Carmen James Randolph is the founding president and CEO of the Women's Foundation of the South (WFS), a New Orleans public foundation that builds the health, wealth, and power of women, girls, and gender expansive people across 13 Southern states.
Carmen has spent more than three decades in nonprofits and philanthropy, starting with literacy and education work with children in Washington, DC, then at the Meyer Foundation, and from 2014 to 2021 as Vice President for Programs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation.
WFS opened in 2021 with $1.3 million, raised first from about 85 donors in philanthropy, and within 30 days its home state was hit by Hurricane Ida. Its first grants were $5,000 awards that nonprofit leaders could spend on their own rest and leadership, and that model now runs in six state cohorts.
In this episode Carmen explains why women and girls of color in the South receive $2.15 per person in philanthropic funding, how WFS tracks a 50 to 60% gain in leaders' reported impact, the $15 million AMANDLA Fund designed with grassroots leaders, and a planned fund for maternal and infant health in states where mothers in labor are flown out of their communities to give birth.
Timestamps:
[00:50] Who is Carmen James Randolph?
[01:18] What is the mission of Women's Foundation of the South?
[01:39] Why did Carmen give three decades to philanthropy?
[08:14] Is your vision big enough?
[09:17] Why do Southern women of color get only $2.15?
[11:37] How did WFS open its doors with $1.3 million?
[14:19] What can $300,000 do for burned out leaders?
[16:38] Why did leaders score 11 out of 30 on self-care?
[18:42] Why fund the leader first?
[24:49] How does WFS measure its impact?
[26:49] How do nonprofits work under today's political pressure?
[33:08] Why watch Southern state houses?
[34:59] What is the $15 million AMANDLA Fund?
[37:04] Where will WFS be in five years?
[38:12] What happens when there's no birthing center nearby?
[42:52] Why did the state cut a program that saved babies?
[44:31] How can you support WFS?
[45:33] How will your end of year gift be doubled?
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