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Beyond Feel-Good: Funding Faceless Impact
Beyond Feel-Good: Funding Faceless ImpactWe need to invest time, resources, and knowledge in local leaders and communities to support themMargot Hinchey
Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency Mindset
Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency MindsetA community-led approach to developmentVincent Mwangi
Introducing Proximate East Africa
Why We're Launching This NewsroomA new space to explore participatory problem-solving approaches across East AfricaVincent Mwangi
Summit Recap: A Conversation about DAF Reform in the Pacific Northwest
Summit Recap: A Conversation about DAF Reform in the Pacific NorthwestMagic Cabinet and Proximate gathered philanthropy leaders in June to discuss paths to reform for donor-advised fundsProximate
Reimagining Philanthropy: The Power and Responsibility of Grants Managers
The Power and Responsibility of Grants ManagersGrants managers can harness positional power to drive meaningful change in the landscape of philanthropyRachel Kimber
Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity Reform
Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity ReformBella DeVaan of the Charity Reform Initiative on the coalition's latest workMeg Massey
Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South
Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global SouthThe debate around a recent SSIR cover story misses the global perspectiveIsabelle Clérié
Report: Citizen Participation Does Build Trust in Government
Citizen Participation Does Build Trust in GovernmentSo why don’t most European laws that address climate change integrate public participation?Proximate
Citizens’ Assemblies Picking up Steam in UK
Citizens’ Assemblies Picking up Steam in UKRichard 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
How Canada’s Foundation for Black Communities is Using PGMThe funder is investing $9 million to set an example for Canada’s philanthropic sectorSherlyn Assam
Why is the US late to the table on citizens’ assemblies?
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
Introducing… Beyond ElectionsWhat if democracy could be so much more than what we think it is?Pam Bailey
In Conflict Zones, Could Democracy Work Without Elections?
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 failProximate
Introducing: Equity Overhaul by Rachel Kimber
Introducing: Equity Overhaul by Rachel KimberA new column by Rachel Kimber on the journey to shape equity in grants managementRachel Kimber
The Beautiful Curse: Who Owns Impact?
The Beautiful Curse: Who Owns Impact?Donors bring an investment mindset to development. That needs to changeIsabelle Clérié
You Don’t Have to Choose One: Let’s Integrate Participatory Budgeting and Citizens’ Assemblies
Let’s Integrate Participatory Budgeting and Citizens’ AssembliesThe two most important democratic innovations of the last 30 years have developed in parallel but not in unisonNick Vlahos
The Dalan Fund Has A Vision for Philanthropy in the Shadow of Authoritarianism
A Vision for Philanthropy in the Shadow of RussiaThe Dalan Fund is shifting power in grantmaking to Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central and North AsiaBen Wrobel
Field Note: Melinda French Gates speaks about participation
Melinda French Gates speaks about participationYes, we read that op-ed. Melinda French Gates wrote about her vision to “play offense” on womens’ and reproductive rights.Proximate
Silencing proximate leaders on Palestine
Silencing proximate leaders on Palestine We made a roundup of news and updates on Palestine from the field of grassroots grantmakingProximate
Conference Confidential: Resistance in the air in Tbilisi
Conference Confidential: Resistance in the air in TbilisiI traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia for a gathering of the Human Rights Funders Network.Proximate
Humanqind's Vision: Children Co-Designing Safer Streets
Humanqind's Vision: Children Co-Designing Safer StreetsRuchi Varma has a vision for designing safer school zones that involves asking children as young as nine what they should look likeProximate
Proximate Samip; June 2024
Proximate Samip; June 2024Welcome to Proximate Samip समीप, a new project aimed at showcasing emergent models for participatory problem-solving across India.Proximate
Proximate Investing Newsletter May 2025 Winter
Winter Newsletter: Love Resistance, and Community CapitalSonia Sarkar
What Loss & Damage Funders Can Learn from Scotland’s Prototype
What the UN's Loss & Damage Fund Can Learn from Scotland’s PrototypeOur series Loss & Damage explores what it would look like to localize climate fundingJessica Newfield
Depois da Ruptura da Barragem, Fundo Brumadinho está Repensando a Filantropia
Depois da ruptura da barragem, Fundo Brumadinho está repensando a filantropiaUm fundo liderado pela comunidade tem um modelo baseado em confiança único para doações que pode ser um exemplo para o Rio Grande do SulJoana Ribeiro Mortari
Diane Pereira Sousa’s Vision for Community Philanthropy in Brazil
Baixada Institute’s Model of Localized PhilanthropyWe spoke with the founder of Baixada Institute about the need to hold honest conversations between donors and communitiesBen Wrobel
O campo filantrópico precisa confiar nos verdadeiros especialistas – as pessoas que são apoiadas por ele
O campo filantrópico precisa confiar nos verdadeiros especialistasA reação à filantropia baseada na confiança veio à tona. É hora de os líderes doadores de base comunitária responderem.Cynthia M. Gibson, Lisa Pilar Cowan, Jocelynne Rainey & Joana Ribeiro Mortari
The Canoes of Community Philanthropy in Brazil
The Canoes of Community Philanthropy in BrazilCanoes working together are better than boats with just one captain; so too with philanthropyDiane Pereira Sousa
What I learned from reading 175 participatory grantmaking resources
From self-assessment tools to resources on how to do the inner work, there's a lot of help out thereWhat I Learned from Reading 175 Participatory Grantmaking ResourcesKelley Buhles
Five Questions for Real People's Fund
Five Questions for Real People's FundWe spoke with Jessie Nguyen, from the REAL People’s Fund, on why solidarity is necessary for democratizing capitalSonia Sarkar
Community Philanthropy: Money is Power, But Knowledge Is Power Too
The Rise of Community Philanthropy in BrazilAn interview about community philanthropy with the leaders of Rede ComuáTarisai Jangara
The Revolutionary Art of the Sex Worker’s Opera
The Revolutionary Art of the Sex Worker’s OperaThe opera grew from a community arts project into an international sellout show - and resisted opportunities to sell out along the wayChloe Marshall
Village Capital’s Model for Peer Due Diligence
Village Capital’s Model for Peer Due DiligenceDeepak Menon on using a unique model to support social enterprises in India, from civic tech to climate innovationKevin McClendon
Investindo Em Pessoas Que Transformam Realidades
Investindo em pessoas que transformam realidadesCanoas trabalhando juntas são melhores do que um barco com apenas um capitão; assim também é a filantropiaDiane Pereira Sousa
Nossa visão para a Proximate Brasil
Nossa visão para a Proximate BrasilUma investigação sobre a abordagem participativa ao buscar soluções para desafios do Brasil, por brasileirosJoana Ribeiro Mortari
After the Dam Broke, Fundo Brumadinho Is Rethinking Philanthropy
After the Dam Broke, Fundo Brumadinho Is Rethinking PhilanthropyA community-led fund has a unique, trust-based model for distributing grants can be an example for Rio Grande do SulJoana Ribeiro Mortari
The Story of the Half-Built Road
The Story of the Half-Built RoadThree lessons from a human-based approach to developmentIsabelle Clérié
Marlene Engelhorn is paying 50 strangers to give away her fortune – here's how it works
Marlene Engelhorn is paying 50 strangers to give away her fortuneGuter Rat is an experiment that merges participatory grantmaking and citizens assembliesProximate
Five Memorable Recent Films by Sex Workers
Five Memorable Films by Sex WorkersGrab some popcorn and check out these films that screened at Whorehouse Cinema and the Red Umbrella Film FestivalChloe Marshall
Musical Theatre as Artistic Activism
Musical Theatre as Artistic ActivismAn excerpt from Dr. Imogen Flower's academic study of the Sex Worker's OperaImogen Flower
What Does It Take for Government to Reform Philanthropy? Yonis Hassan Found Out
What Does It Take for Government to Reform Philanthropy? Yonis Hassan Found OutJustice Fund Toronto pushed a law that's forcing Canadian millionaires to give away more of their moneyKevin McClendon
Are Young Philanthropists Driving Participatory Philanthropy?
The Young Donors Driving Participatory PhilanthropyWith $68 trillion on the line, young donors at Resource Generation and elsewhere are pushing grassroots modelsAbigail Higgins and Ben Wrobel
The Youth Climate Justice Fund Is Building Power for Young Leaders in the Global South
The Youth Climate Justice Fund Is Building Power for Young Leaders in the Global SouthForty grantees have been chosen through a unique participatory processBen Wrobel
Justice Funds is Bridging the Information Gap for Global South Activists
Justice Funds is Bridging the Information Gap for Global South ActivistsPaz Romero and Julia Chacur on the importance of sharing global grant opportunitiesProximate
Beyond Letting Go: Recentering Grassroots Leaders
Beyond Letting Go: Recentering Grassroots LeadersThis double issue takes two approaches to the question of how to shift power to the grassrootsBen Wrobel and Meg Massey
Philanthropy Needs to Trust the Real Experts — The People It Supports
Philanthropy Needs to Trust the Real Experts — The People It SupportsBacklash to trust-based philanthropy has come out into the open; it's time for grassroots grantmaking leaders to respondCynthia M. Gibson, Lisa Pilar Cowan & Jocelynne Rainey
Is This Community Philanthropy’s Moment?
Is This Community Philanthropy’s Moment?The second Shift The Power Summit gave voice to the community philanthropy movement. Will donors listen?Ledys Sanjuan Mejía
Introducing: Repairing Development by Isabelle Clérié
Introducing: Repairing Development by Isabelle ClériéA new column for Proximate on community philanthropy and asset-based community developmentIsabelle Clérié
What's Next for the Decolonizing Wealth Project?
What's Next for the Decolonizing Wealth Project?We spoke with Amber Banks about DWP's participatory model and their work in the Global SouthProximate
Building Food Sovereignty: Collaborative Efforts for Cultural and Environmental Resilience
Building Food Sovereignty: Collaborative Efforts for Cultural and Environmental ResilienceClimate leaders in SF and Detroit are cultivating their own sustainable food systemsKevin McClendon
Four Pieces of Advice for Participatory Grantmakers In Aotearoa New Zealand
Four PIeces of Advice for Participatory Grantmakers In Aotearoa New Zealand Be prepared to bend your own rules – and be prepared for transformationLani Evans and Christina Howard

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.

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