Make Money

What is MMMC?

Making Money Make Change (MMMC) is Resource Generation's annual 100-person gathering for young people with wealth (ages 18-35) who believe in social change. MMMC is a confidential space to explore issues related to wealth, privilege, philanthropy, and participation in grassroots movements for justice and equality. Participants and programming at MMMC bring multiple lenses to this work, including a focus on the dynamics of cross-class relationships and a developing curriculum around the intersections of racial and economic justice.

Through workshops, plenaries, community-building caucus and open spaces, and intimate pod groups* throughout the weekend retreat, participants will support, challenge, and inspire each other to align their resources with their values and work for personal and societal transformation. While participants are young people with wealth and partners of young people with wealth, social movement leaders and nonprofit practitioners from other class backgrounds are invited to speak, facilitate sessions, and are encouraged to attend the entire retreat. This retreat can be profound, emotional, inspiring and sometimes challenging work as we build community and work for social change.

*Scroll down for more information about Pods

Who attends?

Participants are individuals aged 18-35, who have or expect to have a wide range of inherited as well as earned wealth, which comes from a diversity of sources and circumstances. Partners of people with wealth are also welcome. MMMC builds a community of peers who support each other in making creative and informed choices about their resources.

What do we do at the conference?

Check out our program page for information about workshops, plenaries and pods! The schedule for MMMC 2012 is posted here, check it out to get a sense of last year's retreat.

Is this gathering for me?

MMMC is a confidential environment to talk freely about challenges and opportunities related to having financial wealth. From the personal to the political, connect with others to uncover your personal relationship to wealth.

• Do you have or expect to come into inherited wealth? Do you have earned wealth? Or are you the partner of someone with wealth?
• Want to work with others to create a more just and equitable society? Would you like to talk with peers about the opportunities and challenges of having wealth?
• Interested in strategic philanthropy, responsible consumption, and/or effective social change activism?
• Want to use your resources to transform society and promote innovative social change?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, then MMMC is for you!

Conference organizers and workshop presenters from various class backgrounds participate in the retreat; however, this is not a gathering designed for those who deal with these issues solely from a professional viewpoint or who work with young donors in a financial or fundraising capacity.

Do you identify as a young person of color with wealth?

RG recognizes the diversity within communities of color. The retreat will host participants from a wide array of racial and ethic backgrounds as well as experiences within the realm of philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and movements for change. Though participants’ experiences are unique and varied, they are united in a common interest in using resources in support of progressive social change. This is a great space for first time MMMC participants of color to build community with other folks of color and get grounded in this unique intersection of identities.

What will I get out of attending MMMC?

At MMMC, you will hear about cutting-edge work happening with issues you care about. You will learn about ways to move money strategically and how to choose socially responsible investments. You will be able to talk with peers and activists about connecting your privilege to your passion for economic justice, racial equality and environmental sustainability.

MMMC seeks to create a supportive space for progressive young people with wealth across lines of race, gender, orientation and ability. We value the diversity of perspectives, knowledge, backgrounds and experiences you bring. Come share in the learning.

What is a pod? 
Sounds like some kind of three-legged animal...

Pods are small assigned groups, based on class background, that meet regularly over the course of Making Money Make Change.

Pods provide a space for people at MMMC to build relationships, process and reflect on workshops and plenaries, and have enriching and candid conversations about our personal experiences with wealth, class, and giving. Everyone is encouraged to share only as much as they are comfortable. In our experience, we find that pods allow participants to have honest and moving conversations. Crying and emotional overshare encouraged, but not required.

15+ Years of Making Money Make Change!

2012 was a landmark moment as we came together for our 15th annual retreat at a time of economic instability and environmental crisis, of democratic revolution and political conflict, in a context of widening inequalities on both a national and a global scale. Against this background of crisis and upheaval, we built community and solidarity by communicating our visions for social change. In a time so potent with change, we used these shared ideas as a foundation upon which we activated our access, privilege and power for change. This conference continues to be a springboard for us to begin the work of communicating with each other, aligning with our core values, and activating our potential!

Who organizes MMMC?

Making Money Make Change is an annual retreat put on by an Organizing Team of previous MMMC participants. MMMC is sponsored and supported by social change foundations, grassroots organizations, and progressive investment firms. Check out our sponsor organizations from 2012 here!

How much does it cost to go to MMMC?

Participants who identify as having wealth or class privilege are expected to pay between $600-$3,000 to attend Making Money Make Change (official Resource Generation members get $100 off). The actual cost of MMMC is about $1,500 per young person with wealth. We suggest the following registration amounts: $600-$1,400 (subsidized registration), $1,500 (full cost registration), $1,600-$3,000 (solidarity registration). For more information on the cost and fees, see our MMMC-Cost-Breakdown!

Click here for more details