Democracy Fund’s Post

Want BOLD social change? ICYMI, in the paper, A Foundation’s Theory of Philanthropy: What It Is, What It Provides, How to Do It-- Michael Patton, Nathaniel Foote, and Jamie Radner advocate that funders start with a THEORY OF PHILANTHROPY that describes and explains HOW and WHY a particular foundation engages in philanthropy in the first place. A theory of philanthropy spells out a foundation’s role in supporting broader theories of change to address complex societal changes with a collaborative, ecosystems stance, RATHER than going it alone. Read this article (https://lnkd.in/g6VYS2PR) and the other most widely read articles in the journal's history, made possible by the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy: https://lnkd.in/gnuJJTSz,   #theoryofphilanthropy #theoryofchange #evaluation #learning #equity #philanthropy #complexity

Not only philanthropic activity, but sense making activities of complex systems in an effort to make changes to the causes and sources of societal/social issues that are upstream and impactful and sustainable, we need new ways of thinking and new tools for engaging. Otto Scharmer.... Stepping up philanthropic activity at the 4.0 level requires shifting the impact focus of philanthropy from downstream (short-term metrics) to upstream (evolving and transforming mindsets and operating systems). These evolutions require an inquiry into the root causes of the challenges we face. An amazing number of change makers worldwide are pursuing these inquiries. But they often must operate in isolation and frequently lack the methods and tools to approach transformative change more consciously and more collectively.

Like everything else in life, philanthropy evolves and responds to the needs of society. In this very interesting article, Otto Scharmer describes the evolution of philanthropy and identifies four types of philanthropy that vary in complexity, but are all valid ways to contribute to the betterment of society. From our little corner of Bastion, we want to create systemic change by fostering a philanthropy movement in Latin America. Our founders are walking the talk by investing their resources in this effort. We want to create new philanthropists, we want good-hearted Latin Americans to join us in creating change for our region. There are many ways to help in whatever kind of philanthropy they want to do. We are here to help them. #smartphilanthropy #latinamerica #bethechange

It's good to see more and more funders leaning toward #trustbasedphilanthropy in the last couple years as we think about how to change power dynamic and accountability by centering the needs of marginalized communities. "This trust-based future requires shifts in philanthropic mindsets and cultures, as well as the structures that scaffold them. It requires funders to relinquish their individual power to achieve a more equitable and democratic future." #socialimpact https://lnkd.in/eZMneZxQ

“Democracy is the system that creates pathways for people to act collectively, to hold leaders and institutions accountable and to fight for the change they want to see in the world. We need to think beyond tactics that yield only short-term wins, to our role in supporting communities so that they can set their own priorities, innovate on strategy and deliver on a long-term vision for change on the issues that affect their daily lives.” Rx Foundation’s Executive Director, Jennie Riley, recently co-authored an op-ed about philanthropy’s need to support community-based, multiracial democratic practice, with Kelly Nowlin, who served on the board of the Surdna Foundation, and advises family foundations as the principal of KDN Philanthropy Consulting. Riley and Nowlin are among the funders collaborating with the Democracy & Power Innovation Fund, a learning and funding collective that includes state organizing partners. In this piece they share four lessons learned and tangible actions funders can take to support community-based, multiracial democratic practices across the country: 1. Support locally led groups in building their ability to organize and wield power. 2. Support experimentation and learning to improve strategy and practice. Funders need to expand our understanding and use of metrics, moving away from what is easiest to count and toward co-defining what is meaningful for impact. 3. Support unrestricted, multi-year funding that spans off-election years. Democratic systems and practices must be nurtured every year, whether a major election is coming up or not. 4. Be curious about the diversity of needs, values and worldviews within Black, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native communities. There are many rich examples shared from power-building organizations like the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, LUCHA, and Voces De La Frontera. Read their piece to learn more about the transformative power organizations are building and how philanthropy can support it. As Riley and Nowlin remind us, “Many of us have spent our philanthropic careers devoted to making tangible change on issues — health care, climate, economic security and more — but have seen limited progress or even years of work rolled back as democracy slips. A collective commitment to supporting a community-based, multiracial democratic practice is needed to sustain it.” #Democracy #CivicEngagement #Grassroots #CBO #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #PowerBuilding #CommunityOrganizing in TheFulcrum.US

"Too frequently in the philanthropic sector, organizations awarded funding for capacity-building projects are not well-positioned to effectively utilize those funds to achieve the intended impact. The funding is essentially provided in a resource vacuum: grants invest in the operational infrastructure of organizations without investing in the human infrastructure. To help address this, capacity-building funding must be paired with a menu of resources that grantees can select from to meet their organization’s unique needs." Thank you Ed Braxton for giving voice to this! The future of the social impact sector depends on the future of the people who work in them. We too believe that leaders and their teams need to have more choice and involvement in determining what capacity building looks like for their organization. There is no one-size-fits-all approach! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gjw5BPYv

💡 #ResourceShare: EGA member, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ report “Democracy-Focused Philanthropy: Choosing Operating Models for Deeper Impact” explores how philanthropy can aid in building and maintaining #democracy, with a focus on the central role of racial justice in democracy philanthropy. The report offers an analysis of efforts to tackle persistent racial injustice and inequality in the sector and philanthropic institutions. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ehur6t2z

Trust is the connective tissue of human relationships. In its absence, there’s no community, no economy, no collaboration, no collective flourishing. So why are “control and compliance” donor practices the default- despite evidence that they often undermine impact? In this essay, we looked to other fields to shed new light on trust-based #philanthropy and how a more nuanced understanding of these dynamics can help build the range of relationships that drive the most #SocialChange.   📄 Read the essay and responses: https://lnkd.in/eRTbF_2F 🗨 We invited a range of other voices to critique and expand on the topic in a series of response essays. Thank you for your contributions: Shaady Salehi (Trust-Based Philanthropy Project), Jara Dean-Coffey (she/her/hers) (Equitable Evaluation Initiative and jdcPARTNERSHIPS), Kathy Reich (Ford Foundation’s BUILD Initiative), and Aaron Horvath and Micah McElroy (Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS).

"Trust-based philanthropy" has been a term that has come to mean a lot of different things over the years. My colleagues Kathleen Fleming, Jeff Bradach, Preeta Nayak, and Zachary Slobig unpack this notion of trust, which is often interpreted as an all-or-nothing binary... and therefore can make it feel inaccessible or “non-strategic” for many donors. Our fear is that this chills, rather than encourages, broader philanthropic experimentation with #powershifting (a topic I care deeply about!). This essay and series of responses is more of a provocation (than answers) to help think through: 🕹️ What explains philanthropic behaviors that remain #stuck in a paradigm of #control? 🧠 What #beliefs and #assumptions can donors examine to build greater trust with grantees? The hope is that this encourages more #curiosity, #vulnerability, and openness to greater #experimentation. Feel free to comment and engage!

Systems change with purpose is a core ambition of so much #philanthropy activity but it can be viewed from so many perspectives. Check out the links below - how can strategic philanthropy effect change?