Lawsuits aimed at undermining philanthropic efforts to advance racial justice and equity have pushed questions of “risk” to the forefront of a conversation about funder strategy. Chief among them, “What amount of risk is acceptable to funders who invest in programs and initiatives that are under increased scrutiny?” While critical to answer with clarity, this question often assumes agreement and alignment on what risk is, and who carries it. Yes, legal exposure creates risk to an organization. But what of the risks of inaction, of muting an effective approach, of accepting the terms of bad faith actors? Risks to the organization clearly need careful consideration when setting strategies and navigating tradeoffs, but so too do risks to the organization’s staff, grantees, and the communities that it ultimately serves.

In this virtual leader roundtable, we’ll explore the most effective ways to engage relevant stakeholders — including general counsels, boards of directors, and others — in an expansion of the term “risk”, one that reframes risk such that it becomes more inclusive and more useful as a concept.