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.

February 02, 2023

Omidyar’s Latest Effort to “Reimagine Capitalism” — Funding Intrepid Journalists

February 02, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen

The Omidyar Network’s Reporters in Residence program is backing journalists who cover economic issues neglected by the mainstream media. It’s the latest philanthropic effort to boost a struggling field — and spur systemic change.

June 22, 2022

The New Labor Movement Is Having a Moment. Here Are Eight Funders That Have Its Back

June 22, 2022/ Philip Rojc

The movement for workers’ rights has never been a philanthropic staple, but recent unionization wins on the ground have coincided with broadening funder support. Here’s a short list of labor-friendly funders we’re keeping an eye on.

March 03, 2022

Here's What Stands Out About Hewlett's Brainy Bid to Push Past Neoliberalism

March 03, 2022/ Philip Rojc

The Hewlett Foundation is on a quest to fund a new “intellectual paradigm” that’ll replace neoliberalism and ground the future economy. It complements other economic justice funding, but is a clear outlier.

January 28, 2022

How Is “Omidyarism” Faring in an Age of Splashy Tech Giving?

January 28, 2022/ Mike Scutari

The Omidyars are among philanthropy’s most fascinating funders, but their giving has been rather muted lately. We look at their affiliated organizations’ grantmaking and weigh the potential effects of a contracting stock market.

January 12, 2022

What We Learned From a Deep Dive Into Tech Industry Giving

January 12, 2022/ Mike Scutari

We recently published an in-depth paper on the philanthropy of mega-donors hailing from the tech industry, as part of IP’s State of American Philanthropy project. Author Mike Scutari walks through some of our key takeaways.

November 30, 2021

What We Learned from a Deep Dive Into Journalism Funding—and Where Donors May Be Headed Next

November 30, 2021/ Mike Scutari

As part of IP’s State of American Philanthropy project, we recently published an in-depth paper on trends in journalism funding. Author Mike Scutari explains what we learned and offers clues on what to expect going forward.

November 23, 2021

Deep Dive: What’s Going On With Philanthropy for Workers’ Rights

November 23, 2021/ IP Staff

Philanthropy hasn’t given too much to the labor movement, but a few funders are supporting new movements for workers’ rights. There may be more to come. Here’s a rundown of who’s giving, with links to our past coverage.

October 05, 2021

Responding to Inequities Revealed by COVID, Funders Set Out to Repair Workers’ Safety Net

October 05, 2021/ Liz Longley

In 2020, major foundations established a short-term, rapid-response fund for the pandemic’s hardest-hit. Now, the Families and Workers Fund has launched an effort to shore up protections for American workers.

October 05, 2021

“Revisit the Assumptions.” A New Report Poses Big Questions About Funders’ Impact in the 2020s

October 05, 2021/ Mike Scutari

A new report challenges funders to revisit long-held assumptions about what makes for effective grantmaking. We dig into some key findings to help grantmakers navigate a rapidly changing philanthropic landscape.

November 24, 2020

Where is the Next Andrew Carnegie? The Case for Funding America’s Civic Infrastructure

November 24, 2020/ Micah Sifry, Guest Contributor

Most of America is a civic desert, lacking in year-round infrastructure dedicated to bringing people together. In this guest post, Micah L. Sifry argues that philanthropy can create the next generation of places for Americans to connect.

September 14, 2020

New Funder Collaborative Takes on Workers’ Rights—Starting With COVID Response

September 14, 2020/ Liz Longley

One year after a group of philanthropies met to discuss ways to address fair labor issues, the resulting collaborative, FORGE, has launched a pooled fund aiming to lift worker voices. The fund’s first round of grants focuses on COVID response.

September 10, 2020

A Funder-Backed Project Explores Why COVID-19 Adversely Impacts Low-Wage Workers

September 10, 2020/ Mike Scutari

A new photojournalism initiative co-sponsored by the Omidyar Network explores the structural inequities that exacerbated the pandemic’s impact on low-wage workers. It’s part of ON’s broader effort to build worker power.

August 27, 2020

Seeking to Rein in Capitalism, Omidyar Is the Rare Funder Taking on Wall Street

August 27, 2020/ Philip Rojc

Very few funders pay attention to the immensely important arena of financial reform and Wall Street regulation. As part of its bid to “reimagine capitalism,” the Omidyar Network became one of them this summer. Here’s why that matters.

August 19, 2020

With OSF and Luminate Backing, a New Fund Targets Civic Engagement in Latin America

August 19, 2020/ Liz Longley

Civic spaces were tightening around the world even before the pandemic hit, particularly in Latin America. Pulsante, a new $3 million pooled fund, is working to protect and expand democracy and civic engagement in the region.

May 19, 2020

Bucking the Trend: Behind a Tech Billionaire’s Unlikely Foray into Building Worker Power

May 19, 2020/ Philip Rojc

Worker power isn’t exactly a popular cause among captains of industry. But Pierre and Pam Omidyar aren’t afraid to walk the road less traveled. Here’s what makes the Omidyar Network’s new labor movement investment so important.

January 15, 2020

With the Stakes Rising, Foundations Mobilize New Capital for Daunting Global Challenges

January 15, 2020/ Liz Longley

The need for vast new resources to combat climate change and also to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is driving new impact investment moves by top foundations. Which funders are at the center of this action?

December 10, 2019

As Impact Investing Reaches a Tipping Point, a Fund to Scale the Market with Integrity

December 10, 2019/ Liz Longley

Impact investing is growing fast, but it’s still a young and underdeveloped field of practice. A powerhouse coalition of funders has come together in a donor collaborative that will make grants to help the field mature and scale.

November 08, 2019

Anti-Monopoly Money: A Facebook Co-Founder Mobilizes Millions to Battle Bigness

November 08, 2019/ John Freund

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes has raised $10 million to fight monopolies, including from a number of top foundations. What’s the strategy to challenge not just Big Tech, but concentrated corporate power more broadly?

October 01, 2019

A New Collaborative Funding Push Looks to Bolster Worker Rights Around the World

October 01, 2019/ Liz Longley

Amid the rise of globalization, philanthropy largely remained on the sidelines in the contest between capital and labor. But that’s changing, as the Open Society Foundations and other funders step up efforts to build a future with fair labor.