EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY
Pathways to Progress: Focusing Philanthropy on Racial Equity and Social Justice
Philanthropy could make greater gains in racial equity and social justice if it pursued these six field-tested pathways to progress. […]
system change
EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY
Can Grantmakers and Nonprofits Work Together?
If there really were a growing trend of cooperation between grantmakers and nonprofits, what would we notice? A partial list includes:
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PROGRAM EVALUATION
Wanted: Better Evaluation Practices for a Better Philanthropy
Philanthropy by definition is a noble endeavor. Yet people want to know, “what good does philanthropy do?” The answer is hard to get, partly because philanthropy doesn’t really want to know, and evaluation doesn’t really know how to serve up good answers. This article illuminates the dilemma. […]
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Education Works Only When Justice and Economics Work
Doubling down on Education has long been a favorite policy option when unrest brews and the people in charge realize there’s trouble ahead. “Something must be done.” Education is the time-honored ticket to the comfort […]
EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY
Foundations Should Support Solutions, Not Put Up Barriers To Progress
“Barriers to progress? Foundations should support solutions, not put up barriers to progress. Even foundations who claim to be in the business of tackling big systemic problems insist on funding short-term projects with easily countable […]
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
After a Crisis: Opportunities for Community Development and System Change
As we said after Katrina, foundations have many useful assets – purchasing power, influence and leadership, knowledge of communities, and development know-how – all of which can be used creatively to aid a more equitable reconstruction of Gulf Coast communities wrecked by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. […]
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Assets Model of Community Development
The “assets model of community development,” as distinct from the “deficits model,” has really caught on in philanthropy in the last 30 years. Articulated first by John McKnight at the Asset-Based Community Development Institute, the […]
PROGRAM EVALUATION
Every Measure of Success Serves Someone’s Vision of Success
In an earlier post on the problem with using just a single measure of success, we talked about a charitable organization with a straightforward mission, “serving those most in need.” The organization then uses what […]