Philanthropic practice

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project published recently a guide centered on the responsibilities of a trust-based project.

"The Movement for Black Lives and the broader conversation about the value of arts and culture in our society and its role in amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color is opening opportunities for profound change," states Shelley Trott, director of the Arts Strategy & Ventures at the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.

A report from Council on Foundations, Philanthropy California, and Dalberg Advisors delves into how the US philanthropic sector is responding to the 2020 public health, racial justice, and economic crises of 2020.

The vast majority of boards, writes Jim Taylor, are missing a focus on lived experience, "having individuals on the board who understand in a real way the issues and challenges that they are working to address."

The Howard Gilman Foundation Board of Trustees recently approved an increase from a 5% to a 7.5% payout for the Foundation’s 2020 grants budget, bringing the total of that budget to $34.5M, according to the press release.

"What risks are we in philanthropy and impact investing willing to take to make lasting change? Are we willing to continue to sacrifice the lives, livelihoods, and well-being of entire communities for the comfort of our well-polished theories of change?"

Freedom Maps: Activating legacies of culture, art, and organizing in the U.S. South, a new report written by Maria Cherry Rangel, director of Strategic Initiatives at the Foundation for Louisiana, and Ron Ragin, independent cultural worker, examines the state of artistic practice in the South and "the ways in which artists and culture workers are helping to build progressive infrastructure through social justice, and practitioners’ visions for the future."

In a recent piece, Gary Stewart reflects on Forbes on Black Lives Matters and the importance impact investment and foundations operating within the scope of program related investments can have in this moment.

"This time, our sector must make a long-term commitment to fund grassroots organizations working to end anti-Black racism and state-sanctioned violence," details a recent statement from Borealis Philanthropy responding to the urgent conversations around anti-Black racism and police brutality.

"Nonprofit collaboration has become an increasingly important social change tool—one that is needed now more than ever to address the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and recession. But working with other organizations—whether in a loose affiliate network or movement, or in a more structured partnership or merger—requires a commensurate growth in collaboration capacity."