A new community-based framework assessing the impact of participatory grantmaking on philanthropy
Institutional foundations are influential, yet it can be difficult to understand how they operate. How do their staff members make decisions? What impact do these decisions have on nonprofits, civil society, and democracy more broadly? One practice that holds promise for demystifying this relationship is participatory grantmaking, whereby stakeholders and grantees participate in making decisions about grant dollars that were previously reserved for professional foundation staff.
The community-based case studies in Participatory Grantmaking in Philanthropy signal a cultural shift away from the power of elite institutions and their penchant for top-down decision-making. This book combines perspectives from academics and practitioners who address how participatory grantmaking relates to other features of contemporary giving, including trust-based philanthropy; giving circles; crowdfunding; conservative philanthropy; giving traditions in communities of color; and global giving.
Using in-depth case studies, quantitative research, and other evidence-based methods of exploration, Participatory Grantmaking in Philanthropy will be a strong resource for philanthropy practitioners not only at the community level but also at large institutional foundations as well as megadonors seeking to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their decision-making practices.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Participatory Approaches to Philanthropy: The Distinct Role of Participatory Grantmaking 1
Cynthia M. Gibson, Chris Cardona, Jasmine McGinnis Johnson, and David Suárez
Part I: Mapping Participatory Grantmaking Practice 33
1 Institutional Change or Shooting Star? The Landscape of Stakeholder Participation among Large Foundations in the United States 35
Emily Finchum-Mason, Kelly Husted, and David Suárez
2 From Collaboration to Ceding Power: The Impact of Participation on Grant Decisions 62
Jasmine McGinnis Johnson
3 Participatory Grantmaking Practices among Women's Funds: What Has Been Learned? 80
Elizabeth Barajas-Román and Mirenda Meghelli
Part II: Case Studies of Participatory Grantmaking in Action 97
4 Grounding Practice in a Movement's Principles: Why the Disability Rights Fund and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund Continue to Prioritize Participation 101
Melanie Kawano-Chiu and Jen Bokoff
5 The Haymarket People's Fund: Evaluating an Antiracist Grantmaking Model 127
Eva King, Jaime Smith, and Kathryn Destin
6 Revolutionizing Philanthropy: Inclusive Participatory Processes in the New England Grassroots Environment Fund 162
Bart Westdijk and Sarah Huang
7 Global Participatory Grantmaking: Through a Climate Justice Lens 187
Laura García and Teresa Odendahl
8 Participatory Grantmaking and Giving Traditions in Communities of Color: The CLLCTIVLY Case 217
Stephanie Clintonia Boddie and Tracy R. Rone
Part III: The Challenges for and Limits of Participatory Grantmaking 259
9 Community Representation, COVID-19, and the Challenges of Shifting Grantmaking Power: How a Public LGBTQ+ Foundation Weighed the Options 261
Elizabeth J. Dale and Katie Carter
10 Community Foundations and Community Leadership: An Approach to Participatory Philanthropy 285
Melody MacLean, Caroline Merenda, and Len Bartel
11 "Participatoriness" in Philanthropy: A Conservative Perspective 312
Michael E. Hartmann and William A. Schambra
12 What Will It Take to Change? Traditional Foundations and Megadonors Experiment with Participatory Grantmaking 328
Anne Katahira with Marissa Jackson
Conclusion: Future Directions for Participatory Grantmaking Research and Implementation 354
Chris Cardona, Cynthia M. Gibson, Jasmine McGinnis Johnson,
and David Suárez
Editors' and Contributors' Affiliations 365
Index 367
Reviews
"This volume provides a compelling, evidence-based perspective on participatory grantmaking that highlights long-standing and new practices across a variety of perspectives. It also poses thought-provoking questions about the future of participatory grantmaking. This is a must read for those interested in making philanthropy more democratic and community centered."—Julia L. Carboni, director, William D. Ruckelshaus Center
"This is an immensely useful and inspiring resource for those seeking to make philanthropy more equitable and inclusive. The editors have curated wide-ranging contributions that show how participatory grantmaking can center the love of humankind and kindle the spark of human generosity that ought to lie at the heart of philanthropy."—Beth Breeze, director, Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent
Contributors
Elizabeth Barajas-Roman, Stephanie Boddie, Jen Bokoff, Elizabeth Dale, Julia Dundorf, Emily Finchum-Mason, Laura Garcia, Michael Hartmann, Sarah Huang, Anne Katahira, Melanie Kawano-Chiu, Marissa Jackson, Jasmine McGinnis Johnson, Megan Murphy Wolf, Karla Nicholson, Terry Odendahl, Tracy Rone, William Schambra, Colton Strawser, David Suarez, Bart Westdijk
About the Author
Cynthia Gibson is a consultant and adviser for leading US and international nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
Chris Cardona programmed the philanthropy portfolio and served on the BUILD team at the Ford Foundation from 2015 to 2023.
Jasmine McGinnis Johnson is an associate professor of public policy and public administration in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University.
David Suárez is an associate professor at the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, University of Washington.
