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Grassroots Grantmaking

From trust-based philanthropy to participatory grantmaking, keeping up with the latest in participation.

Rethinking Resources

As funders freeze, what will sustain the grassroots next?

Unlocking Abundance

Nearly two trillion dollars sit in DAF accounts. How can more money reach communities?

Frontline Finance

Common Ground

Fiscal sponsors steward billions in philanthropic dollars. But they could do so much more.

Citizen Science

Exploring how communities and everyday people are participating in research, data collection, and scientific decision-making.

Community-Driven Journalism

Exploring models of journalism that give communities a greater role in shaping the stories told about them.

From Protest to Participation

Exploring how protest movements can translate demands for change into meaningful participation in public decision-making.

How We Gather

The “how” of public meetings is just as important as what is discussed. How can they function better?

Solidarity Economies

Nuts & Bolts

Exploring the “how” of participatory investing, from designing a fund to facilitating community conversations.

Tech and Democracy

What tool should I use to survey my community? Diving into what’s out there today.

Working It

Stories of sex workers taking control of their representation in media

Collections

Taking Root

Vanessa Stevens highlights emerging ideas and resources to deepen grassroots grantmaking.

Power in Proximity

A column on who gets to decide how money moves in the Global South

On Media

Tirrea Billings explores who shapes the stories philanthropy tells about itself – and how those narratives shape what gets funded.

Solidarity Economies

Participatory Investing

The future of participatory investing in the United States

agroecology, climate, food

Seeding Power

Agroecology

Seeding Power

How can philanthropy best support agroecology?

Frontline Finance

Fiscal Sponsorship

Repairing Development Newsletter

Working It

Stories of sex workers taking control of their representation in media

Donor Advising

Exploring the changing field of philanthropic advising and the people rethinking how donors make decisions.

Budgeting

State of Assembly

Tracking the growth of citizens’ assemblies and what they can teach us about giving people a greater role in democracy.

Proximate Samip

SAMIP

Proximate Samip

Proximate East Africa

East Africa

Proximate East Africa

A collaboration between Proximate and Mama Hope to explore participatory problem-solving in East Africa

Community Philanthropy

Exploring how communities around the world are building institutions to mobilize resources and shape their own futures.

Proximate Brasil

Brasil

Proximate Brasil

A collaboration between Proximate and Philó to explore participatory problem-solving in Brazil

Brazil

Beyond Elections

Exploring participatory democracy and new ways for people to shape public decisions between and beyond elections.

Frontline Finance

Common Ground

Fiscal Sponsorship

Common Ground

Fiscal sponsors steward billions in philanthropic dollars. But they could do so much more.

Rethinking Resources

As funders freeze, what will sustain the grassroots next?

Grassroots Grantmaking

Participatory Grantmaking

Grassroots Grantmaking

From trust-based philanthropy to participatory grantmaking, keeping up with the latest in participation.

Tech and Democracy

What tool should I use to survey my community? Diving into what’s out there today.

Solidarity Economies

Nuts & Bolts

Exploring the “how” of participatory investing, from designing a fund to facilitating community conversations.

How We Gather

The “how” of public meetings is just as important as what is discussed. How can they function better?

From Protest to Participation

Exploring how protest movements can translate demands for change into meaningful participation in public decision-making.

Community-Driven Journalism

Exploring models of journalism that give communities a greater role in shaping the stories told about them.

Citizen Science

Exploring how communities and everyday people are participating in research, data collection, and scientific decision-making.

Deepening Philanthropy

Joana Ribeiro Mortari explores the people, ideas and practices reshaping philanthropy in Brazil.

brasil

Aprofundando a Filantropia

Perspectivas e provocações sobre a mudança de poder no campo da filantropia brasileira. Em português e inglês.

brazil

Homegrown Horizons

Vincent Mwangi explores the people and institutions building Africa’s development future from within.

Unlocking Abundance

DAF Reform

Unlocking Abundance

Nearly two trillion dollars sit in DAF accounts. How can more money reach communities?

DAF Reform

Equity Overhaul

Rachel Kimber explores the changing world of grants management and the people rethinking how philanthropic dollars move.

Repairing Development

Isabelle Clérié tracks the old development order – and the debate over what will replace it.

Articles

Where Will the Money Come from?

Grassroots Grantmaking

Field Note

The news that Wellspring Philanthropy Fund is closing its doors by 2028 came as a shock to many in the human rights space.

What is the Role of Citizen Science in Conservation of Endangered Species?

From grizzly bears to birds to bats, citizen science tools are helping scientists track and save species

Fiona Garrity

From Grizzlies to Plovers: Unpacking the Role of Citizen Science for Conservation of Endangered Species

From Protest to Participation

Participatory democracy

Analysis

Extinction Rebellion Is Calling for Citizens Assemblies. Here's Why.

Citizens' assemblies are on the agenda for the political group

Pam Bailey

Participatory democracy

Should Street Protesters Partner with Democracy Reformers? Extinction Rebellion Says Yes

Parenting As a Blueprint for Participatory Work

Grassroots Grantmaking

Perspective

"Because I said so" is not an effective parenting strategy, and it fails as a philanthropic approach as well

Rozella Kennedy

Magic Cabinet

Parenting As a Blueprint for Participatory Work

How I Lost Respect Doing Community-Led Work

Proximate East Africa

Perspective

Jonathan Kifunda on the challenges of returning to his community from an international NGO

Jonathan Kifunda

How I Lost Respect Doing Community-Led Work