Freeman puts a spotlight on the dangers of seeking funding from non-profits that are funded by the rich, instead of building grass-roots movements that fund themselves.
While, of course, few if anyone may be “getting rich,” no one – particularly those of us working in the non-profit industry – can deny the influence funders have on what not-for-profit formations do or won’t do, what political positions they take or don’t take, etc. Even if, as the director of Soros's fund disclaims “they have no ‘direct’ control over the groups they give to, and said they are all trying to improve accountability.” “Direct” is the operative word.The problem, as she recognizes, is that in order to build a grass-roots movement political consciousness raising is a necessary, but also a very difficult, effort to accomplish. That is why I have always stressed the importance of creating a self-funded alternative media by the grass-roots.
If we think of this as funders literally dictating to organizations we will miss how this works. An organization or individual doesn’t have to be told anything directly.