Trust-based philanthropy practices

Grantee Relationships and Power Dynamics

Posted on December 7, 2020 by Anthony Richardson, Mailee Walker, Melinda Tuan

man holding out hand - agreement, relationships
Power dynamics are inherent in traditional philanthropy: a funder gives and a grantee receives. This imbalance has the ability to inhibit productive, honest partnerships and stymie successful outcomes. It is often difficult for a grantee to discuss their needs and concerns when their financial future is on the line. Funders must acknowledge these dynamics with grantee partners and learn how… Read More

Engaging Organizations and Developing Relationships With Their Leadership

Posted on October 20, 2020 by Stanford PACS

Best practices when it comes to interacting with potential and actual grantees including volunteering and board service. In many instances, you can conduct adequate due diligence on a nonprofit without ever communicating with the organization’s staff—using information from its website and from third parties. Also, in many cases—especially but not only with large national or international groups—you will feel satisfied… Read More

How to Do A Trust-Based Grantee Meeting

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

How can funders approach grantee check-in meetings to foster productive relationships and glean important insights, all while proactively alleviating power imbalances? And how can we consider grantee check-ins  as an alternate approach to reporting? This funder-specific tool offers a checklist of trust-based considerations before, during, and after grantee check-in meetings… Read More

Trust-Based Philanthropy Self-Reflection Tool

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

Trust-based philanthropy is a holistic approach that requires alignment in a grantmaking organization’s four interrelated areas: 1) practice, 2) leadership, 3) culture, and 4) values. This tool is designed to help funders at various stages of the trust-based journey examine how trust shows up across your organization, and identify areas that may need more inquiry, refinement, or deepening. This is… Read More

Trust-Based Philanthropy At-A-Glance

Posted on October 2, 2020 by Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

This 2-page overview provides the overarching context for trust-based philanthropy, descriptions and rationale for the six interrelated principles, recommended steps you can take, and the benefits you will see. This introductory primer will be most relevant to foundation leadership, trustees, and staff. It can be used as a general reference point, or for more in-depth discussion and reflection among colleagues… Read More

Resiliency Guide

Posted on August 17, 2020 by S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation

This Guide is designed to help deepen thinking about where, when, and how to invest in capacity building, while also helping funders to explore the dimensions of resiliency and help their grantee organizations prepare for eventual independence from grant funding… Read More

Trust-based Family Philanthropy

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Sarah Walczyk, Shaady Salehi, Ellen Friedman, Hanh Le

Trust-based philanthropy is being embraced by a growing number of family foundations as a way to alleviate power imbalances between funders and grantees while fostering more productive and informative relationships. Driven by the central philosophy that funders should approach grantee relationships as learning partnerships, a trust-based approach encourages multi-year unrestricted funding, streamlined reporting, and transparent and responsive communication. In this… Read More

Resilience at Work: How Nonprofits Adapt to Disruption. How Funders Can Help.

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Diana Scearce, S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation

Today and in the future, there is one thing social change leaders can be sure of: they will experience disruption, uncertainty, and significant change. Whether recovering from a hurricane, navigating global health concerns, responding to shifts in public policy, or regrouping after the departure of a top leader, nonprofits that get intentional about cultivating organizational resilience are better at anticipating and adapting to disruption. … Read More

We’re here to equip you with the tools you need to make a meaningful impact. Contact NCFP for support.

Get in Touch

Keep up with trends in family philanthropy. Subscribe to our newsletter.

Signup

Gain access to personalized support and a network of peers. Join our community!

Join Now