Every year, like many peers at other foundations, I partner with grantmaking teams to draft learning plans. We revisit assumptions, reflect on lessons, identify questions for the year ahead, and […] The post Preserving and Rebuilding Public Data Systems: A Framework for FundersKaruna Sridharan Chibber Evaluation and Learning Officer, Families and Communities, The David and…

Twenty years ago, on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the surrounding area. That disaster made the reality of climate change visible, and it revealed how disasters […] The post Lessons from Katrina: How Funders Can Help Communities Get “Climate Mobility” Right  Taryn Higashi Executive Director, Unbound PhilanthropyDavid Lubell Senior Climate Mobility and…

In 1956, the U.S. passed the Federal Highway Act, promising widespread public benefits. However, these highways tore through thriving Black neighborhoods, devastating generational economic and cultural vitality. In Durham, North Carolina, […] The post AI Is the Next Infrastructure Project — Let’s Not Repeat Our Problematic PastWilliam Jackson Founder and Chief Dreamer, Village of Wisdom appeared…

Nonprofit organizations are in a state of crisis: facing safety, legal, and funding threats, as documented in the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s most recent “State of Nonprofits” report, which reveals […] The post Now is When Nonprofits Need Philanthropy the Most: Five Ways Funders Can Step UpVivian Tseng President and CEO, Foundation for Child DevelopmentPhilip…

The release of “Voices That Matter” from the Center for Effective Philanthropy affirms what many in the sector have long hoped: funders recognize that listening to the people at the […] The post Funder Investment in High-Quality Listening: Backing the Practices That Matter MostBritt Lake CEO, Feedback LabsMichael Gale Manager of Field Building, Feedback Labs…

The SMS service that connects hungry neighbors with nearby food pantries? It runs on AI. The nonprofit fighting cancer by repurposing generic drugs? Also operating with AI. The nonprofit instantly […] The post Signals of Readiness: How Funders Can Vet AI in the Social SectorShannon Farley Co-Founder and Executive Director, Fast ForwardChantal Forster Independent Advisor,…

Imagine a world where philanthropy embraces social change in all its complexity — where genuine change is made through transformational partnerships free from hierarchical bias. As leaders of community-based organizations […] The post Embracing the Complexity of Social Change: Moving From Transactional to Transformative Funding PartnershipsJuan José Hurtado Paz y Paz Director, Pop No’jCamelia Proca…

I find it hard to believe, but I’ve been working in the feedback field for more than 18 years. During that time, I’ve supported both foundations and nonprofits to more […] The post The Challenge and Opportunity for Funder and Nonprofit Listening Right Now appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post…

A newly released report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), “Voices That Matter,” finds that nearly all foundation respondents report actively working to understand the needs of the people […] The post Funders: Are We Really Listening? An Opportunity for Reflection and Change appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post…

Hosted by the Network of European Foundations since 2005, EPIM – The European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration, is one of Europe’s longest-standing philanthropic collaboratives. In 2021, it embarked on an […] The post Transforming a Legacy: From Co-Granting to Truly Collaborative Philanthropy appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>

Funders have long encouraged collaboration among their grantees, but historically they have been far less enthusiastic about collaborating with each other. That’s perhaps understandable given that effective collaboration means surrendering […] The post The Many Paths to Launching and Scaling a Collaborative Fund appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>

Philanthropy is more needed than ever, but without governance that reflects today’s complexity, it risks losing its relevance. In a world reshaped by climate instability, democratic erosion, and rising inequality, […] The post Philanthropy Is Changing — Governance Must Change, Too appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>

As the leader of a frontline-accountable intermediary, I’m hearing story after story from the ground: promised federal funds permanently or indefinitely frozen; environmental justice funding portfolios sunsetting unexpectedly; reimbursements from […] The post Grassroots Groups Aren’t a Risk — They’re the Sure Bet: Insights From a Frontline Funder appeared first on The Center for Effective…

“Philanthropy is where organizers go to retire.” For those of us who transition into the world of charitable giving from roles in organizing and advocacy, it’s common to hear this […] The post Belaboring the Change: What If Funder Organizing Learned from Worker Power Building? appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full…

Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the […] The post The Future is Ours to Make: What If Solidarity Was the Blueprint for Philanthropy? appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy.…

Nonprofit leaders are in crisis. Things have been rough for a while, and as a person who has worked in nonprofits for most of my career, I know it was […] The post From Reactive to Reflective: Why Funders Must Make Space for Stories appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post…

Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the […] The post Solidarity Leadership: What If Philanthropy Encouraged Collaboration Rather Than Competition? appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>

The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s State of Nonprofits report is timely and insightful, and many of its findings are an important reality check. We are in a time of great […] The post Courage in Unity: A Funder’s Response to the ‘State of Nonprofits’ appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post…

Those of us who engage in radical resource redistribution know that the goal of institutional philanthropy should be its own obsolescence. But that will not happen overnight; change is a […] The post Change is a Process: What If Philanthropy Had the Courage to Take Its Cues From Nature? appeared first on The Center for…