 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Social Change Philanthropy | Creating a Giving Plan | Young People in Philanthropy | Family Philanthropy | Philanthropy Statistics
What is social change philanthropy?
"Philanthropy
is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook
the economic injustice that makes philanthropy necessary."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Social change philanthropy focuses on the root causes of social, economic and environmental injustices. It strives to include the people who are impacted by those injustices as decision-makers. It also aims to make the field of philanthropy more accessible and diverse. In social change philanthropy, foundations are accountable, transparent and responsive in their grantmaking. Donors and foundations act as allies to social justice movements by contributing not only monetary resources but their time, knowledge, skills and access. Social change philanthropy is also sometimes called social justice philanthropy, social movement philanthropy, and community-based philanthropy.
What does that definition really mean?
1)
Social change philanthropy focuses on the root causes of social, economic
and environmental injustices.
This
means that social change philanthropy supports organizations that are
getting to the roots of problems instead of only addressing the symptoms.
An example: In a community with widespread asthma due to air pollution from a nearby bus depot, it's the difference between just funding medical treatment for people with asthma and funding organizing in the community to regulate bus idling and emissions.
2)
It strives to include the people who are impacted by those injustices
as decision-makers.
In
social change philanthropy, the process of giving is as important as
where the money goes. Asking those who are directly affected by
and working on an issue what to fund is a key part of this process.
An example: This might mean that a foundation or donor interested in addressing the widespread asthma problem would include local residents and organizers in their decisions about where to direct their funding.
3)
It also aims to make the field of philanthropy more accessible and diverse.
Because
right now this isn't the case. For example, a study done by The
Joint Affinity Groups shows that 10% of foundation board members and
only 2.2% of family foundation board members are people of color.
4)
In social change philanthropy, foundations are accountable, transparent
and responsive in their grantmaking.
When
funding happens behind closed doors, everyone who applies and relies
on that money has no information about what goes on. Organizations
get funded, but they don't know why or how they were chosen. Or,
organizations don't get funded and they don't know why or whether they
should apply again. When foundations and donors are transparent
about their process and goals, it can open up the possibility for conversations
about whether the grantmaking is responsive, and the ways in which foundations
and donors can be accountable to the communities they impact.
5)
Donors and foundations act as allies to social justice movements by
contributing not only monetary resources but their time, knowledge,
skills and access.
There
are many concrete ways donors and foundations can be allies to social
justice groups, from helping an organization fundraise to sharing your
access and powerful connections to hosting an organization's event at
the foundation's office. It is also about respecting grantee groups
as partners in social change.
An example: One of the board members of the foundation plays golf with the city's Public Transportation Commissioner. When she learns from their grantee group that they have been unable to get a meeting with the Commissioner, she uses her connection to help them set one up.
How much money goes to progressive social change anyway?
One study done by the National Network of Grantmakers shows that less than 3% of funding in the United States goes to progressive social change. How much money is that? They estimated that in 1997, $336 million went to progressive social change out of a total of $13.8 billion in giving. This amount includes family foundation, private independent foundation and public foundation giving.
Giving Plan Publications
Robin Hood Was Right, A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change, by Chuck Collins, Pam Rogers & Joan P. Garner (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2001).
Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Creating a Giving Plan, Second Edition, by Tracy Gary & Melissa Kohner (San Francisco: Josey Bass, 2002).
Classified: How To Stop Hiding Your Privilege and Use It For Social Change, by Karen Pittelman & Resource Generation (New York: Soft Skull Press, 2005).
The Bolder Giving Workbook: Discovering Your Full Potential. Free download at .
Social Change Grantmaking Publications
Creating Change Through Family Philanthropy: The Next Generation, Allison Goldberg, Karen Pittelman & Resource Generation (New York: Soft Skull Press, 2006).
Community Organizing Toolbox, Larry Parachini & Sally Covington. (Washington, DC: Neighborhood Funders Group, www.nfg.org).
Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best (2009), National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy Washington, DC (www.ncrp.org).
Funding Community Organizing: Social Change Through Civic Participation, free download at (Grantmaking & Philanthropy: GrantCraft, 2009).
Legacy and Innovation: A Guidebook for Families on Social Change Philanthropy, by Stephanie Yang (San Francisco, CA: Changemakers, 2007).
Beyond Five Percent: The New Foundation Payout Menu, by Heidi Waleson. (Northern California Grantmakers & New York Regional Assocation of Grantmakers, 2008)
Funding Community Organizing: Social Change through Civic Participation, Grantcraft in partnership with The Linchpin Campaign, A Project of the Center for Community Change. 2008
Investing in Change: A Funders Guide to Supporting Advocacy, Alliance for Justice, 2004.
Words to Give By: Leading Voices in Advocacy Funding, Alliance for Justice and Council on Foundations, 2008.
Social Change Philanthropy Publications
Understanding Social Justice Philanthropy, by John Hunsaker & Brenda Hanzl (Washington, D.C.: National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 2003).
Grassrooting the System?: The Development and Impact of Social Movement Philanthropy, 1953-1990, Craig Jenkins & Abigail L. Halci (in “Philanthropic Foundations, New Scholarship, New Possibilities.” Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999).
Are We Ready? Social change philanthropy and the coming $10 trillion transfer of wealth, Michael May (Washington, DC: National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 1999).
Funding Social Movements: The New World Perspective (New World Foundation, 2003).
Short Changed: Foundation Giving and Communities of Color, by Will Pittz & Rinku Sen (Oakland: Applied Reource Center, 2004).
Donor Activist Collaboration: A Potential Vehicle for Promoting Community, Accountability and Effectiveness in Grantmaking (The Tides Foundation, 2003).
The Challenge To Power: Money, Investing and Democracy, John Harrington (2005)
Social Change Foundations
A great place to find grantee groups or support social change funds directly. For more comprehensive lists, see Robin Hood Was Right, Inspired Philanthropy, or contact the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (www.ncrp.org).
Akonadi Foundation is based in Oakland, CA and works towards building a movement that targets structural racism and injustice ().
Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice works for social, racial, and economic justice around the globe through grantmaking and philanthropic advocacy programs that help lesbians and allied communities challenge oppression and claim their human rights (; 212-529-8021).
The Funding Exchange is a national network of social change funds. Member and affiliate funds provide donor programs and educational events about social justice issues. A great place to start is by perusing their full list of foundations: (; 212-529-5356)
Fund for Southern Communities is a public foundation that supports and unites organizations and donors working to create just and sustainable communities that are free of oppression and that embrace and celebrate all people. Through grant-making and related activities the Fund for Southern Communities fosters social change initiated by community-based groups in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina ()
Global Fund for Women is a grantmaking organization that supports women’s groups internationally. (; 415-202-7640)
Global Greengrants Fund is a public foundation providing small grants to grassroots environmental groups around the world. They have developed an extensive network of regional and global advisory boards to keep the fund connected to the work happening on the ground, and have made more than 3500 grants to groups in over 120 countries ().
National Black United Funds supports community-based organizations. (; 973-643-5122).
New World Foundation is a progressive foundation that supports donor collaboratives involving donor education. (; 212-249-1023).
Peace Development Fund is a public foundation providing grants, training, and other resources in partnership with communities, organizations, trainers, and donors with whom we share a common vision for change. (; 413-256-8306).
Potlatch Fund makes grants and develops leaders in Tribal communities throughout Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana ().
RESIST, Inc. is a foundation that supports small budget groups who struggle towards a broad vision of social justice, while continuing to oppose political and institutional oppression. (; 617-623-5110).
Social Justice Fund Northwest is a progressive foundation dedicated to addressing the root causes of social, economic, and environmental inequities (; 206- 624-4081).
Third Wave Foundation is the only national activist foundation for young women between 15 and 30. Through grantmaking, public education campaigns and networking programs, Third Wave informs and empowers a generation of young, feminist activists. Third Wave co-sponsors the annual Making Money Make Change retreat for young people with wealth. (; 212-388-1898).
Tides Foundation partners with donors to increase and organize resources for positive social change. Tides has a variety of donor services, provides donor education opportunities and cosponsors the annual Making Money Make Change young donor retreat for young people with wealth. (; 415-561-6400).
Twenty-First Century Foundation is a national foundation that supports African American community revitalization, education, and leadership development. (; 617-662-3700).
Southern Partners Fund is a community-based, public foundation created to serve Southern communities and organizations seeking social, economic and environmental justice by providing them with financial resources, technical assistance and training, and access to systems of information and power ()
Social Change Philanthropy Support Organizations
Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy strengthens the next generation of grantmakers in order to advance effective social justice philanthropy through organizing Networking opportunities, developing the leadership skills and analysis of members for successful engagement in the workplace and the broader philanthropic field and building an Advocacy voice for our generation aimed at transforming philanthropy, and strengthening the pipeline for young people into social change careers ().
Funders Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities is a resource to assist funders and organizations interested in creating more livable communities through better decision making regarding growth and development ().
Funders Network on Trade and Globalization acts as an open space for funders who regardless of their specific areas of grantmaking seek to understand how global issues, policies and organizing impact efforts to achieve long-term social change ().
Grantmakers without Borders is a network of trustees and staff of public and private foundations as well as individual donors committed to expanding global social change philanthropy. The organization hosts an annual conference and regional events. (; 937-599-4277).
More for Mission Investing Campaign is a proactive commitment to broadly promote mission investing and challenge foundations to take up mission investing practices. The goal of the campaign is to increase mission investment commitments by $12 billion over the next five years ().
National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy is a national watchdog, research and advocacy organization that promotes public accountability and accessibility among foundations, corporate grantmakers, individual donors and workplace giving programs. (; 202-387-9177).
Neighborhood Funders Group is a network of funders that support community-based efforts that improve economic and social conditions in low-income communities. (; 202-833-4690).
Responsible Wealth is a national network of businesspeople, investors and affluent Americans who are concerned about deepening economic inequality and are working for widespread prosperity. The three primary areas of work are tax fairness, corporate responsibility and living wages. (; 617-423-2148).
The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy is housed at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, a school of applied interdisciplinary research whose mission is to use knowledge to advance social justice. The Center aims to engage in action projects intended to provide an opportunity to apply philanthropic knowledge to real world social change initiatives ()
Social Justice Philanthropy Collaborative is a network of national organizations within the field of philanthropy that calls on grantmakers and donors to increase and deepen their commitment to funding social change ().
Women’s Donor Network is a national organization of women who donate at least $25,000 per year to non-profit progressive causes. (; 650-328-2600).
Women’s Funding Network is a membership organization of more than 90 public and private women’s foundations that empower women and girls (; 415-441-0706).
Giving Circles and Community-based Funding
Community foundations are a good resource to find and support local work. Search on the Community Foundation Locator ().
Community based nonprofits are another local resource. Check out web sites ( and have very large databases of organizations), read annual reports, meet with staff and other people involved in organizations and ask them to refer you to other people who they know and work with. There are countless activist and nonprofit communities that hold meetings and conferences in which you can connect with people about all the issues you fund.
Giving communities and circles are a great way to start giving in collaboration with others. Giving communities can vary quite a bit, but generally include a group of people who are pooling resources and have an interest in a common issue. Below are some of the ones we know about that include donor education components.
- Full Circle Fund (, 415-561-3398)
- Global Giving Circles, Clarence Foundation (, 510-558-7188)
- Global Environmental Health & Justice Funding Circle*
- Phoenix Fund for Labor & Communities Giving Circle*
*both housed at the New World Foundation (, 212-249-1023) - Threshold Foundation ()
- Women’s Donor Network (, 415-561-6513)
- The Fire This Time Fund ()
- Criminal Justice Initiative ()
- The Community Investment Network ()
- Gulf South Allied Funders ()
- Arts Rising Funding Circle ()
- Asian Women’s Giving Circle, Asian American/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy ()
Family and General Philanthropy Organizations
These organizations offer resources related to family philanthropy and grantmaking in general, and can help you identify philanthropic advisors or planners.
21/64 offers services to individuals, families, businesses, foundations and federations in times of generational transition, to help facilitate multiple generations to understand each others' “generational personalities,” motivational values, and visions vehicles (t).
Association of Small Foundations is committed to building and strengthening small foundation philanthropy by providing top quality, timely, practical, member-driven programs to all foundations with few or no staff. One of the Association’s resources is Foundation in A Box, with lots of foundation materials, available at www.foundationinabox.org. The organization also hosts a Trustee leadership seminar for the Next Generation. (; 888-212-9922).
Center for Effective Philanthropy provides data and create insight so philanthropic funders can better define, assess, and improve their effectiveness and impact ().
Council on Foundations is a national membership association for grantmakers and offers educational publications, national conferences and trainings. The Council sponsors a yearly conference on family foundations, and organizes a Next Generation Retreat. (; 202-467-0407).
Grantcraft gathers information from hundreds of grantmakers about their experiences, core tensions, and breakthroughs and distills their practical wisdom into guides, videos, workshops, and other tools ().
National Center for Family Philanthropy encourages families and individuals to create and sustain their philanthropic missions. Offers educational materials, research and programs. (; 202-293-3424).
Regional Association of Grantmakers are a nonprofit membership associations of private and community foundations, corporations, individuals and others committed to strengthening philanthropy in the geographic areas in which they operate, within the United States. (See for links to regional associations around the country.)
 |
© 2009 Resource Generation info@resourcegeneration.org |
Home | Who We Are | What We Do | Help Out
Calendar | Community | Resources | Contact Us