Tag: GrantCraft

April 2018

How community philanthropy shifts power

While slogans like “think globally, act locally” have been around for decades, so much decision making about philanthropy and development aid still happens by stakeholders outside of communities. GrantCraft, a service of Foundation Center, released a new Leadership Series paper on how funders around the globe are challenging this norm by sharing and shifting power into the hands of local leadership. How Community Philanthropy Shifts Power: What Donors Can Do to Help Make That Happen by Jenny Hodgson and Anna Pond explores examples, advice, and the driving questions for donors interested in producing people-owned changes, without losing sight of their institutional interests.

Can Physically Distant Funders Catalyze Local Leadership? (They Can!)

Posted on by Atallah Kuttab

By Sarah Bahn and Atallah Kuttab     Mission drives foundation work, and it can often point towards grassroots efforts. We know that local leadership is key to these efforts, but it can be challenging to navigate alignment of foundation practices with the execution of a local agenda from a distance. Fikra, a Brussels-based foundation created…

The Power of an Effective Exit: Ford Foundation’s Exit from the Philippines

Posted on by Suzanne Siskel

By Sarah Bahn and Suzanne Siskel      When I was working for the Ford Foundation as a representative in the Philippines in the late 1990s, the foundation expanded its programming, giving us the opportunity to work on addressing the failing public education system. After just three years, Ford was supporting 27 local education reform…

Youth Revitalize Forgotten Philanthropic Practice in Palestine

Posted on by Hania Aswad

By Sarah Bahn and Hania Aswad     ‘Al Ouneh’ is a type of informal, collective philanthropy led by community members to help individuals or the well-being of the entire community. The concept has been practiced in the Middle East and North Africa for generations. Al Ouneh can be used in a number of ways,…

Seeking Justice through Grassroots Leadership in Brazil

Posted on by Ana Valeria Araujo

By Sarah Bahn and Ana Valeria Araujo     In May 2006, prison gang violence and police retaliation unleashed a wave of killings in São Paulo, Brazil. The victims were mostly poor, young people of African or indigenous descent. Most were not involved in organized crime, and their mothers were unable to find out what…

When the Wall Turned Bright Pink

Posted on by Avila Kilmurray

By Sarah Bahn and Avila Kilmurray     It is not every day that the iconic ‘Free Derry Corner’ landmark turns bright pink. But this is what happened as a result of a small £3,000 grant awarded by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI) to the Rainbow Project, which works in Derry/Londonderry in Northern…

Cross-Sector Mobilization for Social Change

Posted on by Lisa Jordon

By Sarah Bahn and Lisa Jordon     The Bernard van Leer Foundation has a solid reputation in the area of early childhood education. It is known for financing early education models, publishing articles, and supporting research on early childhood development. It has been a respected figure in this field for over 60 years, operating…