Weekly Reads—July 7, 2025

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

“In light of the current attacks on disabled communities, it is crucial for the philanthropic sector to recognize the opportunities for action that arise from advocacy. We can, and should, heed the wisdom of disability-led movements and work together.” [more]
Sandy Ho, Executive Director, Disability & Philanthropy Forum

“When funders and field partners treat philanthropy as partnership, rather than patronage, the entire relationship shifts towards shared accountability, based on mutual respect and trust. . . . In the future we must build towards, philanthropic capital should behave like purpose-driven risk equity: money invested to surface what works, prove it quickly, and pave the way for larger, longer-term financing.” [more]
Karen Kardos and T. Alexander Puutio for Stanford Social Innovation Review

“The need is more critical than ever to fund the entire social justice ecosystem – grassroots organizations and movement leaders as well as the people and institutions that provide guidance, tools, strategies, and amplification of their work. During this moment of acute attacks on civil society, funders must invest in the entirety of the social sector to ensure a healthy ecosystem able to advance justice and change over the long haul.” [more]
Aja Couchois Duncan, Rachel Hutt, and Lauri Valerio, for Grantmakers for Effective Organizations

“Philanthropy’s future depends on more than bold strategies and visionary program design—it depends on whether governance can evolve to meet the demands of this moment. Each stage of philanthropy has mirrored prevailing beliefs about its role in society, shaping strategy, evaluation, and accountability practices. As we move further into the realities of Philanthropy 4.0, the challenge isn’t just adopting new frameworks—it’s transforming what Scharmer calls the “mindsets and operating systems” of philanthropy itself.” [more]
Clare Nolan, Engage R+D, for Center for Effective Philanthropy