About
Driving systems change through an equitable model for shared impact.
PERC is a justice venture on a mission to transform public and private funding and investment practices for catalytic, multigenerational change – by centering the collective power, voices, and expertise of Black, Indigenous, and Latine/x communities in the power-sharing and investment decision-making process to build cross-sector collaborative partnerships nationwide.
Why Justice Venture?
In the absence of existing models for reimagining investment through the lens of racial justice, we developed the justice venture concept – a new, model for collaboration, facilitation, planning, activation, and implementation of catalytic investment and funding practices that centers historically-excluded communities as active participants, leaders, and designers in the economy and social fabric of our country. We use the levers of philanthropy with the principles of venture capital through a justice lens.
Catalytic investment needs to be reimagined.
Research shows that the processes for infrastructure investment play a significant role in creating and perpetuating racial disparities and inequitable systems. Local, state, and federal governments often unilaterally decide what communities and what projects to invest dollars in, ultimately failing to adequately address the needs of the people in under-resourced areas. Private philanthropy and corporations often utilize similar top-down decision-making investment practices.
Without the perspective and participation of the people most proximate to harmed by inequitable systems, challenges in communities persist and impede progress for everyone. When we create space for productive conversations and learnings which center versus exclude or minimize the ideas of those closest to the challenges, the solutions are more likely to benefit the entire community.
Learn more about how we drive impact.
Due to the passage of several historic bills, today we have:
- Dedicated an unprecedented investment in community infrastructure
- Multiple projects underway to organize system players and streamline resources
- Unique opportunity to close persistent racial disparities in life outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and Latine/x people
…and yet, under the current investment processes:
- Projects are discrete, siloed, lack shared goals, and ecosystem for long-term impact
- Existing inequitable systems are reinforced and/or supplemented
- Despite significant dollars and activity, the absence of a coordinated racial equity strategy in the deployment of investment is likely to result in wider gaps for generations to come
A word from the community
Coming together with other communities of color and working on a plan that will help families of color in the future is amazing. PERC has provided a place to make these conversations happen.
Sylvia Perez, St. Paul community table
What we do
Creating powerful, cross-sector coalitions.
PERC works to create a network of cities equipped with the political, financial, and social capital to trailblaze a path toward building wealth and wellbeing for communities.
Our unique, participatory model facilitates learning, communication, and partnership between local government, communities, and philanthropy. We work with cities to strategically form powerful cross-sector coalitions that center the voices, experiences, and expertise of Black, Indigenous, and Latine/x communities, deliver measurable and results-based outcomes, and reimagine the decision-making process for investment, implementation, and longterm impact of catalytic public and private funds.
Our Model
How we drive impact
The PERC model offers a blueprint for coalition building and equitable investment that partners can quickly connect with, apply, and integrate into their own strategies.
