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PEAK Grantmaking

Weekly Reads—August 27, 2021

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Enjoy PEAK’s weekly roundup of timely insights from the grantmaking community and beyond.

“The notion of systems change is based on the recognition that the challenges philanthropy addresses are complicated and interdependent. This is something those with experience in the nonprofit sector have been saying for decades. Thoughtful givers open themselves up to learn how uniquely challenging giving is.” [more]
Phil Buchanan, The Center for Effective Philanthropy

“A powerful thing happens when philanthropists demonstrate humility through listening and respect. They earn trust. Trust allows funders to learn at a deeper level how they can support grantees to do bold, ambitious work. Trust also allows funders to build relationships with partners … [who] will be essential in creating a network for advocacy and systems change.” [more]
Phil Li, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation

“Practitioners and funders who want to influence their fields toward greater justice should start by building participatory feedback systems as part of their measurement approach. … Are we soliciting and using community feedback to inform strategies that are themselves in the service of equity? Where they find room to advocate change, participants’ own testimonies and calls for action will be their most powerful allies.” [more]
Mary Marx, Lymari Benitez, Yessica Cancel and Katie Smith Milway, in Stanford Social Innovation Review Online