What Infrastructure Supports Do Mutual Aid Groups and Social Movements Need to Succeed?

Oct
4
2023

by Hannah Martin | Urban Institute | September 6, 2023

When our Urban Institute and George Mason University team defined the social sector and determined what types of infrastructure it needs to thrive, we included these lesser-known, informal groups that unite around a common social purpose without nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid business status—but fill critical gaps, often during crises.

To understand the infrastructure supports mutual aid groups and social movements require to operate and some barriers they face, I interviewed three leaders in the space:

Deepa Iyer, senior director of strategic initiatives at Building Movement Project, which “ignites nonprofits’ potential to have an impact in advancing movements for progressive social change and focuses that potential into tangible action;” Farrah Lafontant, senior director of action and success at io by, a crowdfunding platform that serves mutual aid groups; and Trevor Smith, director of narrative change at Liberation Ventures, which “accelerates the Black-led movement for racial repair.”

Read the article: https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/what-infrastructure-supports-do-mutual-aid-groups-and-social-movements-need-succeed/

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