Karabi Acharya

Typically, when philanthropy engages in movement-led grantmaking, funders set the table and send the invitations. But what's possible when we take a different approach? In this piece for Stanford Social Innovation Review, Colette Pichon Battle and Enei Begaye reflect on the outcome when movement leaders build the table together, and offer insights on what funders can learn from the Environmental Justice Resourcing Collective. Read more about how the Collective engaged in rapid response grantmaking, avoided the clashing of egos through consensus-based decision-making, and ultimately developed a strategy that supported field building, multi-generational power building, and movement infrastructure: https://lnkd.in/gnebP54P

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I wrote a new piece, it's about how we can change the structure of time to get a better understanding of public health concepts. https://lnkd.in/e_tY8kec

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The growth of the Adaptation and Resilience Collaborative (ARC) marks a watershed moment in climate philanthropy, reflecting a growing recognition of escalating climate impacts, and the associated human suffering especially for the most vulnerable who are least responsible.    ClimateWorks Foundation's latest report highlights an encouraging increase in annual funding for #adaptation and resilience, reaching $600 million in 2023 and projected to grow further in 2024. But much more is needed to close the gap in global adaptation finance.   Between #COP28 and #COP29, more than 60 organisations have joined ARC, aligning efforts to build resilience and ensure resources reach those most affected. This collaborative force shows that, alongside rapid decarbonisation, the world’s most vulnerable must have the support needed to adapt and respond to climate impacts.  Learn more about our collective progress and the ARC members advancing this critical work: https://lnkd.in/eZFKE8UV   Congrats to the ClimateWorks Foundation team Jessica Brown Jessica Hitt Helen M.   #ClimateAction #Adaptation #Resilience #Philanthropy

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Sounds like an amazing #vacancy to work on the intersection of systemic #riskassessment and #nature. I love their explicit wording: "ASRA is founded on a set of principles including non-human sanctity. Incorporating nature into #riskanalysis is not merely a matter of #environmental #stewardship or human self-preservation. #Naturecentric approaches attribute intrinsic value to all living organisms and ecosystems, independent of their utility to humans. This perspective recognizes the #interconnectedness of all life forms and the importance of preserving the integrity and health of other #species and #ecosystems for their own sake, and not just as a resource for humans. This approach involves evaluating the impacts of human activities on #biodiversity, #habitat #connectivity, and #ecological #processes."

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ICT colleagues, take this survey to help the good folks at NetHope get a better sense of how organization are budgeting and investing their resources.

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"Addressing the Unequal Impact of Climate Change: A Call for Inclusive Action" CARE latest report - Breaking the Barriers https://lnkd.in/epd-SF8f The data cannot be ignored or excused! 🛑Weather extremes are the main driver of #hunger in 18 countries - 72 million people are facing acute climate change. 🛑#Women work 55 more minutes per week than men due to #climateimpacts 🛑# the income gap between men and women widens by $53 billion annually due to climate stress. 🛑Women lack access to crucial farming support, impacting food production #systeminequality #genderinequality We know: ✅ Bridging #gender gap in agriculture systems could feed an additional 45 million people annually ✅ Women Lead Change to address impact of climate change - disaster preparedness, climate resilient farming, water harvesting to tree planting What should be done? 💲#Invest in #Resilience: Every $1 spent on climate preparedness saves $7 in response costs globally 💲Long-Term #Investment: Focus on #resilience and safety nets that endure beyond immediate crises 📗 Build #Inclusive Plans:  Ensure women and marginalized groups leadership and participation 💪 Support Local Networks: Strengthen local response capabilities for faster, more effective crisis management. 📢 #amplify the #voices of women leading climate adaptation Let’s invest in solutions that support everyone, especially those most impacted i.e. women and marginalized communities #invest in #solutions #women #communityled #ClimateChange #GenderEquality #Sustainability #ClimateAction #Resilience #WomenLeadership #InclusiveSolutions CARE

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#Eval24 is 1 week away! Will you be there? In this month's newsletter we make it easy for you to see where the Social Finance TIG will be and when, and how to stay connected while you're at the conference. #AEASFTIG

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Indigenous entrepreneurs—including farmers, potters, jewelers, and graphic designers—contribute greatly to the financial stability and wellbeing of their communities. But many of their businesses lack investors because of their size. To ensure they can access the resources they need to succeed, RWJF grantee New Mexico Community Capital is working to create a participant-owned economy that reflects Indigenous values through shared power and decisionmaking. In an interview for RWJF’s "What’s Next Health: 5 Questions For…" series, Henry Jake Foreman, Program Director of New Mexico Community Capital, describes just how they are strengthening economic opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs using Web3 technologies such as blockchain and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Explore how their IndigiDAO program combines Indigenous cultural practices with modern technologies, and what it means for health equity, here: https://lnkd.in/eg-_pyna

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"By acting boldly and collaboratively, philanthropy can bridge divides and help build a sustainable and equitable future for all" - Helen M., President and CEO, ClimateWorks Foundation The climate crisis demands urgent action—and philanthropy is stepping up. The ClimateWorks Foundation 2024 Funding Trends report reveals that philanthropic giving for climate mitigation grew by 20% in 2023, yet it still accounts for less than 2% of total global philanthropy. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Foundation funding for climate tripled from $1.7B in 2019 to $4.8B in 2023. Key sectors: Clean electricity, forests, and food/agriculture remain top-funded. Emerging strategies like sustainable finance and methane reduction are accelerating. 2. Gaps Persist: Low-to-middle-income countries received only 14% in core funding, compared to ~33% for U.S. and Europe. 60% of regional funding is concentrated in the U.S. and Europe, leaving Africa, Asia, and Latin America underfunded. 3. Opportunities for Impact: 1️⃣ Collaborate Boldly: Join forces with other funders to multiply impact—case studies like the Global Methane Hub show how. 2️⃣ Invest in Capacity: Focus on core, multi-year funding to empower grantees, especially in vulnerable regions. 3️⃣ Think Holistic: Support solutions that integrate climate with health, equity, and economic resilience. Philanthropy can catalyse transformative change, but we must scale ambition and act with urgency. Full report available here: https://lnkd.in/g4TPaZAd #ClimateAction #Philanthropy #Sustainability

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I have long said that Impact Measurement & Management have an important role to play in ESG, because they're all about turning goals into action, and tracking our progress. I could not be more excited for this webinar with Tim Mohin and John Sherman. Do not miss it!

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Great work here from Josh Lerner and People Powered. I wrote a paper for University of Sussex Science Policy Research Unit in 2000 called the two wave theory of public participation. Essentially arguing that we had two major waves of democratic innovation one driven by the civil rights movements starting in 60s; and a second driven mainly by the environmental movement getting momentum in the 80s and 90s. That's clearly an over simplification. What I really like about Josh's shift from waves to ecosystems is it better describes how we need to think about democratic innovation now and it's essentially contextual nature.

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One aspect of the housing crisis that deserves more discussion is the struggle of young people aging out of the foster care system and in need of affordable housing. In 2022, more than 18,000 young men and women faced circumstances that often make them uniquely vulnerable to homelessness and housing insecurity. The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Yvonne Phan and Kristen Klurfield just published an insightful explainer outlining the challenges faced by youths aging out of foster care and describe the federal programs and policy initiatives available to help: https://lnkd.in/eynEMmYn

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I appreciate Skoll Foundation's approach to measurement, evaluation and learning (MEL) as described in this Stanford Social Innovation Review article. The foundation has adapted its approach to MEL, rooted in the Equitable Evaluation Initiative, to better align with its systems-change strategies and goals. The article gives practical examples of how the foundation has moved from evaluating individual grants to evaluating collective efforts, centered grantees’ desired goals and outcomes, and embraced contribution rather than attribution.

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🏗️Sustainable Development Spotlight! Last week, I kicked off a six-week series spotlighting practitioners and community leaders working in equitable and sustainable development. These testimonials, gathered by the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH) team, feature inspiring stories from around the globe of changemakers working to build healthy spaces, improve infrastructure, and drive health equity. Check out our latest spotlight–it might even spark an idea for your community! Vibrant public spaces are essential for ensuring the social, physical, and economic wellbeing of residents. When designed as attractive, welcoming gathering places for people of all ages, these spaces can foster social interactions, support the local economy, improve resident health, and more. Drawing on examples from Bogotá, Colombia, Gil (Guillermo) Penalosa Penalosa of 8 80 Cities shares about the power of building equitable and inclusive spaces, like parks and public facilities, and how these spaces can transform urban areas. Learn more about equitable city planning and explore other stories on community-led health equity initiatives: https://lnkd.in/eZsuT9bf

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Roxana Bonnell and I recently finished up some work facilitating a learning process for foundations interested in strengthening their commitments to locally led development.  While there are many definitions of locally led development, generally speaking we were talking about the shifting of power and resources directly to communities and community-led organizations.  Here are 3 things we learned through this process: ➡ There are MANY funders – small and large, working across a diverse range of issues, in different geographies and with different structures and philanthropic histories – that are genuinely committed to meaningful changes in their grantmaking and partnership practices.  Many are already walking the walk and want to do more. That was inspiring to see.   ➡ There are MANY existing resources to help funders explore what it means to shift power and resources, and how to assess the impact of that work.  One excellent compilation is: A Growing Map of Resources to Reimagine Philanthropy and Global Development from the Global Fund for Children https://lnkd.in/eReJR6JX ➡ Funders (and we include ourselves as former funders and consultants to funders) can get bogged down in tools, frameworks, assessments and reports.  We loved an analogy we came across from Dr. Moses Isooba: https://lnkd.in/ez2iHfkW: “There is a paracetamol (acetaminophen) approach where donors develop tools and frameworks, measure this and measure that, and have webinars and all these kind of things. These are good things, but they are simply like… trying to put a bandage on the wound. If we really feel that localization is the way to go, then we need to take the vaccine approach. The vaccine approach has three doses. The first injection provides for direct funding, giving the money where it is supposed to be spent. Dose number two calls for unrestricted funding. The booster dose calls for multi-year funding. The three doses together would imply that we have inoculated development so it can grow as we want it to, locally-led.” We'll share some further resources in the comment section, and would love to hear reflections from others about what it will take to really move the needle on #locallyleddevelopment.

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Evaluators are critical thinkers, who ask (and try to answer) the trickiest questions. I am excited to see more opportunities for Evaluators in #socialfinance, and am so glad this Social Finance primer is helping to connect the dots.

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Climate is not another issue but now context to all issues. Project Dandelion celebrates women taking bold action to lead in climate philanthropy investing in people and planet. When people have action around things that are meaningful to them collectively we give people agency to tackle the climate crisis. #worldenvironmentday

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Great article by Ghada Abdel Tawab, Otto Saki & Sally Roever. Civic space has always been a powerful tool for organizing, sharing ideas, and holding power to account. It catalyzed the end of apartheid, advanced reproductive rights for Latin American feminists, and fueled global climate change movements. However, civic space is elastic: it can expand widely or be forcibly restricted. Workers, the world's largest organized movement, intuitively understand the importance of civic space. Despite facing immense challenges, they are using this space to counteract authoritarian abuses. A powerful example is the resilience of waste pickers. These 20 million "invisible environmentalists" play a critical role in urban sustainability, recycling 60% of the world's plastic and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, they face severe marginalization and unsafe working conditions. Supported by WIEGO, Latin American waste pickers spent six years building their collective voice to secure a hearing at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This milestone moment marked the first official recognition of waste pickers' rights by a major human rights body. Victories like these protect and expand civic space and inspire other workers to organize for better conditions. The global waste pickers' movement has influenced UN Plastics Treaty negotiations, promoted extended producer responsibility, and inspired a documentary showcasing their fight for rights. In May 2024, the International Alliance of Waste Pickers held its first Elective Congress, a vibrant civic space where waste pickers from around the world elected their leaders and united for international recognition. Hosted by Argentina’s Union of Popular Economy Workers, this historic Congress was a milestone decades in the making. Together, let's support and expand civic space for all workers, ensuring they can continue to fight for their rights with dignity and justice. #LaborRights #CivicSpace #EnvironmentalJustice #WastePickers #GlobalSouth #WorkersUnite #HumanRightshttps //https://lnkd.in/gbhayubd

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Phil nails this one as do many of the commenters. Strategic Philanthropy existed before Kramer declared it-- some efforts successful and others punitive and non-contextual. Trust Philanthropy has been practiced- without the ever-present brand- by thousands of funders for countless decades. The idea that either of these movements--and others mentioned-- were somehow founded by individuals in the past few years is silly. Unfortunately, the great majority of funders are followers and havent had an original idea of their own. The best philanthropic work remains grounded in context, humble and providing resources to help people achieve their vision or in some cases- get out of bad situations in ways that government can't easily do. Understands histories of race and class. Is that a movement or just common sense? Phil doesnt touch upon another truism about philanthropy. Funders and funder staff love to be told they are "bad" or "doing badly". If you have ever seen a presentation by one of the anti-funder advocates that funders love to have at conferences, you will witness the bizarre phenomena of standing ovations in response to stories about funders' terrible and sometimes immoral behaviors. So naturally the next trend has to be around the corner since there must be something to ease our psychic pain- right? #philanthropy #philanthropyworx #rural

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