how unequitable power structures effect numerous and intersecting identities (e.g., gender sexuality, cultural, racial, religious, ability, etc.), and 3) engaging with participants to work toward a solution that fits their organization’s unique needs.

In her spare time, Rachel is an executive board member of Association of Philanthropic Counsel (APC) and a local activist with grassroots movements in Washington D.C. and Richmond.