Grassroots Grantmaking
Guerrilla Foundation’s Coming of Age
As its governance evolves, Guerrilla Foundation is testing what it means to align grantmaking strategy with values
Anna Patton
As Philanthropy Wavers on Palestine, Organizers Look Forward – and to Each Other
In New York City, organizers reflect on the path forward as philanthropy withdraws under political pressure
Neon Mashurov
Beyond Elections
Follow the money: participatory democracy in Ukraine?
Two Ukrainian communities – Zvyahel and Slavutych – will hold their first citizens’ assemblies in October and November.
Proximate
Proximate Brasil
Resumo de Relatórios: Proximate Brasil
Lemos vários relatórios sobre a mudança de poder na filantropia e selecionamos os destaques
Report Roundup: Proximate Brasil
We read several recent reports on shifting power in philanthropy – and pulled out the highlights
A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking
Twelve research papers shine a light on participatory models and approaches
Ben Wrobel
Participatory democracy isn’t just for governments
NGO People Powered demonstrates how member-based organizations can use participatory democracy to determine how to allocate its budget.
We need a common vocabulary for participation
What does make public participation in government decision-making meaningful?
Who’s Defining Participation?
Maybe we need to focus on the social and political context in which the idea and practice of participation emerges.
The Ultimate in Participatory Democracy is People Governing Themselves
The concept of people governing themselves is beginning to take root in an exciting way in Myanmar
‘Nation states’ are no longer the engines of progress
Democracy is not in decline. The nation-state is.
A New Book on Participatory Grantmaking
There’s a new book called Participatory Grantmaking in Philanthropy coming out in 2025.
RWJF Reflects on Participatory Philanthropy
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the latest major foundation to experiment with PGM and they released a case study of their pilot phase.
Resumo de relatórios: Doações de base no Brasil
New Data on the "Economics" of Localizing Aid
Conference Confidential: A weekend with Resource Generation
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.
Time for "empowerment philanthropy"?
Our own Isabelle Clérié weighed in with her column, Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Citizen Participation Does Build Trust in Government
So why don’t most European laws that address climate change integrate public participation?
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.
Melinda French Gates speaks about participation
Yes, we read that op-ed. Melinda French Gates wrote about her vision to “play offense” on womens’ and reproductive rights.
Silencing proximate leaders on Palestine
We made a roundup of news and updates on Palestine from the field of grassroots grantmaking
Conference Confidential: Resistance in the air in Tbilisi
I traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia for a gathering of the Human Rights Funders Network.
Beyond Letting Go: Recentering Grassroots Leaders
This double issue takes two approaches to the question of how to shift power to the grassroots
Ben Wrobel and Meg Massey
What's Next for the Decolonizing Wealth Project?
We spoke with Amber Banks about DWP's participatory model and their work in the Global South
Report Roundup: December 2023
We read several recent reports about grassroots grantmaking... so you don’t have to
Research Roundup: Grassroots Grantmaking
We read six reports about grassroots grantmaking, and pulled out the highlights
What We Learned From Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's PGM report
The foundation released a report reflecting on their experiment with participatory grantmaking
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