The Sapelo Foundation & Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR)
Southern Action Retreat
January 17-19, 2018
St. Simon’s Island, GA

In the current political environment, American society is starkly divided; acts of hate are on the rise; and bedrock democratic principles are at risk. Federal and state policy measures have been rolled back and threaten to further erode the rights and liberties of vulnerable communities across the United States, including immigrants and refugees, communities of color, women, low-income families, Muslims and LGBTQ individuals, among others. The impact has been acutely felt in the South where capacity to address the needs and concerns of these communities remains limited.

In the face of these challenges, philanthropy must chart a bold course and assert visionary leadership. To this end, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) invites you to join us for an action retreat at the Musgrove Retreat and Conference Center, St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. The retreat will:

• Bring together leaders from justice-oriented philanthropy-supporting organizations (PSOs), their respective memberships, and groups working across the South.
• Focus on the intersection of immigration and other social and racial justice issues.
• Develop concrete strategies to encourage foundations in the South to elevate their leadership and voice in the public sphere; deploy their convening power to mobilize action; and make strategic investments to support cross-issue and cross-community approaches.

We have chosen to focus on the South because of its long history of striving for the rights of marginalized peoples; its influential role in shaping the social, economic, and political future of our country; and the lessons and insights the region could offer to inform efforts in other parts of the country. Given NCRP’s leadership on justice and equity issues in the philanthropic community, I sincerely hope you’ll be able to join us.