June 2023
What I’m Thinking About
Pluralism in Philanthropy
Over the past months there has been a robust discussion on pluralism in philanthropy, kicked off by a now infamous op-ed “We Disagree on Many Things, but We Speak With One Voice in Support of Philanthropic Pluralism” in the Chronicle of Philanthropy authored by a group of philanthropic leaders including Ford Foundation’s Darren Walker and the Philanthropy Roundtable’s Elise Westhoff.
Their call for a pluralist utopia where all viewpoints are tolerated and even embraced sparked immediate responses from voices such as Vu Le, author of the popular Nonprofit AF Blog. Le’s response “No, Not All Philanthropic Views Are Good, and Many Don’t Deserve Our Respect” railed against the op-ed, calling “[The original op-ed’s] message that all philanthropy is equally valid and good was the philanthropic equivalent of ‘all lives matter.’” Philip Rojc, writing for Inside Philanthropy, notes what he calls “the fundamental shakiness of its intellectual case” comparing the op-eds “vibe” to Francis Fukuyama’s 1992 book “The End of History and the Last Man”. Rhodri Davies in a recent Why Philanthropy Matters newsletter and on the Philanthropisms podcast remarks “the grit in the oyster here is that plurality almost always comes at a cost, as for every donor or nonprofit doing something we like or approve of, there is likely to be a counterexample of someone doing the opposite, or promoting ideas and values that we don’t agree with. The fundamental question is whether we think this is a price worth paying.” I suspect we will see this debate continue in the months to come.
Articles and News
New Georgia tax credit could attract donors to nonprofits
The Fostering Success Tax Credit allows residents to direct a portion of the state taxes they owe to a qualified child welfare organization. Individual filiers can give up to $2,500. Individual business owners can give up to $5,000. The numbers increase for large corporations. The Georgia General Assembly approved the measure in 2022 and it went into effect in January. The program is capped at $20 million. At press time, about $130,000 in tax credits had been processed. (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
Philanthropy and the arts: time for a reset?
Media controversy about elite arts institutions around the world has done significant damage to the standing of arts philanthropy and philanthropy in general. Yet artistic endeavour depends on philanthropic support to sustain not just itself but a vibrant civil society. Some highlights from a recent conversation hosted by UK magazine Alliance. (Alliance)
The Business Case for DEI Reinforces Anti-Black Sentiment
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion industry could not exist without the Civil Rights Movement and owes a debt to the labor and thought leadership of Black activists and freedom fighters. Yet rather than acknowledging and responding to its roots in organizing against White supremacy, DEI has developed into an industry that focuses on surface-level, individualistic engagement, and the bottom line—that is, on the ways DEI can boost profitability. For the DEI industry to achieve its foundational goals, it must shift its focus away from profitability and toward acknowledging and dismantling White supremacy. (Nonprofit Quarterly)
Cultures of Generosity and Philanthropy Within Communities of Color
Hali Lee recounts her experiences with mutual aid through a geh, and relates it to other cultural mutual aid traditions including “tandas in Mexico, sou-sous in parts of Western Africa, i-sou-sous in parts of the Caribbean, sols in Haiti, tam tams in Vietnam, mahibers in Ethiopia/ Eritrea, arisons in Indonesia” and more. (THIRTEEN)
Uncertain Economy — and the Nation’s Debt Debate — Snag Nonprofit Finances
“The nonprofit sector has been roasted on the outside,” says Tim Delaney, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, who likens the state of things to a hard pretzel rod on the verge of snapping in half. “That’s how fragile things are right now.” (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
Studies and Research
Behavior and Charitable Giving
A study on new approaches to integrating findings from behavioral science into the world of charitable giving. Tons of deep info to inform your individual giving practices. (ideas42)
Unlocking Progressive Power-Building
To accelerate the movement towards racial, social, and economic justice, philanthropy seeks to support grassroots organizations building the power to achieve transformative policy change. Using findings from interviews with over thirty civic engagement grantmakers, this report offers a set of practical steps that funders can take to change giving practices to better support multi-entity grassroots organizations doing bold power-building work. (New Left Accelerator)
Resources
The 2023 State of Grantseeking Key Findings
Results from Foundant Technologies, Grant Professionals Association, Arnova, Campaign Counsel, and TechSoup’s annual grantseeking report presents helpful nuggets such as “The grant process takes staff. For 66% of respondents, one to two people were directly involved in the grantseeking process for the largest individual award, while for 22% of respondents, three to five people were directly involved.” (GrantStation)
Trends in Education Philanthropy: Benchmarking 2023
Trends in Education Philanthropy: Benchmarking 2023 offers insights into where and how funders are working, their evolving priorities and their role in supporting education innovation that benefits the nation’s learners. The 15th anniversary report by Grantmakers for Education -- the first post pandemic -- is based on a survey of 142 education philanthropies. (Grantmakers for Education)
For Funders
In Three Decades’ of Efforts to Fund the True Costs of Nonprofits, Where Are the Workers?
[I]t’s past time for well-meaning funders to say the quiet part out loud: the only way to fully fund nonprofits is to fully fund their labor costs. There can be no equity if that equity doesn’t include the employees charged with delivering it, and you can’t combat poverty while expecting employees to work for poverty wages. (Inside Philanthropy)
A Tale of Two Georgias: One Healthcare Funder's Roadmap for Rural Health Equity
A feature on Healthcare Georgia Foundation’s Two Georgias Initiative which aims to reduce health disparities between the more developed urban and suburban communities and the struggling rural regions. (Inside Philanthropy)
