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A Time for Field-Building
ARTICLE | An Opportunity to Build, in the Crisis
For many nonprofits, the sudden and callous funding cuts by the US government have been nothing short of stunning. Philanthropic foundations that support their work must rally, and quickly, to their side. Yet as indispensable as providing more of philanthropy’s core product will be, David S. Beckman, president of the Pisces Foundation, argues how that money is spent represents, perhaps, an even greater opportunity. The good news is that shifting priorities is more possible than at any time in recent memory, precisely because of the widely shared, profound sense that this moment is not what was expected.
Transformation Across Sectors
ARTICLE | From Margin to Mainstream: Social Innovation for Systems Change
It’s time to innovate the way we innovate, declare Echoing Green’s Cheryl Dorsey and Skoll Foundation’s Shivani Garg Patel in their contribution to a series sponsored by Skoll about effective orchestrators of systemic change. They highlight three high-potential opportunities to advance social innovation: building public narratives about the impact potential of social innovation, attracting more resources and champions, and supporting the ecosystem’s growth through coalition-building and system orchestration. Their North Star: “elevating social innovation on the global stage by attracting greater resources, more champions, and additional opportunities for engagement.”
The Key to “AI for Good”
ARTICLE | Gather, Share, Build
Data is the fuel that drives AI. Yet the robust, up-to-date, and accurate data required to enable AI to address many pressing problems in the social sector either does not exist or is distributed across many silos. To realize the benefits of AI for all, social sector organizations must commit to systematic, ethical, and sustained data-gathering as a fundamental component of their work, along with investing in shared data infrastructure. Taking a “go it alone” approach will only waste resources.
People Power Interview
INTERVIEW | Are You Building Something?
“Civil society has been impoverished by donors replacing constituencies.” So says Marshall Ganz, one of the world’s leading thinkers about democratic organizing and social change, in this provocative and inspiring interview. What have social innovators misunderstood about structural change? What is the true measure of good leadership? Ganz addresses these questions, plus the state of American
democracy and the possible “benefit of rock bottom.”
The Art of Persuasion
ARTICLE | From Fixers to Builders
How do we get people of all political identities to support social progress without compromising anyone’s values? Renowned communications expert Trabian Shorters argues that framing is critical. Shifting to more aspirational, dignifying, values-driven, problem-naming, and accessible ways of communicating has proven wildly successful and will make social sector messaging far more effective.
Read more stories by SSIR Editors.