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PEAK Grantmaking

Putting Our Principles Out Front

PEAK Grantmaking is listening to its members. Forged from conversations over the last year with members and other leaders in philanthropy, we are pleased to introduce a set of commitments for grantmakers rooted in values and aimed at mission. These commitments are the Principles of PEAK Grantmaking. They are a work in progress and, together, PEAK Grantmaking members and other voices in philanthropy will identify what we should lift up about the principles toward the goal of maximizing grantmaking experiences for funders and grantseekers.

The first draft of the five Principles for PEAK Grantmaking are:

  • Be responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to us.
  • Streamline grantee requirements.
  • Implement equitable practices.
  • Take a learning approach to achieving impact.
  • Align practices with values.

Our goal is to co-create position statements, or calls to action, that – if followed – could help our field fully realize each principle. In other words, we are going to finish this sentence: “To achieve this principle, grantmakers will…

Working groups of our members will be helping to guide our next steps over the next year. Working groups are tasked with tapping into the field’s knowledge, revising and adding position statements and highlighting examples of grantmakers already realizing one or more of the five principles. Tools and resources, some existing and others to be developed, will be shared alongside each principle, ensuring that, as grantmakers stretch toward a principle, they have the help they need.

Our goal is to release all five draft Principles and the accompanying position statements and practices ahead of our 2019 conference so that the entire field of philanthropy can review, have conversations and comment. Our hope is that grantmakers will commit to living these principles and follow up by implementing them in ways that suit their own organizations.

Needless to say: the insight and enthusiasm you contribute to this effort will be the key to its success. We invite and will depend on your thoughtful input and extensive experience. Please tune in to this blog and look for invitations to share your time and talent.

On behalf of PEAK Grantmaking’s board of directors, know that we will back this call to action with concrete resources to support field-wide adoption of the Principles for PEAK Grantmaking. Many, many thanks to everyone who has helped bring the Principles to this point – we can’t wait to see what happens next!

Satonya & Marc
Co-chairs, PEAK Grantmaking Board of Directors