Closing Registration for HRFN’s Funding Futures FEstival
Thursday 22 September we are closing registration for HRFN’s upcoming Funding Futures Festival in Oaxaca, Mexico.
We are thrilled to have so many of our members attending, but also understand the disappointment for those who won’t be able to attend.
This was not an easy decision. As we’ve been dreaming up this Festival, we’ve been grounded in the reality of gathering for the first time in the COVID-19 context.
We sought out venues with outdoor meeting areas, selected Oaxaca in November/December for the likelihood of good weather, and partnered with local organizations to understand how to respectfully show up in Mexico amidst a pandemic. Still, we are limited both by the space and the impact we might have as a large, global group.
We have been deeply moved by the level of interest and engagement. We did not know what to expect when we started planning. Were people ready to travel? We knew we could not predict what would happen.
When we opened registration, we were thrilled to see many new and longtime members register – organizations from every region, private and public foundations, and people working across the major issues in human rights today. We are closing registration now that we’ve reached our capacity to gather as safely as possible.
We recognize the privilege and responsibility of coming together. At HRFN, we take seriously the responsibility to use this time to advance significant action in resourcing for social justice and human rights. We acknowledge those who will not be in the room – from our network, as well as people for whom travel is not yet safe or accessible, and the many social movements who have not yet been able to gather on a global scale.
For those who aren’t joining us, there are still ways to engage. We are already planning our next Festival. Given the interest and turn out, we know that many of you are craving space for strategizing and connection. Please stay tuned.
We have a limited number of spaces still available for those who have Discovery Sessions accepted. We are also considering ways to make the Open Gallery accessible on site and virtually. All session organizers will be notified by 30 September with a status update.
We will also be sharing updates on new communities of practice and chances to connect in the coming months. And, as always, we continue to build with you, our community, to shape the spaces we need to move toward more just and open philanthropy.
The Funding Futures Festival is our start, a moment of regeneration, but the real work starts after we meet. Our team is deeply committed to carrying forward the momentum, building bridges with our full community, and identifying ways that we can take action together.