Philanthropy & Funding
The Unfinished Work of Choosing Well
For all the benefits of philanthropy's turn toward learning, the field still needs a stronger focus on how to make judgments.
Tag: Grantmaking
Foundations
Who Holds the Keys? Unlocking Foundation Board Support for a Sector in Crisis
As federal funding disappears and community organizations close, much of the power to respond sits with foundation boards—and the moment to use it is now.
Philanthropy & Funding
Faith-Aligned Finance Is the Original Trust Capital
Development finance sees faith-aligned capital as money to unlock. Its bigger value is the centuries-old architecture that lets money move at scale, endure over time, and arrive with trust built into its design.
Philanthropy & Funding
Capacity Building Needs an Evidence Standard
Funders should measure capacity building by what changes, not just what grantees like.
Philanthropy & Funding
Billionaires Can Build by Supporting Dedicated Changemakers
A response to SSIR’s Summer 2026 cover essay.
Philanthropy & Funding
Why Don’t Philanthropists Build Anymore?
The United States is living through a second Gilded Age. But unlike yesterday's magnates, today's billionaires prefer to write checks to existing organizations. They should instead build institutions that last.
Nonprofits & NGOs
Grant Writing Is Infrastructure
Grant writing is the bridge between vision and resources. Until funders invest in it, grassroots organizations will remain underfunded.
Philanthropy & Funding
What Else Can We Do? The Thirteen Intentions of Philanthropy
A year of turbulence has exposed the dangers of philanthropic monocultures and upended assumptions about impact, effectiveness, and scale. Embracing the varied intentions that motivate people to give offers a more resilient, pluralistic path forward.
Measurement & Evaluation
Measuring More and Learning Less
How an excessive focus on methods has distracted attention from the more fundamental challenge of building rigor and learning overall.
Philanthropy & Funding
Meeting the Moments After This One
Philanthropy's role in Minneapolis must be to build for after the current crisis passes.