Weekly Reads—January 27, 2023

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

Building Movement Project shares the newest installment in their Movement Infrastructure Series called Funding Movement Infrastructure, which “draws upon our ongoing work to encourage philanthropic institutions to support social movements … and identify several barriers that arise for funders seeking to invest in social movements, and provide ideas to address them.”

“[In studying 21 US nonprofits that received large, unrestricted grants in 2017], we did not see signs of a ‘lottery curse.’ The nonprofits we studied did not buckle under the weight of large, unrestricted grants. To the contrary, they strengthened their organizations and leadership ranks, and they stewarded the funds with strategic rigor.” [more]
Kathleen Fleming, Anthony Michael Abril, and Jeff Bradach, The Bridgespan Group, for the Center for Effective Philanthropy

“In the future of philanthropy there will be a clear understanding that healthy, balanced nonprofit (and foundation) leaders are able to create better outcomes for communities. Foundations will invest in long-term relationships with nonprofit leaders so that grantees trust that they can take risks and make big bets.” [more]
Trista Harris, FutureGood

“The participatory model transfers the power of grantmaking from professional grantmakers or wealthy donors, who typically are not deeply tied to the communities receiving funding, to residents who have experienced firsthand the challenges grant funding is meant to address. It also tackles blind spots and biases created by the huge racial gap in foundation staff.” [more]
Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, Brooklyn Community Foundation, for Candid