March 08, 2023 How a 75-Year-Old Foundation Dramatically Increased Funding for Groups Led by People of Color March 08, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe In 2019, Public Welfare Foundation announced a plan to move the vast majority of its grantmaking resources to Black and POC-led nonprofits. Its leadership unpacks the process and shares its results to date.Read More
March 03, 2023 Backed By Diverse Funders, Liberation Ventures Is Pushing for Reparations and a "Culture of Repair" March 03, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe With an eclectic mix of funders and a holistic and long-term plan, this field-building organization is seeking reparations for Black Americans. We connected with co-founder and managing director Aria Florant to learn more.Read More
February 22, 2023 Why Mellon Is Boosting Art That Confronts the Criminal Justice System February 22, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe The leading funder of the humanities committed $125 million to lift up the artistic voices of those directly impacted by American legal system. It’s a big influx of cash for this field, and one that Mellon hopes will have broad impacts. Read More
February 21, 2023 For These Faith Groups, Funding Abortion Access and Advocacy Is a Matter of Religious Freedom February 21, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe The views of the anti-abortion religious right do not represent those of the majority of U.S. believers. Following the fall of Roe, these pro-choice faith groups have been stepping up their efforts to fund abortion care.Read More
February 13, 2023 The Power of Reentry: New Grants Demonstrate the Potential of Holistic Support for Returning Citizens February 13, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe New backing from the Michigan Justice Fund shines a light on the unmet needs of people reentering society after incarceration — and how attention to this area could help funders address a whole range of social ills.Read More
February 08, 2023 Foundations May Be Backsliding on COVID-Era Flexibility. Are Grantees Getting Fed Up? February 08, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe A new survey from Technology Association of Grantmakers suggests some funders who relaxed restrictions in 2020 are reverting to old practices. That raises tough questions about the grantee-funder relationship going forward. Read More
February 01, 2023 We Went in Search of Funders Prioritizing Nonprofit Pay and Benefits. The Results Were Underwhelming February 01, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe With worker burnout surging and nonprofits struggling to retain staff, we figured there must be some funders out there making better pay and benefits a part of their grantmaking. Spoiler alert: We only found one.Read More
January 25, 2023 Women Are Underrepresented in Legislatures. This Fund Seeks Gender Parity — and Better Governance January 25, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe Women still hold a disproportionately low number of seats in state legislatures — shockingly low in some states. The Ascend Fund is building up the pipeline of women running for office, starting in a few key locations.Read More
January 13, 2023 This Small Family Foundation Had the Labor Movement’s Back Before It Was Cool January 13, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe While foundation support for workers’ rights can be scarce, General Service Foundation has been on the case since the 1990s. Now, it's taking things a step further by investing its endowment in alignment with the cause.Read More
January 09, 2023 This CZI Spinoff's New Funding Tells a More Nuanced Story About Criminal Justice Reform January 09, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe The Just Trust’s new Safer Communities Accelerator is getting behind groups “working within the system and outside of it.” The trust’s overall approach involves funding direct services as well as broader justice reform advocacy.Read More
January 03, 2023 The Data on Funding for LGBTQ Causes Is Seriously Incomplete. Here’s Why January 03, 2023/ Dawn Wolfe Claims of underfunding in the LGBTQ space aren’t wrong, but it’s also notoriously difficult to get a read on how much money is being moved and how much is needed. Ultimately, some of this handwringing may be unnecessary.Read More
December 20, 2022 This Funding Campaign Is Helping to Keep Independent Abortion Clinics Open and Safe December 20, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe Three out of five abortions in the U.S. are provided by independent healthcare clinics that receive far less support than major national organizations. The Abortion Care Network is helping them cover costs in a dangerous time.Read More
December 20, 2022 “We Are By No Means Home Free.” Six Questions for Horizons Foundation President Roger Doughty December 20, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe Roger Doughty recently celebrated 20 years as president of Horizons Foundation, which has been funding LGBTQ issues for over four decades. We spoke with Doughty about the state of funding in the field and much more. Read More
December 14, 2022 A Small, Focused Funder Demonstrates the Strength and Resilience of Transgender Communities December 14, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe The Black Trans Travel Fund shows how a resilient community can care for itself through philanthropy. It also offers an example for mainstream funders looking to support transgender people in a meaningful way.Read More
December 08, 2022 How One Organization Is Tapping Into the Lucrative Wedding Industry to Combat Child Marriage December 08, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe The wedding industry has a $160 billion market value, and it continues to grow. With organizational support from some big funders, VOW for Girls is channeling a slice of those profits toward ending child marriage.Read More
December 05, 2022 At 42 and Counting, Horizons Foundation Punches Way Above Its Weight December 05, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe An iconic LGBTQ community funder, the Bay Area-based Horizons Foundation has spent decades building up the grassroots. Today, though it’s still modest in size, its impact extends to the national and international stage.Read More
November 29, 2022 MacKenzie Scott’s Latest Round Gives a Big Boost to LGBTQ Groups at a Critical Moment November 29, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe MacKenzie Scott has backed LGBTQ groups since she first got started in 2022, but her latest round took that support to the next level, including funding for trans rights and intersectional groups, big and small. Read More
November 18, 2022 New Numbers on Giving for Women and Girls: Major Underfunding, Some Reasons for Hope November 18, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe Updated data from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute paints a depressing picture: Even as current events influence where money’s flowing, organizations serving women and girls are still prioritized far less than other causes.Read More
November 10, 2022 The Boston Foundation’s Reproductive Health Fund Sends a Message: Access is a Mainstream Issue November 10, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Massachusetts became a sanctuary state for abortion care. The Boston Foundation also started a fund for abortion access that, while small, is a bold move for a community foundation. Read More
November 08, 2022 Fund the People is Fighting for the Wellbeing of Nonprofit Workers — and Funders are Listening November 08, 2022/ Dawn Wolfe Fund the People is a small organization out to make some big changes to how grantmaking works, prioritizing increased funding in support of staff. The group has the ear of several major foundations.Read More