November 03, 2022 What We Learned From a Deep Dive into Economic Justice Advocacy Funding November 03, 2022/ Philip Rojc For our latest State of American Philanthropy report, we analyzed the small pool of funders taking on the public policies and power arrangements that govern economic life. Here’s a quick overview of what’s happening.Read More
October 26, 2022 "It’s Not Just About Moving Money." How Solidaire Is Challenging Wealth, Power and Privilege October 26, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe For going on 10 years, the Solidaire Network has been advising wealthy donors seeking to support progressive causes. It’s also challenging assumptions about inheritance, wealth accumulation, and how to move money. Read More
July 28, 2022 Fundraisers for Economic Justice See Challenges and Opportunities in a Historic Moment July 28, 2022/ Gail Aronson Nonprofits working toward economic justice face a historic moment in the wake of a pandemic and a racial uprising that exposed deep inequality. We spoke with several fundraisers in the field about how the landscape is shifting.Read More
April 27, 2022 California Foundations Look to Ensure Billions in Government Aid Are Allocated Equitably April 27, 2022/ Martha Ramirez With California on the verge of receiving billions in public funding, a new initiative is looking to make sure this investment is distributed equitably to nonprofit organizations and underserved communities in the state.Read More
April 11, 2022 A Funder Effort to Fight Poverty—One Taxpayer at a Time April 11, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Educating people about tax credits can be an effective way for funders to leverage their dollars for a great deal of poverty-fighting power. And there’s a dedicated funder network out there helping to lead the charge.Read More
March 11, 2022 How This Fellowship Lets Social Justice Leaders Explore Bold Ideas March 11, 2022/ Simone Ellin Since its 2016 launch, the Rosenberg Foundation’s Leading Edge fellowship program has backed some of California’s most promising social justice leaders. Here’s what some fellows in the 2022-2024 cohort are working on.Read More
September 29, 2021 Financial Sector Oversight Is Crucial to Tackling Inequality. So Where Is Philanthropy? September 29, 2021/ Philip Rojc Philanthropic funders are mostly ignoring a key lever in the fight against poverty: financial sector oversight and regulation. While the industry lobby is formidable, increased attention could help protect hard-won local gains.Read More
May 19, 2021 Why Do Big Tech Givers Like Guaranteed Income So Much—and Is That a Good Thing? May 19, 2021/ Philip Rojc Advocacy funding from Silicon Valley winners has played a major part in the ongoing mainstreaming of guaranteed income, even as direct cash goes mainstream in both philanthropy and government. But not everyone’s thrilled.Read More
April 28, 2021 How Boston Ujima Project Is Building Community Wealth and Challenging Funding Norms April 28, 2021/ Mike Scutari Two years ago, the Boston Ujima Project began raising $5 million to seed an investment fund for businesses serving communities of color. We check in with leaders on how it’s going, and how the past year has impacted their work.Read More
February 25, 2021 How Nwamaka Agbo Is Leading Kataly's Work to "Redistribute and Redefine Wealth" February 25, 2021/ Mandy Van Deven After many years of organizing for racial, social and environmental justice, Nwamaka Agbo has taken the helm at the Kataly Foundation. Mandy Van Deven spoke with Agbo about democratizing philanthropy, restorative economics and much more.Read More
February 24, 2021 “Moving Forward.” Robert F. Smith Talks About the Future of His Philanthropy February 24, 2021/ Ade Adeniji In a rare interview, we talk with African American finance billionaire Robert F. Smith about the extensive giving he’s done so far, where he sees it all headed, and how he hopes to move forward after a high-profile tax scandal.Read More
December 22, 2020 With Billionaire Backing, 30 Mayors Rally Around Guaranteed Income December 22, 2020/ Philip Rojc Mayors for a Guaranteed Income is supporting local pilot projects and setting the groundwork for federal advocacy. Jack Dorsey is the initiative’s main benefactor, having contributed $18 million this year.Read More
December 08, 2020 Robert F. Smith’s Latest Move Supports Black CPAs as a Path to Building Generational Wealth December 08, 2020/ Ade Adeniji Wall Street billionaire Robert F. Smith’s philanthropic footprint continues to expand, with a common theme of tackling systemic inequities. This time around, he seeks to increase the number of Black certified public accountants.Read More
March 27, 2020 Money in People's Pockets: How This Funder Network Confronts Economic Hardship March 27, 2020/ Philip Rojc Even before Congress moved to send emergency checks to Americans as a response to COVID-19, policy debates about income supports were changing. A dedicated group of foundations has been working in this arena for years. Read More
March 02, 2020 American Dreaming: What's Interesting About This Foundation's New Anti-Poverty Funding March 02, 2020/ Philip Rojc The Rockefeller Foundation wants to resurrect the American Dream. It’s channeling much-needed funds into tax and fiscal policy reform, and to save the much-criticized federal Opportunity Zone program from its own shortcomings.Read More
December 19, 2019 Making Amends: How Funders Can Address Slavery’s Legacy December 19, 2019/ Julia Travers It has been 400 years since slavery began in the U.S. How can funders address slavery’s many legacies, like the racial wealth gap? What should a foundation with historic ties to slavery do? How can funders support black-led change?Read More
December 17, 2019 Equity Rebrand: How One Nonprofit Is Embracing Change and Attracting New Funders December 17, 2019/ Philip Rojc Founded almost two decades ago, Common Future (formerly the Business Alliance for Living Local Economies) has lately embarked on a new, more inclusive chapter. Its reboot reflects the rise of equity as a key concern for many funders. Read More
October 29, 2019 Diverse Investments in U.S. and Abroad Fuel a New Push for Inclusive Mobility October 29, 2019/ Liz Longley A set of commitments made at a recent convening of funders and nonprofits underscores that the fight against poverty has many fronts, from helping people access government benefits to unlocking capital for micro-finance.Read More
September 24, 2019 Billionaires vs. Poverty: Behind a Push to Use Data to Boost Economic Opportunity in Cities September 24, 2019/ Caitlin Reilly Some of the nation’s wealthiest philanthropists have lately swung behind new work to make city economies more equitable and inclusive. We look at a data-driven initiative that is attracting big grant money.Read More
September 07, 2019 Leveraging Donor Dollars, a Nonprofit Clears Millions in Medical Debt for Low-Income Americans September 07, 2019/ Laura Dorwart A growing number of donors large and small contribute to an organization that’s buying up medical debt on the secondary market and forgiving up to $100 of debt for every dollar it receives in contributions—a sky-high ROI. Read More