Relationship Building and Collective Strategizing

A core component of the Dream Fund is making best use of the learning that arises through extensive, two-way communications between donors and grantees. This learning helps both groups better respond to the field and to each other's needs and interests.

The Dream Fund's learning component comprises activities and products designed to strengthen and increase the visibility of the race and gender-equity field:

• National Convenings - Fund-wide convenings bring together all national and regional grantees - 35 organizations working in 14 different regions. Convenings offer facilitated peer-learning sessions and workshops that allow grantees to build relationships, share challenges and collaborate with leaders, activists, funders and stakeholders from multiple regions. Grantees are included in the convenings' planning group to ensure the gatherings are responsive to the needs of the Dream Fund network.

• Regional Convenings - Three regional funds have been established through the Dream Fund: California Dream Fund, the Minnesota Dream Fund, and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Dream Fund. Regional convenings bring together both funders and grantees of these local funds to network, share learning, implement tailored communications and technical-assistance training programs, and to help inform the national convening agenda.

• Learning Exchanges - Through mini-grants of $5,000, learning exchanges are created between Dream Fund grantees to provide independent arenas in which to explore additional learning opportunities. These mini-grants can be used to cover staff time and logistics, permitting grantees to more fully share their work.

• Learning-Sharing with Strategic Opportunities Fund Grantees - The Dream Fund coordinates gatherings of Strategic Opportunities Fund grantees. This cohort provides a critical resource for learning, assessing and documenting the infrastructure needs and challenges of organizations engaged in affirmative action-related public education.