On the last afternoon of the PEX forum, we were asked to gather the gifts that we contribute to the community. In my group, we came up with ‘curiosity’, ‘creating brave spaces’ and ‘being able to give and receive’. 

These values perfectly sum up my first experience in-person with the PEX community. They shaped a space which made it possible to be vulnerable, question held beliefs and acknowledge the privileged position that usually comes with being part of the philanthropic sector. 

What I realised throughout the two days we spent in Rome, was that these circumstances made it possible to imagine a future and a goal to work towards. Because, as Evie O’Brien from the Atlantic Institute said, “we need to consolidate the reality of philanthropy with the need to provide hope within the reckoning”. The reckoning in this case being nothing less than the dismantling of the structures of oppression and extortion that currently keep the world going. To do that we at least have to have an inkling of what we want our world to look like afterwards. 

Venturing past the immediate future and daring to look at what could be, can be scary in a world of impending doom: wherever you look there is either climate change, war, or an uncertain political and social future. But being surrounded by a community of people who are either grappling with the same sort of questions or have already been brave and have dared to look, was soothing and energising at the same time. Not being alone on this journey, supporting each other and figuring it out together, makes it a lot more joyous and a lot less daunting.

I am incredibly thankful for the PEX community and what it provides. At #TrustCreatesImpact (#VertrauenMachtWirkung) in Germany, we try to do the same. We have established a network of German-speaking foundations that support each other in striving towards new possibilities. We are an initiative whose members collectively reflect on and shape the future of foundations and learn from one another in the process. Our 9 Considerations for the Foundation of the Future guide our efforts in this regard. Our initiative’s members, as individual foundations and together as a network, are on a journey towards putting these considerations into practice. We do this in concert with each foundation’s grantees, as their perspectives and needs are what guide us.

Janna Heegardt is a working student at #VertrauenMachtWirkung, Germany.