Committing to Trust-Based Philanthropy

Trust-based philanthropy is much more than unrestricted grants and streamlined paperwork. At its core, this approach is fundamentally about recognizing and addressing power imbalances in service of a healthier, more equitable, and more impactful nonprofit sector. This requires a commitment to relationships based on transparency and mutual learning – both internally within our organizations and externally with our grantee partners.

For many funders, this equity-oriented culture-building is the work of trust-based philanthropy, but there isn’t a neat and tidy checklist of how to do it. So, what does it actually look like to embrace this approach fully, not just in our grantmaking practices, but in our values, culture, and leadership? What are the benefits of reimagining staff and board roles so that they work hand-in-hand in support of nonprofit leaders? And how can we work through barriers and roadblocks to achieve a new vision of philanthropy wherein we partner with – and learn from – nonprofit leaders to improve our overall impact and joy?

Join us in a candid conversation with Carrie Avery, President of the Durfee Foundation, Liz Dozier of Chicago Beyond, Maria del Socorro Pesqueira of Healthy Communities Foundation, and Shaady Salehi of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, as we unpack these questions together and engage in a candid discussion about ways you can support your foundation’s trust-based journey.