January 16, 2024 A New Fund Backs Civic Engagement and Power Building for Communities of Color in California January 16, 2024/ Martha Ramirez Major Golden State grantmakers have gotten behind PIVOT, a collaborative fund to resource democracy work and build community power. Its initial grants have prioritized voter organizing alongside wider movement building.Read More
December 19, 2023 Beyond Trust-Based Philanthropy: Ms. Foundation Report Advocates for Care-Based Giving December 19, 2023/ Martha Ramirez A new report looks at the toll of chronic underinvestment on the leadership of women and nonbinary people of color, and offers a new framework for funders looking to better support these leaders.Read More
November 13, 2023 A Foundation’s Bid to Build Access and Change Narratives Around Government Spending November 13, 2023/ Martha Ramirez As a torrent of federal funding comes online, the Marguerite Casey Foundation is aiming to help shift public resources toward historically excluded communities and change the conversation around government spending.Read More
November 13, 2023 The Paul G. Allen Foundation Gets Behind a Youth-Led Campaign to Boost Civic Engagement November 13, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Rhizome is a national, youth-led network seeking to build civic engagement among American young people. Here’s how it got the attention and support of the late Microsoft cofounder’s foundation.Read More
October 05, 2023 Black Feminists Are Organizing with Little to No Funding. Here Are Three Ways to Change That October 05, 2023/ Tynesha McHarris and Nicky McIntyre, Guest Contributors Despite their crucial role at the front lines of progressive change, Black feminist leaders face a marked lack of philanthropic backing. Guest authors Tynesha McHarris and Nicky McIntyre challenge funders to step up.Read More
September 21, 2023 Youth Leaders Put Climate on the Agenda, But Get Philanthropic Scraps. They're Ready for Abundance September 21, 2023/ Michael Kavate The new Youth Climate Justice Fund, which debuted at Climate Week NYC, will channel the fundraising and organizing chops of young leaders to build the field and, hopefully, inspire a wave of similar funds.Read More
September 18, 2023 “Transformation” at the JPB Foundation: Eight Questions with Deepak Bhargava, President-Elect September 18, 2023/ Michael Kavate Bhargava, a longtime insider and former grantee of the JPB Foundation, will take over from founding donor and president Barbara Picower in February 2024. We connected with him to learn more about the transition.Read More
August 24, 2023 Eight Questions for Ray Colmenar, President of the Akonadi Foundation August 24, 2023/ Martha Ramirez Ray Colmenar recently succeeded Lateefah Simon as president of the Oakland-based Akonadi Foundation. We spoke to him about his career, the notion of co-governance, Akonadi’s racial justice commitments and more.Read More
June 28, 2023 How Can Funders Meaningfully Address Gender-Based Violence? Support Survivor Justice June 28, 2023/ Brook Kelly-Green and Ada Williams Prince, Guest Contributors In this guest contribution, Brook Kelly-Green of Schusterman Family Philanthropies and Ada Williams Prince of Pivotal Ventures highlight the need for funders to center and support survivors of gender-based violence.Read More
June 22, 2023 Dear Philanthropy: Step Up for Reproductive Justice by Backing Black Women and Black-Led Nonprofits June 22, 2023/ Surina Khan and Janette Robinson Flint, Guest Contributors It’s been a year since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. In this guest piece, Surina Khan and Janette Robinson Flint call on funders to better support Black women at the vanguard of the fight for reproductive rights.Read More
June 15, 2023 The Next Generation of Asian Americans Are Poised to Lead. Does Philanthropy Have Their Back? June 15, 2023/ Reshma Shamasunder, Guest Contributor In this guest article, Asian American Futures Executive Director Reshma Shamasunder calls on philanthropy to be more supportive toward young Asian Americans working to build a more equitable world.Read More
May 31, 2023 To Build Community Power, Here Are Two Habits Funders Need to Break May 31, 2023/ Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, Jodeen Olguín-Tayler, Josh Stearns, Guest Contributors Funders often struggle to back civic engagement and community power building. In this guest piece, three authors whose organizations collaboratively fund that work suggest some changes in approach.Read More
May 18, 2023 Six Questions for Cathy Cha, President and CEO of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund May 18, 2023/ Martha Ramirez We spoke with the leader of this prominent California social justice funder to discuss her career, her experience as the daughter of Korean immigrants, threats to American democracy, and more.Read More
May 15, 2023 “Build a Radically Different Future.” Six Questions for NDN Collective Founder Nick Tilsen May 15, 2023/ Mike Scutari Nick Tilsen is one of philanthropy’s leading advocates for building Indigenous power and self-determination. We chatted with him about his organization, lessons learned from 20-plus years of activism and more.Read More
April 27, 2023 It's Time for Philanthropy to Be as Bold as Leaders on the Front Lines of Social Change April 27, 2023/ Deborah Barron, Guest Contributor More progressive organizations are using a “multi-entity” approach, such as working through both a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4). Guest author Deborah Barron discusses how funders can back them more boldly and effectively.Read More
April 13, 2023 What It Looks Like When a Multigenerational Family Foundation Makes All Voices Equal April 13, 2023/ Ade Adeniji When David and Georgia Welles launched the family’s Cricket Island Foundation, they prioritized family participation across generations. That continues today, and has led the funder to its current focus on youth organizing. Read More
March 21, 2023 For Real Climate Justice, Philanthropy Must Support the Front Lines, Fund Early and Fund Big March 21, 2023/ Supriya Lopez Pillai, Guest Contributor Even as climate justice groups remain underfunded, the restorative work they’re engaged in grows ever more urgent. Guest author Supriya Lopez Pillai says now is the time for funders to commit to more transformative approaches.Read More
March 03, 2023 Backed By Diverse Funders, Liberation Ventures Is Pushing for Reparations and a "Culture of Repair" March 03, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe With an eclectic mix of funders and a holistic and long-term plan, this field-building organization is seeking reparations for Black Americans. We connected with co-founder and managing director Aria Florant to learn more.Read More
February 27, 2023 For This Funder Collaborative, the Road Back to Abortion Access Leads Through the States February 27, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity was working at the state level long before the end of Roe v. Wade. Today, it’s more convinced than ever that the states are where the fight over abortion will be won or lost.Read More
February 14, 2023 Frontline 360° Is Helping Grassroots Groups Land Federal Dollars — and Building a Movement February 14, 2023/ Laurie Mazur, Guest Contributor With backing from several major funders, this partnership is helping community-based environmental and climate groups secure government funding. It’s also helping such groups link up and build power. Read More