We’re taking an integration sabbatical for the rest of 2023
Let us explain what it means and what it entails!
From 2020 to 2023, Threshold Philanthropy was in its startup phase, one where we were rapidly moving, growing, doing, learning, and unlearning. Naturally, as we continue to evolve, Threshold Philanthropy has moved past its startup phase and is moving into an integration phase, which kicks off with a team-wide sabbatical that will run from July 1 through early 2024. During this process, we’re ceasing operations, and all team members will have time to reflect, recharge, heal, and renew. Then at the beginning of 2024, we will come back and reassess Threshold’s Philanthropy’s future with fresh eyes, open hearts, and grounded spirits.
The importance of taking a break
We’re proud of the relationships we’ve forged, lessons we’ve learned, and individuals, organizations, and communities we’ve resourced — and, we’ve realized that how we’ve been operating these past two years isn’t sustainable or healthy for us or our partners. We’ve realized that, despite our best intentions of doing things differently — working to create a new culture rooted in holistic community care, authentic relationships, and healing — we ended up engaging in the same ol’ dynamics and habits that have plagued all Black and Native women and women of color in their careers. We’ve been burning the candle at both ends being a grantmaker, an employer, an economic entity, and a civic actor, and also as individual people because of our passion for this work and our deep belief in our mission. We’ve been socialized to accept and perpetuate our own exploitation and, without having real time and space while launching Threshold Philanthropy, we unwittingly brought this mindset into our work.
With this mindset and permeable boundaries, belief in a mission is not enough to sustain our energy for this work.
That’s why it’s important for us, as an organization, to make an intentional shift, to not proliferate old habits where organizations just keep going, even when they have drifted away from their original values. An integration sabbatical is a period of physical, intellectual, and emotional rest for an entire organization.
A discussion with: Threshold Philanthropy
What we will be doing during this sabbatical
We’re not going to be doing more work, that’s for sure! ;D
Traditional sabbaticals can reinforce extractive, racialized capitalism, and typically, people in leadership positions are the ones who are afforded paid sabbaticals. We want to break that model because we know that every team member deserves the time to reflect and renew.
When we all get space, we can actually make a better organization, we can break bigger patterns, and we can support our individual and collective healing. This is an embodied commitment to our liberation and our values.
During this sabbatical, we’ll all still be caregiving in our communities.
We’ll all still be building a new culture.
We’ll have space to explore who we are beyond our labor.
What does the future of Threshold Philanthropy look like?
We’re excited to see what rises to the top for each individual team member during this sabbatical. Team members are not beholden to come back — it will be a grounded choice each person makes. During this moment of introspection and rest, we anticipate that our team members may come to some revelations, personal and professional. A liberated future includes the power to say “no” to some choices and “yes” to others.
As an organization, it’s up in the air what exactly Threshold Philanthropy will end up looking like when we come back together. Those of us who decide to come back in early 2024 will have time to take the learnings and reflections from this time to build an evolved version of Threshold Philanthropy — building on our strengths while also intentionally shedding what we no longer need. Whatever form it eventually takes, we know that the future of Threshold Philanthropy will hold more clarity and will continue to be grounded in holistic community care.
How you can give some love during this transitional period
Over these past two years, Threshold Philanthropy has had the gift of partnering with some phenomenal partners. We highly encourage you to get to know them, to learn more about their work, and to give them some love and support in their missions through resources or sharing connections you can make for them.
Wanna learn more about what we’ve done?
Read more about our sabbatical and other Threshold Philanthropy learnings on our stories page.