Trust-Based Philanthropy in 4D, Session 1: Using Trust-Based Values to Transform Your Grantmaking 

Forefront is pleased to partner with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project on a four-part webinar series on using trust-based values to guide your philanthropy’s grantmaking practices, culture, structures, and leadership.  

Sessions will take place on February 3, March 3, March 31, and May 5, 2022 from noon to 1:30pm Central Time.  Each session will include a 60-minute panel discussion featuring case stories from foundation leaders who have operationalized trust-based philanthropy within their orgs, followed by a 30-minute facilitated breakout discussion for members of partnering organizations. While we recommend attending all four sessions for an optimal experience, each individual session will be designed to stand on its own.

Who should attend: This webinar series is for anyone who works at a grantmaking organization, regardless of role and familiarity with trust-based philanthropy – however, most of the material will feel most relevant to those in senior leadership or decision-making roles. The series will offer enough introductory material for funders who are less familiar with trust-based philanthropy, while providing new material and deeper context for those who have attended past programs from the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project. 

Session #1: TBP in 4D: Using Trust-Based Values to Transform Your Grantmaking 
Thursday, February 3, 2022  
Noon-1:30PM CT 

There is a values-to-practice gap in traditional philanthropy. Many foundations do their work in the name of building community, advancing equity, and increasing opportunity – however our sector’s most common grantmaking practices rarely reflect those values. Project-restricted grants, unclear grant guidelines, lengthy paperwork requirements, and unrealistic impact measures have come to be the status quo in our sector, with little regard for the expertise of the nonprofits we support. Not only does this perpetuate a top-down power dynamic that makes it virtually impossible to build trust and transparency; it also obstructs nonprofits’ ability to innovate, grow, and achieve their intended impact. 

Trust-based philanthropy offers a different approach, applying equity-centered, power-conscious values in the way we approach all aspects of grantmaking. This translates to leading with trust rather than distrust, respecting the time and expertise of nonprofit partners, and prioritizing relationship-building and mutual learning over scrutiny and transaction.  

In this session, we will explore the core values that are fundamental to a trust-based approach, and the six grantmaking practices that help advance a healthier and more equitable nonprofit sector: 1) multiyear unrestricted funding, 2) doing the homework, 3) simplifying and streamlining paperwork, 4) being transparent and responsive, 5) soliciting and acting on feedback, and 6) offering support beyond the check. We’ll hear concrete examples from foundation leaders that have operationalized these practices, as they share the details of transformation, their learnings along the way, and their approach to bringing along staff and boards on this journey. 

Participants can expect to walk away with a clear understanding of what it means to be a values-aligned grantmaker, persuasive talking points to help engage staff and boards, and concrete steps they can take toward operationalizing trust-based grantmaking practices.