Explore Our Articles

Check out our story archive and search for a specific article here

Deepening Philanthropy: What is Practice, Anyway?

Proximate Brasil

|

Deepening Philanthropy: What is Practice, Anyway?A new column for Proximate Brasil on regenerative philanthropic practices Joana Ribeiro Mortari

The Future of The Localisation Agenda

Repairing Development

|

The Future of The Localisation Agenda Are we progressing or digressing? A new column by Vincent Mwangi Vincent Mwangi

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

New Data on the "Economics" of Localizing Aid Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Conference Confidential: A weekend with Resource Generation Anna Patton investigated the rise of fiscal sponsors – both in the Global North and Global South – that are making it easier to donate across borders.Proximate

Report Roundup: Proximate Brasil

Proximate Brasil

|

Report Roundup: Proximate Brasil We read several recent reports on shifting power in philanthropy – and pulled out the highlights Proximate

Representação fiscal: um caminho para a democratização dos fundos no Brasil?

Proximate Brasil

|

Representação fiscal: um caminho para a democratização dos fundos no Brasil?Alguns enxergam a representação fiscal como uma forma de reduzir as barreiras para pequenas organizações e coletivos - até certo ponto.Joana Ribeiro Mortari

What's the Future of Fiscal Sponsorship in Brazil?

Proximate Brasil

|

What's the Future of Fiscal Sponsorship in Brazil?Some see fiscal hosting as a way to reduce barriers for small organizations and collectives – up to a point Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Nota da Editora

Proximate Brasil

|

Nota da Editora Sobre esse assunto Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Editor's Note

Proximate Brasil

|

Editor's Note We are entering a new era in how we practice philanthropy, people are embracing community philanthropy and trust-based philanthropy.Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Crossroads of Legacies: Experimenting with Flow Funding in Brazil

Proximate Brasil

|

Crossroads of Legacies: Experimenting with Flow Funding in Brazil A donor and a flow funder share their views on philanthropy, autonomy and reparations Caroline Amanda and Camila Haddad

Encruzilhada de Legados: experimentando o Flow Funding no Brasil

Proximate Brasil

|

Encruzilhada de Legados: experimentando o Flow Funding no Brasil Um doador e um flow funder compartilham suas visões sobre filantropia, autonomia e reparação Caroline Amanda e Camila Haddad

Arianne Shaffer sobre quatro anos de flow funding

Proximate Brasil

|

Arianne Shaffer sobre quatro anos de flow funding O Kindle Project é líder em flow funding, incluindo sua recente grupo de mulheres indígenas Kevin McClendon e Ben Wrobel

Em conversa: o Jogo Oasis do Instituto Elos

Proximate Brasil

|

Em conversa: o Jogo Oasis do Instituto Elos Falamos com Rodrigo Rubido sobre o que faz uma prática realmente participatória.Proximate

In Conversation: Instituto Elos’ Oasis Game

Proximate Brasil

|

In Conversation: Instituto Elos’ Oasis Game We spoke with Rodrigo Rubido about what makes a practice truly participatory Proximate

State of Assembly

|

Citizens Assemblies Meet Participatory Grantmaking A group decided how to spend $27 million of Marlene Engelhorn's fortune. We spoke with one of the project's leaders, days before it all kicked off.Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Time for "empowerment philanthropy"? Our own Isabelle Clérié weighed in with her column, Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South.Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

New Resources on Participatory Philanthropy Porticus has been on a journey to explore participatory approaches in their work for a few years now. I've had a chance to peek at their internal decks. Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

A New Community of Practice I had the pleasure to speak recently with Maya Hasan, who is building out a new, global community of practice for the #ShiftThePower movement Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Where Will the Money Come from?The news that Wellspring Philanthropy Fund is closing its doors by 2028 came as a shock to many in the human rights space.Proximate

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

Citizen Science

|

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

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

From Protest to Participation

|

Extinction Rebellion Is Calling for Citizens Assemblies. Here's Why.Citizens' assemblies are on the agenda for the political group Pam Bailey

Parenting As a Blueprint for Participatory Work

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Parenting As a Blueprint for Participatory Work "Because I said so" is not an effective parenting strategy, and it fails as a philanthropic approach as well Rozella Kennedy

How I Lost My Respect Doing Community-Led Work

Repairing Development

|

How I Lost My Respect Doing Community-Led Work Jonathan Kifunda on the challenges of returning to his community from an international NGO Jonathan Kifunda

Reporting is Broken. It’s Time To Do a Hard Thing and Fix It.

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Reporting is Broken. It’s Time To Do a Hard Thing and Fix It.Oral reporting and other innovations can be better, fairer and easier on grantees Rachel Kimber

Beyond Elections

|

Let's all work together: A New Ecosystem Map I’m intrigued by the National Civic League’s effort to map the entities working to create a healthier democracy across my large and sprawling country.Proximate

Beyond Elections

|

Beware of ‘Participation-Washing’ An ever-present danger of deliberative democracy is that a government may host a citizens’ assembly or jury, and then ignore its recommendations.Proximate

Navigating Climate Week: A Guide to Events On Locally-Led Development

|

Navigating Climate Week: A Guide to Events On Locally-Led Development Here's where you can find conversations on localizing climate solutions, from philanthropy to the grassroots Ben Wrobel

Not Waiting Around: The Foundations Transforming DAFs from Within

Unlocking Abundance

|

Not Waiting Around: The Foundations Transforming DAFs from Within As foundations wait on federal DAF legislation, some are taking matters into their own hands and taking back control from donors Kaila Philo

Should Community Foundation DAFs Be Regulated Differently?

Unlocking Abundance

|

Should Community Foundation DAFs Be Regulated Differently?Gerry Roll offers an alternative to the either-or dynamic around DAF reform – arguing that not all DAF sponsors are created equal Grace Chai

Patriotism is Participation

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Patriotism is Participation The constant battle between individual versus collective leadership and decision-making Diana Samarasan and Catherine Hyde Townsend

Democracy Starts With How You Live

Beyond Elections

|

Democracy Starts With How You Live Integrity starts with how we live our lives; so does democracy Pam Bailey

The New Citizen Project: Seeing People as Citizens, not Consumers

Beyond Elections

|

Seeing People as Citizens, not Consumers Jon Alexander on how “circular power politics” could help politicians buy in to citizen participation Proximate

We Need a "Just Transition" for Democracy

Beyond Elections

|

We Need a ‘Just Transition’ from One Democracy to Many We need to move to a healthy ecosystem of diverse democracies Josh Lerner

Borderless Giving: Can Fiscal Hosts Get Money Moving to the Global Majority?

|

Borderless Giving: Could Fiscal Hosts Get More Money Moving to the Global South?Fiscal sponsorship is increasingly seen as one solution to the challenges of localization Anna Patton

What Would It Look Like to Direct $6 Billion to Feminist Movements by 2026?

Rethinking Resources

|

What Would It Look Like to Direct $6 Billion to Feminist Movements by 2026?Swatee Deepak on her recent report and the future of feminist philanthropy Analiese Deosaran

How One Central Uganda Community Spends Farming Profits Collectively

|

How One Central Uganda Community Spends Farming Profits Collectively Farmers in Kasasa are experimenting with a democratic model to invest profits from the sale of maize Solutions Now Africa

Beyond Feel-Good: Funding Faceless Impact

Proximate East Africa

|

Beyond Feel-Good: Funding Faceless Impact We need to invest time, resources, and knowledge in local leaders and communities to support them Margot Hinchey

Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency Mindset

Repairing Development

|

Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency Mindset A community-led approach to development Vincent Mwangi

Introducing Proximate East Africa

Proximate East Africa

|

Why We're Launching This Newsroom A new space to explore participatory problem-solving approaches across East Africa Vincent Mwangi

Summit Recap: A Conversation about DAF Reform in the Pacific Northwest

Unlocking Abundance

|

Proximate In Person

Summit Recap: A Conversation about DAF Reform in the Pacific Northwest Magic Cabinet and Proximate gathered philanthropy leaders in June to discuss paths to reform for donor-advised funds Proximate

Reimagining Philanthropy: The Power and Responsibility of Grants Managers

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

The Power and Responsibility of Grants Managers Grants managers can harness positional power to drive meaningful change in the landscape of philanthropy Rachel Kimber

Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity Reform

Unlocking Abundance

|

Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity Reform Bella DeVaan of the Charity Reform Initiative on the coalition's latest work Meg Massey

Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South

Repairing Development

|

Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South The debate around a recent SSIR cover story misses the global perspective Isabelle Clérié

Beyond Elections

|

Citizen Participation Does Build Trust in Government So why don’t most European laws that address climate change integrate public participation?Proximate

Beyond Elections

|

Citizens’ Assemblies Picking up Steam in UK Richard Wilson, of Iswe Foundation, predicts in The Guardian that in its first 100 days, the Labour government will announce a citizens’ assembly.Proximate

How Canada’s Foundation for Black Communities is Using Participatory Grantmaking

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

How Canada’s Foundation for Black Communities is Using PGM The funder is investing $9 million to set an example for Canada’s philanthropic sector Sherlyn Assam

Why is the US late to the table on citizens’ assemblies?

State of Assembly

|

When Will the United States Start Taking Citizens’ Assemblies Seriously?Citizens’ assemblies are increasingly popular in Europe and Canada. But not in the United States. How come?Pam Bailey

Introducing… Beyond Elections

Beyond Elections

|

Introducing… Beyond Elections What if democracy could be so much more than what we think it is?Pam Bailey

In Conflict Zones, Could Democracy Work Without Elections?

From Protest to Participation

|

In Conflict Zones, Could Democracy Work Without Elections?Iain Walker offers on the role of participatory democracy in areas without a working government – and why attempts to solve conflicts often fail Proximate

Introducing: Equity Overhaul by Rachel Kimber

Grassroots Grantmaking

|

Introducing: Equity Overhaul by Rachel Kimber A new column by Rachel Kimber on the journey to shape equity in grants management Rachel Kimber

The Beautiful Curse: Who Owns Impact?

Repairing Development

|

The Beautiful Curse: Who Owns Impact?Donors bring an investment mindset to development. That needs to change Isabelle Clérié

Proximate is an independent media platform covering movements for participatory problem-solving. We look at the news through the lens of money: how it’s given away, how it’s invested, and how it’s distributed by government.
We are a fiscally sponsored project of Movement Strategy Center.

Get Our Monthly Issues

Proximate

© 2025 PROXIMATE ® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.