Endowments are often lacking for social change nonprofits—even more so for Black-led organizations. By closing this gap, we could radically transform how we confront society’s most pressing issues.
Open-access to this article made possible by The Bridgespan Group.
The important issue isn’t the preservation of a large endowment, but how to exercise informed, imaginative, and sensitive judgement in pursuit of outcomes for the common good. This essay is a response to the keystone article in the Up for Debate series on foundations' payouts during big crises. Visit the series page for more reaction pieces like this one.
Foundation officers and endowment managers too often prefer exceedingly safe grants and investments because of misapplied principles, biases, and concerns about their reputations. A Viewpoint from the Winter 2020 issue.
Law No. 13,800, passed in January 2019, regulates the creation and management of philanthropic endowment funds in Brazil. It could be the foundation for reforms that renew philanthropy's role in addressing social ills at a time when the world needs more help than ever.
