
Case Study: The Conductor's Circle
The Conductor Circle- Reconstructing Philanthropy
Case Study: The Conductor's Circle
In the aftermath of the 2020 racial justice uprisings, Denver’s philanthropic community found itself at a crossroads: continue funding business-as-usual, or invest in a radically different model- one that placed power, process, and healing directly in the hands of the communities they were serving.
Enter The Conductor Circle, a bold initiative powered by TruNorth Foundation (then Righteous Rage Institute) in partnership with over 20 individual donors and funders, including the Colorado Health Foundation and Rose Community Foundation. Inspired by the abolitionist networks of the Underground Railroad, the Conductor Circle offered a new path forward: instead of participatory grantmaking that still relied on institutional frameworks, developing new systems of community-led, community-rooted decision-making and healing.

The Vision: Follow-ship in Philanthropy
Traditional philanthropy often runs the risk of reinforcing saviorism and power imbalances, by allocating resources to underserved communities without assigning agency to them. The Conductor Circle challenged this norm by asking donors to relinquish control and trust Denver's Afro-Indigenous community members to lead the process.
TruNorth's Facilitation Process:
Instead of proposal scoring and selection committees, TruNorth facilitated a healing-centered community visioning process that engaged:
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150 participants at a community vision board party
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40+ interviews and focus groups
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A Council of Elders and a Circle of Seven trusted Black leaders
The overwhelming message? Healing was the foundation.

What the Community Asked For

Through an iterative, culturally grounded process, the community identified six key areas for investment:
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Safe spaces for vulnerability, healing, and love
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Creation of our own narrative around health and wellness
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Reviving rituals, celebrations, and rites of passage
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Tangible, life-changing experiences to disrupt trauma cycles
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Reconnection to purpose through ancestral concepts (Sankofa, Ubuntu)
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Formation of a Council of Elders for community guidance

The Work in Action
TruNorth mobilized resources immediately to seed a city-wide healing movement. Within a year, TruNorth was able to implement a series of programs designed to support, educate, and economically empower members of the community at various levels:
Black People Breathe 90-Day Challenge
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2-day healing retreat with 120 participants
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Weekly breathwork, yoga, meditation, and healing sessions
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Access to 20+ Black healers and cultural practitioners
Healing the Mother Within
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A 45-day challenge and retreat centering Black women and mothers
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Black Educators Heal, To Heal a Black Man, and Youth-In-The-City
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Specialized retreats and ongoing healing programs for each group
Seven Generations Black Initiative
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A multi-year, community-designed roadmap for investing in intergenerational health and leadership
Grantmaking Reimagined
The Conductor Circle did not just fund programs — it funded infrastructure for long-term transformation:
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Grants to healers and wellness practitioners
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Stipends for transportation, childcare, and accessibility
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Opportunities for participants to “vote with their feet” by choosing which services they valued most
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Full decision-making authority held by a community-led Council of Elders

What Happens When Communities Decide
By the close of the first year:
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Over 140 Black residents participated in immersive healing retreats
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Over 80 engaged in extended programming and 1-on-1 healing
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20+ Black healers, facilitators, and organizations received funding
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5-10 new leaders emerged with proposals for year-two investments
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Donor circles witnessed a transformative model in action — one where their dollars seeded liberation, not dependence
Investing in Local Power: Organizations We Resourced
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Apprentice of Peace
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Compassionate Counseling
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Euda K Best
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Ibeji Healing Arts
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Moss North Therapy
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Mya Therapy
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Shadow Integration Coaching
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