Commitment to Equity

What does equity mean to us?

Rochester Area Foundation (the Foundation) recognizes that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments to imbalances caused by unjust and injurious ideologies, systems and practices. Equity, unlike the notion of equality, is not about sameness of treatment. Equity puts into practice, through policies and allocation of resources, principles that intentionally dismantle disparities within our service region as we acknowledge and work to repair the negative impact on communities caused by systemic and societal injustices.

Our Equity Statement

Rochester Area Foundation (The Foundation) exists to enhance the quality of life in our region for all people. We envision our greater Rochester area region as an abundant place to live, work, and connect with others—where we uplift diverse community members as leaders and community changemakers; provide access to healthy food, quality education and healthcare, and attainable housing; steward our natural environment; and have an active arts and culture scene all community members can enjoy. To put it simply, we envision thriving people in thriving places.

As a steward of local community assets, we are indebted to our community and have a responsibility to equitably and responsibly share these assets. We understand our neighbors across the region have different needs and we must invest the resources entrusted to us in an equitable way, intentionally considering how we can support community partners that have been historically marginalized and most impacted by disinvestment.

We recognize the systemic and long-standing injustices in the history of the United States, our state of Minnesota, and within our service region and are working to acknowledge and repair negative impact on communities. The Foundation commits to continually seeking growth and expanding our understanding of the stress, harm, and violence perpetuated by unjust and injurious ideologies, systems, and practices. The Foundation acknowledges the existence of unconscious biases that exist within the subconscious and affect the assumptions, beliefs, and attitudes of every person. We believe it is imperative to continue to examine and challenge our own unconscious biases and understand how different forms of privilege may have unfair advantages. In deepening our understanding, we hope to find actionable pathways forward to address harm to communities and create more equitable outcomes where all people have the ability to achieve what they want for their lives.

We know that to achieve inclusive, healthy, resilient, and thriving communities, all people in our region must have equitable access to the resources and opportunities they require to reach their full potential. We are committed to using our leadership, resources, and voice to build a better future for the diverse people and places that make up our region. One key way we can work to achieve greater equity is by elevating and amplifying the voice and power of local communities. We will continue and increase our work with diverse people and communities towards shared goals, engaging voices that have been traditionally marginalized to ensure all communities within the greater Rochester area see themselves reflected in the mission of the Foundation.

This is how we can work together to truly enhance the quality of life in our region for all people.