Q&A

Grassroots Grantmaking

Philanthropy Is Learned. It Can Be Relearned.

University of Chicago lecturer and donor advisor Jessyca Dudley on why philanthropic norms are neither timeless nor inevitable

Ben Wrobel

Proximate Investing

A Conversation with Ann Boger, Former COO of the Freelancers Union Health Insurance Company

Ann shares lessons on building mutual, inclusive, and portable worker benefits.

Val Elefante

In Conversation: Marie-Rose Romain Murphy

Born from post-earthquake aid failures, Haiti’s community foundation model centers relationships as infrastructure

Keefe Murren

In Conversation: John Coonrad

As bilateral aid recedes, a decade-old global movement for community-led development has a long-term strategy

Keefe Murren

In Conversation: Vincent Mwangi

Inside Mama Hope’s model for sourcing, strengthening, and funding early-stage local organizations that are overlooked

Keefe Murren

In Conversation: Amina Evangelista Swanepoel

Roots of Health traces how long-term trust with government – and flexible funding – shifts outcomes on the ground

Keefe Murren

Seeding Power

From Funders to Allies: Lessons from the Nyéléni Forum

A conversation about the role of philanthropy in supporting movements

Ben Wrobel

Grassroots Grantmaking

This Calculator Knows What It Costs To Get Funded

A new tool from Shifting the Funding Paradigm looks to expose the hidden collective cost of grant applications

Proximate

Proximate Investing

Five Myths About Participatory Investing and the Law

An interview with Bruce Campbell on structuring participatory investment vehicles

Ben Wrobel

Seeding Power

What Seed Sovereignty Looks Like When Women Lead the Way

Nous Sommes la Solution is a movement of rural women fighting for agroecology and seed sovereignty

Isabelle Clérié

Grassroots Grantmaking

New Seneca Village Sees Restoration as Core to Leadership

At the edge of burnout, a new model for healing movement leaders takes root

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

What Does It Take to Fund Radical Collaboration?

A conversation with BLIS Collective about their new Radical Collaboration Fund

Ben Wrobel

Proximate Investing

How the Just Transition Integrated Capital Fund is reimagining risk and return

Justice Funders is helping foundations get their money off Wall Street

Grace Chai

Seeding Power

Fondo Territorial Mesoamericano is a Grantmaker Rooted in Existing Political Power

An Indigenous-led grantmaking vehicle builds on territorial organizations’ own governance structures

Proximate

Unlocking Abundance

Philanthropy Northwest Steps Into the DAF Debate

The regional network explains why transparency and timely payouts matter for communities

Philanthropy Project

Rethinking Resources

Why Remittances Deserve a Seat at Philanthropy’s Table

The African Diaspora Network wants to transform remittances – from emergency relief to a form of economic agency

Zohra Zori

Seeding Power

Inside a Movement-Led Strategy for Agroecology Funding

A conversation with Grassroots International on building movements, resisting cooptation, and bringing funders into the fold

Proximate

Unlocking Abundance

Inside the Philanthropy Project’s Push for Reform

The Philanthropy Project is creating space for nonprofit practitioners to speak out for reform

Grace Chai

Seeding Power

How Podáali Is Reclaiming Indigenous Philanthropy in the Amazon

An interview with Rose Apurinã on trust, territory, and the power of Indigenous-led funding

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Grassroots Grantmaking

The Gates Foundation is Spending Down. Will Others Follow?

We spoke with Glen Galaich on what Gates' plans mean for the debate over philanthropic perpetuity

Ben Wrobel

Grassroots Grantmaking

What Funders Get Wrong About Girls and Young Feminists

Two new reports from Our Collective Practice challenge funders to think about girls' organizing in a new way

Proximate

Proximate Brasil

Como o Fundo Casa direciona recursos para as organizações de base no Brasil

Maria Amália Souza está tentando mudar a forma como o dinheiro flui para proteger a Amazônia

Ben Wrobel

Aprofundando a Filantropia

How the Casa Fund Drives Resources to Brazil’s Grassroots

Maria Amália Souza is trying to rewire how money flows to protect the Amazon

Proximate

Imperial Valley’s New Endowment – and What It Represents

Why one California foundation chose to shift assets — not just grants — to a more proximate foundation

Proximate

Unlocking Abundance

Half Her DAF: A Conversation with Jen Risher

The co-founder of #HalfMyDAF talks about wealth, money stories, and what’s next for DAF reform

Meg Massey

Beyond Elections

Zimbabwe NGO Helps the People Take Charge of Climate Resilience

Zimbabwe’s climate strategy isn't responsive to rural communities; Green Institute engaged citizens to change that.

Ben Wrobel

Beyond Elections

How do you grow a culture of democracy from scratch?

Marr Nyang founded Gambia Participates in a country just emerging from a decades-long dictatorship

Pam Bailey

Grassroots Grantmaking

Five Questions for John Hecklinger

We spoke with the Global Fund for Children’s co-CEO about participatory grantmaking and more

Proximate

Beyond Elections

Violence is a Community Problem that Must be Solved by the Community

Residents in Yumbo, Colombia, brainstorm solutions to urban violence

Pam Bailey

Rethinking Resources

Crisis Response: The Timely Mandate of the Global Resilience Fund

We spoke with Laura Vergara and Ruby Johnson about their work to fund girls and young feminists on the frontlines

Proximate

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

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

Proximate Brasil

Em conversa: o Jogo Oasis do Instituto Elos

Falamos com Rodrigo Rubido sobre o que faz uma prática realmente participatória.

Proximate

Proximate Brasil

In Conversation: Instituto Elos’ Oasis Game

We spoke with Rodrigo Rubido about what makes a practice truly participatory

Proximate

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

Beyond Elections

Seeing People as Citizens, not Consumers

Jon Alexander on how “circular power politics” could help politicians buy in to citizen participation

Proximate

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

Homegrown Horizons

Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency Mindset

A community-led approach to development

Vincent Mwangi

Unlocking Abundance

Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity Reform

Bella DeVaan of the Charity Reform Initiative on the coalition's latest work

Meg Massey

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

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

Beyond Elections

Humanqind's Vision: Children Co-Designing Safer Streets

Ruchi Varma has a vision for designing safer school zones that involves asking children as young as nine what they should look like

Proximate

Proximate Brasil

Depois da ruptura da barragem, Fundo Brumadinho está repensando a filantropia

Um fundo liderado pela comunidade tem um modelo baseado em confiança único para doações que pode ser um exemplo para o Rio Grande do Sul

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Proximate Brasil

Baixada Institute’s Model of Localized Philanthropy

We spoke with the founder of Baixada Institute about the need to hold honest conversations between donors and communities

Ben Wrobel

Proximate Investing

Five Questions for Real People's Fund

We spoke with Jessie Nguyen, from the REAL People’s Fund, on why solidarity is necessary for democratizing capital

Sonia Sarkar

Proximate Brasil

The Rise of Community Philanthropy in Brazil

An interview about community philanthropy with the leaders of Rede Comuá

Tarisai Jangara

Nuts & Bolts

Village Capital’s Model for Peer Due Diligence

Deepak Menon on using a unique model to support social enterprises in India, from civic tech to climate innovation

Kevin McClendon

Proximate Brasil

After the Dam Broke, Fundo Brumadinho Is Rethinking Philanthropy

A community-led fund has a unique, trust-based model for distributing grants can be an example for Rio Grande do Sul

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Grassroots Grantmaking

Marlene Engelhorn is paying 50 strangers to give away her fortune

Guter Rat is an experiment that merges participatory grantmaking and citizens assemblies

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

What Does It Take for Government to Reform Philanthropy? Yonis Hassan Found Out

Justice Fund Toronto pushed a law that's forcing Canadian millionaires to give away more of their money

Kevin McClendon

Grassroots Grantmaking

The Youth Climate Justice Fund Is Building Power for Young Leaders in the Global South

Forty grantees have been chosen through a unique participatory process

Ben Wrobel

Rethinking Resources

Justice Funds is Bridging the Information Gap for Global South Activists

Paz Romero and Julia Chacur on the importance of sharing global grant opportunities

Proximate

Nuts & Bolts

BuildPalestine Is Betting on Social Innovation as a Tool for Liberation

The Palestinian social entrepreneur hub was deplatformed – but has doubled down on its commitment to community investment

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

Soheir Asaad on Philanthropy, Palestine, and the Danger of Fragile Solidarity

Rawa Fund is holding donors accountable for cutting funds to the grassroots

Ben Wrobel

Grassroots Grantmaking

A New Tool To Push Foundations Beyond Participatory Grantmaking

Katy Love and Diana Samarasan on the launch of a new self-assessment tool

Alía Tall-Khatib

Grassroots Grantmaking

Four Years of Flow Funding at Kindle Project

Arianne Shaffer reflects on learnings from the Indigenous Women's Flow Fund

Kevin McClendon

Grassroots Grantmaking

Fenomenal Funds' Non Competitive Grant System

Who funds the funders? Fenomenal Funds used PGM to resource women’s funds during the pandemic

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

Mapping Participatory Grantmaking in the UK

Participatory grantmaking is growing in the UK - how far along is it?

Proximate

Proximate Investing

What Village Capital Learned from 150 Cohorts of Peer Review

A Q&A with Village Capital’s CEO on the occasion of their 150th cohort of peer-selected investment

Ben Wrobel