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Funding practice
7 best practices in participatory grantmaking
Participatory grantmaking has been practiced in modern philanthropy for over 40 years, and beyond that, the act of communities determining how to distribute resources collectively has roots that go back farther than modern philanthropy. I …
Making sure we don’t just repattern what’s come before
Last week 12 different foundations from across Europe came together in Brussels for the Philanthropy in Transitions Practice Lab, hosted by Philea and co-led by myself and Jesper Christiansen from Bikubenfonden in Copenhagen. This was …
A case for upending grantee partner calls
One day, I nodded absentmindedly at a comment my four-year old made. She looked at me and said: ‘Mama, you aren’t listening to me with your listening ears!’ I was simultaneously taken aback and humbled. …
Why widespread philanthropic coordination is so elusive: Lessons from the sector
Time and again, there are clarion calls within the philanthropic sector for more coordination among funders – but so far, no remedy has endured. When the Covid-19 pandemic upended our lives in early 2020, the …
Are the Chinese embracing giving circles?
Research from the Shanghai United Foundation, released last month, examines the status of giving circles in China and its impact on citizen philanthropy. The report is the first piece of research that seeks to understand …
How can funders support pro-democracy movements?
As the United States celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day on 16 January, it is a moment to look back on the ways a broad-based, pro-democracy movement came together to push for civil rights and …
To shift power, fund entire ecosystems
It’s a classic tale of the trajectory of a nongovernmental organization (NGO): a well-meaning organization grows rapidly, crafts a beautiful strategy, and has all the right subject-matter expertise in place, only to realize late in …
Foundation funding practices: Triggering change from within
Criticism of inflexible and unfair funding practices of foundations is not limited to the US and the UK. On the contrary: Just recently, a call organized by the Berlin-based consulting firm Phineo gave room for …
7 habits of highly participatory donors & NGOs
Ready to improve your work with young people? This is for you! Many donors and NGOs have the intention of working more collaboratively with young people. These intentions have been demonstrated through consensus statements, challenges, …
An African civil society perspective on localizing international funding
Philanthropy can help lead the way in shifting international humanitarian and development funding to local and national organizations. African civil society organizations will be an important part of this shift. African CSOs have long been …
