Our mission…
Ktisis Capital advises individual donors, families, foundations, and philanthropic collaboratives to mobilize resources to advance racial, social, economic, and environmental justice.
Our vision for the world…
This mission is grounded in a broader vision for the world we seek to help bring into practice. In 1993, then UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali spoke of the concept of deprivation to the UN Economic and Social Council. He said “Deprivation is a multi-dimensional concept. In the sphere of economics, deprivation manifests itself in poverty; in politics, as marginalization; in social relations, as discrimination; in culture, as rootlessness and isolation; in ecology, as vulnerability. The different forms of deprivation reinforce one another.” Taking inspiration from that statement but with a hopeful view, at Ktisis we work toward a vision of a just and abundant world, where advancements on any front reinforce one another. We work with clients on a range of issues and understand them all to be interconnected. In the sphere of economics, a society characterized by self-sufficiency and fairness; in politics, widespread engagement and empowerment; in social relations, a society grounded in inclusion and acceptance; in culture, a shared experience of rootedness and connection; and in ecology, stewarding our planet in a way that is sustainable for all.
Our values…
Justice & Equity
We are committed to advancing justice – racial, social, economic, and environmental – through both our work with clients and our internal policies. We ground that commitment by treating people with fairness, dignity, and transparency. Much of philanthropy is made possible by systemic and structural inequities and we strive to challenge and transform those systems by centering the voices and perspectives of those most affected by these issues.
Integrity & Trust
We are impeccable with our word and know that this work is built on trust. We seek to maintain the highest standards of accountability to clients, colleagues, and the communities impacted by our work. We strive to be transparent, direct, and responsive in communicating our intentions, processes, and what we can or cannot do.
Wholeness & Complexity
We acknowledge that everyone in our ecosystem is a complex, multifaceted individual. Diverse identities contain contradictions; we welcome them and strive to create space that invites our staff, clients, and partners to bring their whole selves as we collectively struggle toward a better world. We also understand the complexity of our work and strive to acknowledge and balance its tensions – inspiring visions and pragmatic planning, speedy decision-making and thoughtful processes, ambitious goals and human limitations, achieving immediate impact while also sustaining the work and long-term horizons which systems change demands.
Care & Kindness
We treat ourselves and others with kindness, compassion, and respect. Kindness requires being brave and honest in our feedback, particularly regarding our boundaries –with each other, clients, partners, and ourselves. Through this value, we are committed to nurturing the mind, body, and spirit as a way of sustaining healthy individuals, organizations, and movements.
Learning & Curiosity
We value learning and reflection and aim to find opportunities to grow as individuals and as a firm. Given the power dynamics and imbalances ingrained in this work, we especially prioritize the importance of humility in our approach to learning. We actively strive to learn from others, particularly those most impacted by historical and current injustices. No one person is the expert on any issue or movement, and we recognize that everyone has room to learn, knowledge to share, and areas to grow.