Listening to Stakeholders: Focus on Nonprofit User Experience

As traditional grantmaking practices are being up-ended with the global pandemic and renewed energy around racial, social, and economic justice, what’s taking tech so long to catch up? Philanthropy, Tech & Equity is a four-part series from PEAK, Technology Association of Grantmakers, GrantAdvisor, and Grantbook that illuminates how philanthropy can leverage technology to drive equitable grantmaking practices and build a social justice movement, step by step. We guarantee to satisfy secret (and not-so-secret) accidental techies, data nerds, and tech futurists alike as we take you on a learning journey around philanthropy, technology, and equity.

The first key principle of social justice work: Start with community. We kicked off this series by hearing from the primary beneficiaries of philanthropy tech--nonprofits. GrantAdvisor, an anonymous tool where nonprofits can leave feedback for their funders, has been tracking what they really think about your online systems, and it’s not all awesome. Our speakers have some lived experience to share. You'll also hear from a grantmaker who listened, and did something about it!

Original air date: October 13, 2020

Kari Aanestad

Co-Director

GrantAdvisor

Rhonda McGee

Information Systems Manager

Kalamazoo Community Foundation

James Law

Director, Innovation & Business Development

Grantbook

Satonya Fair (Moderator)

President & CEO

PEAK Grantmaking

Satonya Fair joined PEAK Grantmaking as the organization’s first President and CEO in August 2020.

As President and CEO, Satonya works closely with the Board and staff to articulate and implement a vision for the future of PEAK, ensuring a values-driven approach in which equity, diversity, inclusion, awareness of power dynamics in the craft of philanthropy, and a commitment to learning, sharing, and evolving, are integrated and operationalized in the organizational strategy. She is dedicated to engaging PEAK membership and building the organizational value proposition, while also cultivating strong partnerships with philanthropy-serving organizations and the broader philanthropic sector as an ambassador, thought leader, and collaborator. During her tenure, she hopes to strengthen internal infrastructure, grow and diversity PEAK’s funding base, and support an inspired and dynamic staff team while fostering inclusivity, shared values, and high performance.

Satonya brings 25+ years of experience working in nonprofit and philanthropic roles. Prior to joining PEAK, she served as Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer at The Executive Leadership Council where she developed and launched a philanthropic engagement strategy and funding pillars for the organization. Previously, she was Director of Grants Management at The Annie E. Casey Foundation where she oversaw grant operations, and served in management roles at Citi, supporting community relations and foundation giving.

Satonya earned her JD from the University of Cincinnati and her bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from Miami University (Ohio). She is a graduate of the Career Pathways executive leadership program at the Council on Foundations (Cohort 3) and is a certified Prosci Change Management practitioner.

She is an active volunteer, including former board service with PEAK Grantmaking, the Technology Association of Grantmakers and Maryland Philanthropy Network. She enjoys family and friend time, traveling abroad, tennis, a great British detective show, baking, and her love language is organization.

Grants Management Professional Competency Model

Cross-Cutting Competencies

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in grantmaking practices.
Technology Management: Apply technology solutions to grantmaking to support grantmaker applicant, and grantee success.

Lifecycle of a Grant Competencies

Planning and Pre-Grant: Apply the grantmaker values, mission, and goals to ensure alignment of application process and guidelines.

Principles for Peak Grantmaking

Narrow the Power Gap - Use practices and policies to help narrow the power gap between grantmakers and grantseekers, and value equally the resources each brings to their partnerships and use practices and policies to help narrow the power gap.

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