A Massive Bequest Powers Participatory Giving: What’s New with the Ruth Foundation for the Arts?

A Massive Bequest Powers Participatory Giving: What’s New with the Ruth Foundation for the Arts?

Backed by $440 million from its late founder in 2022, the Ruth Foundation for the Arts takes a “nonhierarchical” approach that puts funding power into artists’ hands. Two years on, it’s hitting its stride.

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Five Questions We Should Be Asking About Trust-Based Philanthropy

Five Questions We Should Be Asking About Trust-Based Philanthropy

Trust-based philanthropy is on trend but has experienced backlash recently. While some of these critiques seem to misunderstand its premise, there are valid questions worth posing about its goals and execution.

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Not Sure Where to Start With Participatory Philanthropy? There’s a New Tool to Help

Not Sure Where to Start With Participatory Philanthropy? There’s a New Tool to Help

Funders looking to become more participatory in their grantmaking are often uncertain about the next steps. Consultants Katy Love and Diana Samarasan have created a new self-assessment tool as a guide.

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There's an Extensive New Guide to Sharing Power in Philanthropy. Will Funders Take Its Advice?

There's an Extensive New Guide to Sharing Power in Philanthropy. Will Funders Take Its Advice?

A new report doubles as a comprehensive roadmap for funders looking to share power with grantees and the communities they serve. We dig into its incisive analysis and wonder if funders will actually take the leap.

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How This Omaha Foundation Embraced Community-Led, Participatory Grantmaking

How This Omaha Foundation Embraced Community-Led, Participatory Grantmaking

In 2008, the Omaha Community Foundation launched its first participatory fund, and has since expanded the strategy with four more. Here’s how and why the foundation has committed to the approach.

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“We Follow Their Lead.” How Residents Guide the Black Belt Community Foundation’s Grantmaking

“We Follow Their Lead.” How Residents Guide the Black Belt Community Foundation’s Grantmaking

Serving a 12-county region in southern Alabama, the Black Belt Community Foundation relies on community volunteers to guide its discretionary grantmaking. President Felecia Lucky walks us through how that works.

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Unlocking Abundance: A New Philanthropic Status Quo

Unlocking Abundance: A New Philanthropic Status Quo

What does it mean to fund with an abundance mindset? Guest contributor Renee Kaplan shares five ways funders she’s worked with have challenged their assumptions around how to engage in philanthropy.

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Sitting on the Beach or Hiding From the Heat, These Climate Reports Are Essential Summer Reading

Sitting on the Beach or Hiding From the Heat, These Climate Reports Are Essential Summer Reading

The scorching temperatures have made summer leisure a little harder on all of us, but if you’re looking for some light reading and want to support climate action, this is the list for you.

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Magic Cabinet: A Matchmaking Participatory Grantmaker Helps Teams of Grantees Build Capacity

Magic Cabinet: A Matchmaking Participatory Grantmaker Helps Teams of Grantees Build Capacity

This Bay Area and Pacific Northwest funder has a unique take on participatory grantmaking, inviting small cohorts of grantees to share flexible, capacity-building funds. Magic Cabinet’s leadership explains how it works.

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Can Philanthropy Ever Truly Be Democratized? Here Are Three Things Standing in the Way

Can Philanthropy Ever Truly Be Democratized? Here Are Three Things Standing in the Way

There’s been a lot of talk, and some action, around making the sector more egalitarian. But are we all kidding ourselves? Here are some inconvenient truths standing in the way of philanthropic democratization.

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IP Explainer: Who Should Decide What Gets Funded?

IP Explainer: Who Should Decide What Gets Funded?

Philanthropy is difficult to navigate. That’s why we’ve produced a series of explainers to demystify the basics. Today, we go over a key debate happening in the sector: Who should be making funding decisions?

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Collaborative Green Movement Funding Initiative Grows, Looks to Harness Federal Climate Investment

Collaborative Green Movement Funding Initiative Grows, Looks to Harness Federal Climate Investment

The green movement funder Mosaic has been pulling in partners and expanding its influence. With major new federal climate funding in the mix, it’s showing the potential of intermediaries and participatory methods.

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The Radically Democratic Philanthropy of the FRIDA Young Feminist Fund

The Radically Democratic Philanthropy of the FRIDA Young Feminist Fund

Founded in 2008, FRIDA is a collaborative of young feminists, funding young feminists around the world. It’s also been an early adopter of participatory grantmaking and other power-shifting grantmaking practices.

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Inside This Abortion Care Backer’s Move to an “Anti-Colonialist” Decision-Making Model

Inside This Abortion Care Backer’s Move to an “Anti-Colonialist” Decision-Making Model

As it seeks to expand abortion and contraception access, Ipas is making major changes to its organizational model, in part to bolster a global abortion ecosystem it sees as limited by top-down funding.

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“Community Knows What Community Needs.” Inside CZI’s Participatory Grantmaking Program

“Community Knows What Community Needs.” Inside CZI’s Participatory Grantmaking Program

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative just wrapped up its second year of grantmaking led in part by community members. CZI’s Curtis Yancy explains the program’s mechanics, lessons learned and what’s next.

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How Both ENDS Director Danielle Hirsch Is Using Philanthropy, Advocacy and More to Shift Power

How Both ENDS Director Danielle Hirsch Is Using Philanthropy, Advocacy and More to Shift Power

Both ENDS is a Netherlands-based organization that is challenging power dynamics in philanthropy in a number of ways. Director Danielle Hirsch talks about the group’s journey, its approach and why discomfort is a good thing.

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What Does it Look Like to Truly Shift Power in Philanthropy? Here Are 3 Real World Examples

What Does it Look Like to Truly Shift Power in Philanthropy? Here Are 3 Real World Examples

Deb Nelson of the Just Economy Institute recounts cases in which overturning funding models made a profound impact. In all of them, collaboration between people of different races, classes and generations were key.

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A Major Funder Is Overhauling How it Backs Local Arts Groups. What Will That Mean for Grantees?

A Major Funder Is Overhauling How it Backs Local Arts Groups. What Will That Mean for Grantees?

Part of an ongoing effort to be more equitable, MacArthur is transitioning to a participatory regranting partnership to support Chicago’s small to midsized arts organizations. How will grantees be impacted?

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How the Brooklyn Community Foundation Brings Grantmaking to the People

How the Brooklyn Community Foundation Brings Grantmaking to the People

Interest in participatory grantmaking has grown over time, but few have embraced it like the Brooklyn Community Foundation. Here’s a look at how BCF centers community decision-makers in its elder funding and elsewhere.

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Imagining a World Where Philanthropy Is Obsolete: Conversations on the Future of the Sector

Imagining a World Where Philanthropy Is Obsolete: Conversations on the Future of the Sector

How does philanthropy need to change to meet the moment? How can funders envision a better future? These questions and more were the subject of a recent conference challenging the status quo of finance and giving.

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