A key operating principle at Inside Philanthropy is the idea that charitable giving is a form of power. Sure, it may also be a form of altruism, generosity and sometimes even penance. But at its core, philanthropy is a way for people to transform … [Read more...] about The IP Power List: Meet the 100 Most Powerful Players in Philanthropy
11th Hour Project
How Funders, Intermediary Groups and Activists Are Working Together to Stop the Line 3 Pipeline
Tara Houska was in the passenger seat of a car, seatbelt on, as she spoke to some 90 funders during a February webinar.“We’re in a moment of climate crisis and this time where we have to choose which path we’re going to take,” Houska told the … [Read more...] about How Funders, Intermediary Groups and Activists Are Working Together to Stop the Line 3 Pipeline
Bezos Made Some Surprising Climate Justice Grants. What Does That Mean for the Field?
Two weeks ago, my colleague and I covered the first leaked details about Jeff Bezos’s initial giving from his $10 billion climate fund. We were disappointed that the Amazon chief executive seemed to have chosen the environmental movement’s usual … [Read more...] about Bezos Made Some Surprising Climate Justice Grants. What Does That Mean for the Field?
The Case for Funding Regenerative Agriculture as a Climate Solution
Conversations about how to confront climate change often turn to technology—solar panels, smart buildings, electric cars or more contentious efforts like climate engineering or carbon dioxide removal. Many technological steps, or leaps, forward are … [Read more...] about The Case for Funding Regenerative Agriculture as a Climate Solution
Will “Dirt to Shirt” Become the Next “Farm to Table”? A Group of Funders Hopes So
The past couple of decades have transformed how many Americans think about food. What we eat and how it is produced has become a topic of everyday discussion as a growing food movement, coupled with a deadly obesity epidemic, pushed the country to … [Read more...] about Will “Dirt to Shirt” Become the Next “Farm to Table”? A Group of Funders Hopes So
Newcomers to Movement Funding Join a Collaborative Effort to Support Black-Led Groups
When civil rights icon John Lewis passed away only weeks after unprecedented street protests demanded action on systemic racism, Libra Foundation Executive Director Crystal Hayling called the event “a clarion call to stay in the long and hard fight … [Read more...] about Newcomers to Movement Funding Join a Collaborative Effort to Support Black-Led Groups
Future of Big Philanthropy: 15 Heirs of Top Mega-Givers to Watch Closely
The world can change in a heartbeat, as we’ve all come to find out. And the philanthropic world is no exception. When top donors pass away, their children often step into their shoes to continue or expand their giving. We’ve reported previously on … [Read more...] about Future of Big Philanthropy: 15 Heirs of Top Mega-Givers to Watch Closely
How Philanthropy Is Helping Local Farms During COVID-19—and How it Could Do More
When the pandemic began, some experts worried that the local agriculture movement might soon find itself on life support, especially as restaurants shut their doors, and even some farmers markets folded up their tents. As it turned out, being small, … [Read more...] about How Philanthropy Is Helping Local Farms During COVID-19—and How it Could Do More
“Toward Greater Justice.” How Funders Are Supporting Artists in a Historic Moment
In June 2017, philanthropist Agnes Gund launched the $100 million, five-year Art for Justice Fund to support artists and advocates fighting mass incarceration in the United States. A year later, the fund awarded a fellowship to Brooklyn-based … [Read more...] about “Toward Greater Justice.” How Funders Are Supporting Artists in a Historic Moment
Fight Locally: Inside the 11th Hour Project, a Top Climate Funder
While perhaps better known for marine science work, or their recent $1 billion commitment to supporting young talent, Wendy and Eric Schmidt have a substantial and growing climate-centric grantmaking program. The 11th Hour Project has also set itself … [Read more...] about Fight Locally: Inside the 11th Hour Project, a Top Climate Funder
Farmers and Funders Get Behind a Push to Reinvent Agriculture in an Era of Climate Change
Ted Krauskopf is preparing for the arrival of some new heifers on his 202-acre farm in Madison County, Illinois. The yearlings don’t know it, but they have an important job to do. Krauskopf, who practices rotational grazing, enlisted the young cattle … [Read more...] about Farmers and Funders Get Behind a Push to Reinvent Agriculture in an Era of Climate Change
American Dream: Behind a Tech Billionaire’s Bid to Bolster the Middle Class
When Eric Schmidt stepped down as executive chairman of Alphabet Inc., one thing was clear: His philanthropic career was just getting underway. Worth around $14 billion, Schmidt has the heft to pour significant resources into Schmidt Futures, the … [Read more...] about American Dream: Behind a Tech Billionaire’s Bid to Bolster the Middle Class
The Foundations That Work on Environmental Health, with an Eye on Building Power
Scary stats on the effects of environmental problems on human health can be hard to stomach. In a 2019 U.N. report, an international team of scientists called for “urgent” environmental action to slow the rates of related illness and death. One … [Read more...] about The Foundations That Work on Environmental Health, with an Eye on Building Power
Inside the Libra Foundation: How a Branch of the Pritzker Family Backs Movement Building
Crystal Hayling didn’t set out to manage a family philanthropy. But in the founders of the Libra Foundation, where she currently serves as executive director, she found a family with “a really important progressive vision about the work they’re … [Read more...] about Inside the Libra Foundation: How a Branch of the Pritzker Family Backs Movement Building
Philanthropy Finds a Major Role at the Global Climate Action Summit—Inside and Outside
The Global Climate Action Summit was, in one sense, all about the flashy, high-dollar commitments coming from local governments and corporations. The philanthropic sector certainly got in on the action, too, with a record $3 billion pledge of new … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Finds a Major Role at the Global Climate Action Summit—Inside and Outside
True Believer: A Silicon Valley Mega-Giver Has High Hopes for AI and Tech
Eric Schmidt is out as Google chair, but he has some big aspirations in philanthropy, fueled by a $13 billion fortune and a preoccupation with how science and technology might improve the world. In particular, Schmidt is demonstrating a keen interest … [Read more...] about True Believer: A Silicon Valley Mega-Giver Has High Hopes for AI and Tech
A Green Funder Reboots With a Unique Program on Sustainable Grazing
According to the USDA, privately owned range and pasture land—producing grasses and shrubs that feed livestock and wildlife—cover about 27 percent of the total acreage of the continental United States. They make up the largest category of private … [Read more...] about A Green Funder Reboots With a Unique Program on Sustainable Grazing
The Bumper Crop of Funders Working for Sustainable Food
Around the time Virginia Clarke came on board at the funder affinity group Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders (SAFSF) in 2003, food safety and sustainability issues were starting to heat up in the United States, she recalls. The 2002 … [Read more...] about The Bumper Crop of Funders Working for Sustainable Food
An Activist Actor’s Climate Group Is Moving Rapid Grassroots Grants
Mark Ruffalo’s the Solutions Project has quickly grown into a legit national clean energy campaign, and in the past year, a grantmaker. It continues to impress with its new plan to deploy nimble community-based grants. We’ve watched with interest as … [Read more...] about An Activist Actor’s Climate Group Is Moving Rapid Grassroots Grants
Can Philanthropy Help the Feds Bring Sustainable Food Systems to Scale?
Farm-to-table is tough when you’re talking about millions of tables. So it's good to see philanthropy playing an increasing role in creating sustainable food systems, and also to see how a new USDA program is enlisting a fleet of funders to scale up … [Read more...] about Can Philanthropy Help the Feds Bring Sustainable Food Systems to Scale?
Mark Ruffalo’s Clean Energy Outfit is Growing, and Drawing A-List Funders
Mark Ruffalo picked up a big ally when Leonardo DiCaprio joined his clean energy campaign this summer. But Ruffalo’s the Solutions Project already had quite a list of funders and investors behind it. Oscar-nominated actor and Incredible Hulk Mark … [Read more...] about Mark Ruffalo’s Clean Energy Outfit is Growing, and Drawing A-List Funders
