Our Approach

Meyer’s mission is fulfilled by engaging the following approaches: strengthening transformative movements, transforming existing systems and institutions to achieve more equitable results, and providing responsive grantmaking to and for BIPOC communities with culturally specific strategies.

Our strategic framework and approach is continuing to evolve. To keep up to date on Meyer’s work in this area, sign up for our newsletter.

We recognize the importance of meeting urgent and immediate community needs while working for changes in policies, systems and institutional practices that are barriers to the impact we seek to achieve. We know this kind of change does not happen quickly and we are willing to take the long view.

We appreciate the value of maintaining a steady commitment to core programs and proven practices, and we also recognize the power of innovation and new ideas. We challenge ourselves and our partners to take risks and to adapt to changing community conditions and needs as they evolve.

We believe that collaboration with nonprofit organizations, those they serve and other key partners and stakeholders is essential to our effectiveness. We support strategies that elevate community-based knowledge and the voices of communities experiencing disparities to shape decisions that affect them.

As a foundation, we believe that we can expand and deepen the impact of our grantmaking by engaging in complementary strategies.

We play an active role as a convener, bringing together stakeholders to learn from one another and move forward collaborative strategies. We invest in new and emerging ideas, and we promote research and evaluation to advance the field. To support this effort, Meyer’s grantees participate in occasional shared learning opportunities and collaborate with us to understand the impact of their work. Financial support and technical assistance are available to grantees as needed to support their participation in our evaluation and knowledge-building activities.

We also engage in strategic communications, advocacy, mission investing and leverage — all as a way of advancing our mission.

Commitment to Equity and Justice

All of our work is framed by our commitment to dismantling barriers to equity and improving community conditions so that all Oregonians can reach their full potential. We prioritize work that increases equity for and inclusion of Oregonians who experience disparities because of race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, disability, geographic location or age.

We have been on our own equity journey, and we will meet organizations and groups where they are in the continuum of their own equity journey.

We ask all of our grantees to explore equity in the context of their organizations, and we challenge them to make progress on integrating equity in their work, partnerships, outreach, policies, staff and boards — just as we at Meyer have and continue to challenge ourselves.

Please review our Equity page for more information and to see practical resources and support.