The Community Collaboration Initiative (CCI) brings together 22 Muslim American nonprofits to solve a common problem – overcoming barriers to collaboration. As a research project hosted by Indiana University’s Lilly School of Philanthropy, CCI aims to shift culture and empower organizations to unlock abundance by working together.
The outcomes include publishing best practices in a white paper and training module. With collaborations increasingly becoming a nonprofit standard for their benefits, CCI influences an interfaith culture shift. By engaging 25 Chicagoland groups, it drives towards a more inclusive Muslim nonprofit sector operating from shared wealth.
Since COVID-19, the need to collaborate has become even more critical for organizational success and personal wellbeing. CCI has adapted to expand assistance and resources.
In its foundational year, CCI brought organizations together into trust-building cohorts. Through expert-facilitated discussions and collaborative research, they interacted and set incremental goals, establishing bonds of trust. By focusing on common roadblocks, they transcended the isolated inaction organizations often face and pave the way for cooperation.
With trust rooted, CCI’s second year focused on shared programming. Relationships with philanthropic institutions strengthened, as Muslim organizations recognized needs for equitable funding opportunities and removing systemic barriers.
In this learning year, a committee of leaders convened in Fall 2020 to plan an inaugural series fostering deeper understanding of Muslim-led organizations, nuances around their funding, and the specific issues faced. Goals included:
Organizations now leverage their collective strengths by partnering on initiatives, pooling resources, and exchanging best practices. Rather than duplicating efforts, they complement each other to better assist more people in need.
In its final phase, CCI focused on sustainable collaboration. Organizations co-created funding proposals, maximizing efficiency. They unlocked abundant resources by connecting their diverse networks. Having awarded $1M to 22 Muslim-led nonprofits focused on collaboration and community impact, this spirit of cooperation endures as the WF Fund continues to spotlight Muslim American stories of generosity. Partners now share staff expertise, administrative infrastructure, and technical tools to actualize their visions faster and with less stress.
In addition to the guidance and support of the WF Fund, CCI was supported by the Pillars Fund, Muslim Philanthropy Center, Lever for Change and Tides Foundation, CCI brought together passion and wisdom in an effort to solve shared problems through collaboration.
The three-year project resulted in learning that continues to drive the work at the WF Fund as we seek to address three key needs highlighted by the CCI research:
Muslim-led nonprofits don’t have strong relationships with institutional philanthropy, largely because they lack the social capital and networks for access.
Muslim-led nonprofits receive significantly less funding from foundations than comparable faith-based organizations, which often leads to an internal scarcity mindset.
Islamophobia impacts the ability of Muslim-American leaders to build trust and find respect in many philanthropic spaces.
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The WF Fund uplifts and empowers communities nationwide through strategic philanthropy and collaboration deeply rooted in timeless values.
