Short Talk 2B: Philanthropy’s Role in Times of Crisis
Session Description
At our best, grantmakers are connected and connectors, resourced and resourceful. These traits allow us to play crucial roles in moments of uncertainty by being attentive to short- and long-term needs, leveraging our relationships to align other philanthropic sources and sectors, serving as a convener and, hopefully, emerging as a trusted community partner and advocate. Isaiah Oliver, a grantmaker born and raised in Flint, Michigan, will talk about how the local funding community is responding to the current water crisis in Flint and the work still to come. He’ll share lessons learned from the frontlines and board room, where staff are changing the way they think about transparency in their work and their role in the region as they plan for the future. He’ll offer advice applicable to any grantmaker about key roles we can play in emergent, controversial or complex issues facing our communities.
Session Designers
Speakers
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/1212/profile_df949eaf185476dad15e25874472d11f.png "Isaiah Oliver, Community Foundation of Greater Flint")
Isaiah Oliver, Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Biography
Isaiah Oliver currently serves as Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, serving on the senior leadership team. He is responsible for grant-making, program activities and shares leadership with the President for community leadership. Isaiah previously served as an administrator in the Workforce, Community and Grant Development Division at Mott Community College. In that role, Isaiah worked to secure and manage funding from city, federal, state, and foundation resources to support and promote workforce development and other strategic initiatives. He also worked as a career liaison for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to support the creation, expansion, and sustainability of high-quality, community-based career pathways and post-secondary success strategies in the seven-county region.
Service is important to Isaiah. He is immediate past president of the Flint Public School Board, immediate past president of the Flint Alumni Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., past-chairman of the City of Flint’s Human Relations Commission, a member of the University of Michigan-Flint Citizens Advisory Committee and a member of the Hurley Medical Center Board of Managers. He is a member of many other community organizations and committees including the City of Flint Master Plan Steering Committee, Genesee and Shiawassee Education Advisory Group and the Governor’s Flint Advisory Committee on Urban and Metropolitan Initiatives. In addition, Isaiah is a member of several committees for the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce including the Genesee Global Action Team and the Next Michigan Development Corporation Trade Corridor Alliance Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Planning Committee (CEDS.) He is also a member of the local NAACP chapter and Rotary Club of Flint. Isaiah is a graduate of Central Michigan University. He lives in Flint with his wife, Shay and two daughters, Zaiah Rene and Carrington Elyse.