This Much We Know

As I write, ballots are being cast across the country to elect the next President of the United States, and on the evening of November 5, the polls will close. That much is certain. What is far less certain is what will ensue in the days, weeks, and even months ahead.

Like many other foundations, we at Barr have been discussing the implications of this election for our work, with a focus on our valued partners and the communities we serve. The more we have considered those implications, the more we have realized that many of the issues that concern us most—the fragility of our democracy, growing polarization and divisiveness, a growing backlash against racial equity, scapegoating of immigrants, just to name a few—will remain with us well after November 2024.

So, our focus has shifted to determining how we at Barr will strive to show up and meet this moment, bringing a clear-eyed focus on our mission of service, staying grounded in our values, demonstrating our abiding commitment to racial equity, and centering the needs of our partners.

To that end, these are three commitments we plan to bring to navigating the aftermath of November 5 together:

We will remain steadfastly committed to our values: Our values are our North Star. They inform our decisions and guide the actions we take. We will continue to focus on Barr’s core values of striving for impact, acting with humility, investing in leaders, taking the long view, centering racial equity, embracing risk, and demonstrating curiosity. And we will endeavor to demonstrate with both our voice and our actions how these values are much more than just words on a website.

We will keep relationships at the center: Beneath Barr’s core value of humility is our firm belief that philanthropy doesn’t have a monopoly on wisdom. We know we don’t have all the answers and don’t solve anything on our own. That’s why we place such a premium on the quality of our partnerships and why we were recently heartened by feedback we received from our grantees. Because our impact depends on authentic relationships rooted in trust and long-term and committed partnerships, we will depend on those relationships to confront what lies ahead. We know the power of bringing communities together for connection, healing, and joy, and we will be ready to join with others to support such community-building and to foster care.

We will not retreat from our focus on racial equity: Holding firm to our values and our commitments requires steadfastness when headwinds present. Such is the moment today for any of us with an abiding commitment to racial equity. For us at Barr, that commitment is grounded in our understanding of our country’s history, the persistent effects of structural racism, and the imperative to act. We have no doubt that the years ahead will continue to give rise to efforts that aim to undermine progress. For us, as a philanthropic institution with resources, power and privilege, it is all the more important that we not only sustain our commitment to racial equity, but stand firm with our partners and allies in this necessary work. And we will do so.

The coming election offers a choice between two profoundly divergent views of the challenges before us, the kind of leadership and solutions required to address those challenges, and, fundamentally, a vision for America. While the stakes are high, we know that, regardless of the outcome, the important work that our grantees do each and every day will require ongoing support from Barr—and from many others. We remain inspired to persist because of our partners and consider it a privilege to support their efforts, come what may.