(By Romy Krämer)
My name is Romy Krämer, and I joined the group of LEAP initiators in August. I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to another experiment in participatory grantmaking (read more about the first one here). I am especially excited about the opportunity to help create meaningful connections between the worlds of activism and social entrepreneurship via a shared funding tool and community.
One of three key convictions we have with LEAP (next to a systemic stance and genuine participation) is Learning Orientation. Sharing reflections and information about the lessons learned is very much part of this journey. It is in this spirit that I will be writing on this blog.
Transparency is more than a blog post
As with all good intentions, it’s hard to actually be transparent in practice, in a way that is accessible to those you want to reach. Yes, it requires taking the time to write a decent-enough blog post and share it with those you involved up to that point. But is that it?
When I began writing this, I thought I would tell you about how most of us are doing this pro bono and alongside our busy jobs and lives. And that time flies and a monthly blog post is unrealistic in the middle of a pandemic where those of us with children are dependent on our childcare, and schools being actually open, and our children not being home due to a minor cough. While that’s all true, it’s only part of the story.
The current LEAP initiators are:
- Rainer Hoell – Former CEO of Ashoka Germany and now self-employed Coach
- Leonie Taylor – Co-founder of the Feminist Men Project and Resource Justice and coming from a background of wealth
- Odin Muehlenbein – Partner at Ashoka Germany
- Martin Modlinger – part-time Executive Director of the Renewable Freedom Foundation
- Romy Kraemer – Managing Director of the Guerrilla Foundation
Rainer’s, Odin’s and my engagement in LEAP is supported by Ashoka and the Guerrilla Foundation, respectively.
It is important to state from the start that had we been a bunch of activists and social entrepreneurs, starting LEAP would certainly have been much harder if not impossible. We are a group of well-connected people from Germany and the UK who have the flexibility to set time apart in our busy calendars to build something we are excited about and hope will have a positive impact. Most importantly, we are connected to potential funders and can easily organise a call with ten people of wealth and foundation staff to get feedback on our ideas.
I believe that this should be the first reflection to share on this blog. Naming and being aware of these privileges is key as we reach out to activists and entrepreneurs and ask for their input and involvement. This is an important part of transparency and the basis for humbleness and accountability.