An event or an era? | The scenarios Rising from the ashes Scenario 4 1 4 2 3 At a glance High Crisis, High Cooperation The pandemic devastates American communities. Hundreds of thousands of lives are lost and the numbers are growing. The nation mourns and the collective trauma cements the COVID-19 crisis in our national psyche. But history is replete with examples of people coming together in the face of extreme adversity—and that’s what happens in communities across the country. Not everyone is along for the ride, but a strong majority of the American population begins to agree that the system isn’t working and there is enough cohesion to start to imagine and begin the long road towards a more just and equitable future. What you would need to believe • The virus is hard to control, and treatments don’t really help. The timeline for a We get a modern era New vaccine is a 3-5 year process, not a 1-2 year effort. Deal. The movements for • The economy struggles over this time period, much like the decade-long Great “ racial, economic and social Depression. justice win. But the price is 15 • Americans find strength through adversity. The severity of the crisis brings out high.” our shared humanity and we collectively find space for listening, healing, and action to fix broken systems. Pia Infante • The social sector can work through financial resource constraints as funders The Whitman Institute May 2020 spend more and nonprofits develop new, leaner models that empower communities. Impact on the social sector & communities Philanthropy Nonprofits Philanthropy is looked to as a key funder of In a world of financial scarcity, nonprofits develop policy and systems-level change. The needs and new approaches and innovations that support opportunities are enormous, but a stagnant communities in creating structural change. economy adds pressure to focus financial Organizations adopt lean operating models and resources on the spaces where they can make the empower community members to direct resources, most significant systemic difference. make decisions, and shape strategy. Equity Black, Native American, and Latinx communities, as well as immigrants, frontline workers, and others have a growing voice as the disproportionate impacts from the virus shine a clear light on inequity in our systems. As the country comes together, there is a real opportunity to center these voices in designing what comes next. 18