Unlearning and Relearning to Leverage New Grantmaking Models

Philanthropists, in seeking new tools to solve long-term societal problems, are increasingly looking to new grantmaking and structural entities through which to achieve their missions. At one end of the spectrum are private foundations with living donors that establish a 501(c)(4) as a separate but affiliated organization working in similar program areas but using different means and that is able to more fully engage with the political process. At the other end are limited liability companies (LLCs), which employ staff who have access to multiple entities to achieve their work—501(c)(3) public charities, (c)(3) private foundations, donor advised funds (DAFs), and (c)(4)s. Through these entities, the focus shifts from the entity making the grant to the work itself—finding the best way to get the money out the door in a way that supports the change that grantmakers and grantees seek to achieve. So, how do grants managers adapt to these new