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At Proximate, we write about innovative, systems-level models that shift power to people with lived experience.

The Future of The Localisation Agenda

Are we progressing or digressing? A new column by Vincent Mwangi

Vincent Mwangi

Deepening Philanthropy: What is Practice, Anyway?

​​A new column for Proximate Brasil on regenerative philanthropic practices

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Aprofundando a Filantropia: o que queremos dizer com prática?

Uma nova coluna para o Proximate Brasil sobre filantrópicas contemporâneas

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Resumo de relatórios: Doações de base no Brasil

Lemos vários relatórios sobre a mudança de poder na filantropia e selecionamos os destaques

Proximate

Report Roundup: Proximate Brasil

We read several recent reports on shifting power in philanthropy – and pulled out the highlights

Proximate

In Conversation: Instituto Elos’ Oasis Game

We spoke with Rodrigo Rubido about what makes a practice truly participatory

Em conversa: o Jogo Oasis do Instituto Elos

Falamos com Rodrigo Rubido sobre o que faz uma prática realmente participatória.

Arianne Shaffer sobre quatro anos de flow funding

O Kindle Project é líder em flow funding, incluindo sua recente grupo de mulheres indígenas

Kevin McClendon e Ben Wrobel

Encruzilhada de Legados: experimentando o Flow Funding no Brasil

Um doador e um flow funder compartilham suas visões sobre filantropia, autonomia e reparação

Caroline Amanda e Camila Haddad

Crossroads of Legacies: Experimenting with Flow Funding in Brazil

A donor and a flow funder share their views on philanthropy, autonomy and reparations

Caroline Amanda and Camila Haddad

Editor's Note

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Nota da Editora

Sobre esse assunto

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Fiscal Sponsorship: A Path to Democratize Funding in Brazil?

Some see fiscal hosting as a way to reduce barriers for small organizations and collectives – up to a point

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Representação fiscal: um caminho para a democratização dos fundos no Brasil?

Alguns enxergam a representação fiscal como uma forma de reduzir as barreiras para pequenas organizações e coletivos - até certo ponto.

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

What is the Role of Citizen Science in Conservation of Endangered Species?

From grizzly bears to birds to bats, citizen science tools are helping scientists track and save species

Fiona Garrity

Extinction Rebellion Is Calling for Citizens Assemblies. Here's Why.

Citizens' assemblies are on the agenda for the political group

Pamela Bailey

Parenting As a Blueprint for Participatory Work

"Because I said so" is not an effective parenting strategy, and it fails as a philanthropic approach as well

Rozella Kennedy

Reporting is Broken. It’s Time To Do a Hard Thing and Fix It.

Oral reporting and other innovations can be better, fairer and easier on grantees

Rachel Kimber

How I Lost My Respect Doing Community-Led Work

Jonathan Kifunda on the challenges of returning to his community from an international NGO

Jonathan Kifunda

Navigating Climate Week: A Guide to Events On Locally-Led Development

Here's where you can find conversations on localizing climate solutions, from philanthropy to the grassroots

Ben Wrobel

Should Community Foundation DAFs Be Regulated Differently?

Gerry Roll offers an alternative to the either-or dynamic around DAF reform – arguing that not all DAF sponsors are created equal

Grace Chai

Not Waiting Around: The Foundations Transforming DAFs from Within

As foundations wait on federal DAF legislation, some are taking matters into their own hands and taking back control from donors

Kaila Philo

Patriotism is Participation

The constant battle between individual versus collective leadership and decision-making

Diana Samarasan and Catherine Hyde Townsend

Democracy Starts With How You Live

Integrity starts with how we live our lives; so does democracy

Pam Bailey

We Need a ‘Just Transition’ from One Democracy to Many

We need to move to a healthy ecosystem of diverse democracies

Josh Lerner

Zimbabwe NGO Helps the People Take Charge of Climate Resilience

Zimbabwe’s climate strategy isn't responsive to rural communities; Green Institute engaged citizens to change that.

Proximate

Seeing People as Citizens, not Consumers

Jon Alexander on how “circular power politics” could help politicians buy in to citizen participation

Proximate

We Can Do Public Meetings Better

Disastrous town hall meetings are becoming a familiar part of the American fabric. It doesn’t have to be that way

Susan Charland

Borderless Giving: Could Fiscal Hosts Get More Money Moving to the Global South?

Fiscal sponsorship is increasingly seen as one solution to the challenges of localization

Anna Patton

How One Central Uganda Community Spends Farming Profits Collectively

Farmers in Kasasa are experimenting with a democratic model to invest profits from the sale of maize

Solutions Now Africa

What Would It Look Like to Direct $6 Billion to Feminist Movements by 2026?

Swatee Deepak on her recent report and the future of feminist philanthropy

Analiese Deosaran

Why We're Launching This Newsroom

A new space to explore participatory problem-solving approaches across East Africa

Vincent Mwangi

Kenya’s Community Foundation Is Challenging the Dependency Mindset

A community-led approach to development

Vincent Mwangi

Beyond Feel-Good: Funding Faceless Impact

We need to invest time, resources, and knowledge in local leaders and communities to support them

Margot Hinchey

Unlocking Abundance: A Conversation about DAF Reform in the Pacific Northwest

Magic Cabinet and Proximate gathered philanthropy leaders in June to discuss paths to reform for donor-advised funds

Proximate

Behind the Donor Revolt for Charity Reform

Bella DeVaan of the Charity Reform Initiative on the latest movement for DAF reform

Meg Massey

The Power and Responsibility of Grants Managers

Grants managers can harness positional power to drive meaningful change in the landscape of philanthropy

Rachel Kimber

Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South

The debate around a recent SSIR cover story misses the global perspective

Isabelle Clérié

How Canada’s Foundation for Black Communities is Using PGM

The funder is investing $9 million to set an example for Canada’s philanthropic sector

Sherlyn Assam

Introducing… Beyond Elections

What if democracy could be so much more than what we think it is?

Pam Bailey

When Will the United States Start Taking Citizens’ Assemblies Seriously?

Citizens’ assemblies are increasingly popular in Europe and Canada. But not in the United States. How come?

Pam Bailey

In Conflict Zones, Could Democracy Work Without Elections?

Iain Walker offers on the role of participatory democracy in areas without a working government – and why attempts to solve conflicts often fail

Proximate

Introducing: Equity Overhaul by Rachel Kimber

A new column by Rachel Kimber on the journey to shape equity in grants management

Rachel Kimber

The Beautiful Curse: Who Owns Impact?

Donors bring an investment mindset to development. That needs to change

Isabelle Clérié

The Dalan Fund Has A Vision for Philanthropy in the Shadow of Russia

The Dalan Fund has a new vision for locally-led grantmaking in Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central and North Asia

Ben Wrobel

Let’s Integrate Participatory Budgeting and Citizens’ Assemblies

The two most important democratic innovations of the last 30 years have developed in parallel but not in unison

Nick Vlahos

Humanqind's Vision: Children Co-Designing Safer Streets

Ruchi Varma has a vision for designing safer school zones that involves asking children as young as nine what they should look like

Proximate

What the UN's Loss & Damage Fund Can Learn from Scotland’s Prototype

Our series Loss & Damage explores what it would look like to localize climate funding

Jessica Newfield

Depois da ruptura da barragem, Fundo Brumadinho está repensando a filantropia

Um fundo liderado pela comunidade tem um modelo baseado em confiança único para doações que pode ser um exemplo para o Rio Grande do Sul

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Baixada Institute’s Model of Localized Philanthropy

We spoke with the founder of Baixada Institute about the need to hold honest conversations between donors and communities

Ben Wrobel

O campo filantrópico precisa confiar nos verdadeiros especialistas

A reação à filantropia baseada na confiança veio à tona. É hora de os líderes doadores de base comunitária responderem.

Cynthia M. Gibson, Lisa Pilar Cowan, Jocelynne Rainey & Joana Ribeiro Mortari

The Canoes of Community Philanthropy in Brazil

Canoes working together are better than boats with just one captain; so too with philanthropy

Diane Pereira Sousa

From self-assessment tools to resources on how to do the inner work, there's a lot of help out there

What I Learned from Reading 175 Participatory Grantmaking Resources

Kelley Buhles

The Rise of Community Philanthropy in Brazil

An interview about community philanthropy with the leaders of Rede Comuá

Tarisai Jangara

The Revolutionary Art of the Sex Worker’s Opera

The opera grew from a community arts project into an international sellout show - and resisted opportunities to sell out along the way

Chloe Marshall

Village Capital’s Model for Peer Due Diligence

Deepak Menon on using a unique model to support social enterprises in India, from civic tech to climate innovation

Kevin McClendon

Investindo em pessoas que transformam realidades

Canoas trabalhando juntas são melhores do que um barco com apenas um capitão; assim também é a filantropia

Diane Pereira Sousa

Nossa visão para a Proximate Brasil

Uma investigação sobre a abordagem participativa ao buscar soluções para desafios do Brasil, por brasileiros

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

The Story of the Half-Built Road

Three lessons from a human-based approach to development

Isabelle Clérié

After the Dam Broke, Fundo Brumadinho Is Rethinking Philanthropy

A community-led fund has a unique, trust-based model for distributing grants can be an example for Rio Grande do Sul

Joana Ribeiro Mortari

Marlene Engelhorn is paying 50 strangers to give away her fortune

Guter Rat is an experiment that merges participatory grantmaking and citizens assemblies

Proximate

Five Memorable Films by Sex Workers

Grab some popcorn and check out these films that screened at Whorehouse Cinema and the Red Umbrella Film Festival

Chloe Marshall

Musical Theatre as Artistic Activism

An excerpt from Dr. Imogen Flower's academic study of the Sex Worker's Opera

Imogen Flower

What Does It Take for Government to Reform Philanthropy? Yonis Hassan Found Out

Justice Fund Toronto pushed a law that's forcing Canadian millionaires to give away more of their money

Kevin McClendon

The Young Donors Driving Participatory Philanthropy

With $68 trillion on the line, young donors at Resource Generation and elsewhere are pushing grassroots models

Abigail Higgins and Ben Wrobel

The Youth Climate Justice Fund Is Building Power for Young Leaders in the Global South

Forty grantees have been chosen through a unique participatory process

Ben Wrobel

Justice Funds is Bridging the Information Gap for Global South Activists

Paz Romero and Julia Chacur on the importance of sharing global grant opportunities

Proximate

Beyond Letting Go: Recentering Grassroots Leaders

This double issue takes two approaches to the question of how to shift power to the grassroots

Ben Wrobel and Meg Massey

Philanthropy Needs to Trust the Real Experts — The People It Supports

Backlash to trust-based philanthropy has come out into the open; it's time for grassroots grantmaking leaders to respond

Cynthia M. Gibson, Lisa Pilar Cowan & Jocelynne Rainey

Is This Community Philanthropy’s Moment?

The second Shift The Power Summit gave voice to the community philanthropy movement. Will donors listen?

Ledys Sanjuan Mejía

What's Next for the Decolonizing Wealth Project?

We spoke with Amber Banks about DWP's participatory model and their work in the Global South

Proximate

Introducing: Repairing Development by Isabelle Clérié

A new column for Proximate on community philanthropy and asset-based community development

Isabelle Clérié

Four PIeces of Advice for Participatory Grantmakers In Aotearoa New Zealand

Be prepared to bend your own rules – and be prepared for transformation

Lani Evans and Christina Howard

Perspective: How The Seventh Wave Curates Our Calls For Submissions

The Seattle literary magazine uses a participatory process to set editorial strategy

Joyce Chen and Bretty Rawson

How Puerto Ricans are Collectively Designing their Just Recovery

A women-led participatory design agency is helping redesign community water systems, urban gardens and parks

Carlos Berríos Polanco

Community Land Banks: An Alternative to Displacement in Puerto Rico?

A new approach seeks to combat the growing lack of affordable housing across the archipelago

Carlos Berríos Polanco

Cómo los puertorriqueños diseñan su recuperación justa colectivamente

Una organización de diseño participativo liderada por mujeres ayuda a comunidades a diseñar infraestructura de agua, huertos urbanos y parques.

Carlos Berríos Polanco

Is a £100 million participatory fund the solution to UK's journalism’s crisis?

A more democratic media will require alternative funding models – and more

Kelly Bewers

BIPOC Media Leaders Welcome Press Forward – With Caution

Publishers ask: how does equity fit into the goal of "saving the news"?

Sherrell Dorsey

Bancos de tierras comunitarias: ¿una alternativa al desplazamiento?

Estrategias emergentes buscan combatir la creciente escasez de viviendas asequibles en el archipiélago.

Carlos Berríos Polanco

BuildPalestine Is Betting on Social Innovation as a Tool for Liberation

The Palestinian social entrepreneur hub was deplatformed – but has doubled down on its commitment to community investment

Proximate

Excerpt: Our Brave Foremothers in Community-Driven Journalism

A look at three women in American history who paved the way for people-powered media

Rozella Kennedy

A Year of Movement

A guide on how to read this issue

Proximate

Soheir Asaad on Philanthropy, Palestine, and the Danger of Fragile Solidarity

Rawa Fund is holding donors accountable for cutting funds to the grassroots

Ben Wrobel

Democratizing the Energy Transition

One by one, cooperatives and crowdfunding projects are taking back control of our energy system.

Anna Gorman

A New Tool To Push Foundations Beyond Participatory Grantmaking

Katy Love and Diana Samarasan on the launch of a new self-assessment tool

Proximate

Four Years of Flow Funding at Kindle Project

Arianne Shaffer reflects on learnings from the Indigenous Women's Flow Fund

Kevin McClendon

Are Donor Collaboratives Better for the Grassroots?

Forty percent of collaboratives use participatory grantmaking. But are all collaboratives more inclusive?

Ledys Sanjuan Mejía

A Different Kind of Film Festival in Amsterdam

This summer, sex workers came together to celebrate cinema – and challenge the traditional film festival model

Chloe Marshall

The Rise of Participatory Incubators and Accelerators

An introduction to the entrepreneur support organizations driving inclusive innovation

Jessica Newfield and Kevin McClendon

Philanthropy on the Blockchain

Grapevine’s founder on how DAOs and giving circles intersect

Emily Rasmussen

What’s Next for DAF Reform?

Advocates are exploring paths to reform through Congress, Treasury and the state level

Kaila Philo

A New Vision of Fiscal Sponsorship

Thaddeus Squire wants to push the field in new, equitable directions

Ben Wrobel

Report Roundup: December 2023

We read several recent reports about grassroots grantmaking... so you don’t have to

Proximate

Fenomenal Funds' Non Competitive Grant System

Who funds the funders? Fenomenal Funds used PGM to resource women’s funds during the pandemic

Proximate

A participação pode ajudar a reavivar a confiança na democracia brasileira?

Meses após o ataque ao Congresso Nacional, o Presidente Lula está apostando em uma nova plataforma para dar voz aos cidadãos em sua democracia

Marcela Martins

How We Did It: Building the PGM Community of Practice

A reflection on the growth of the 1,500-person participatory grantmaking community

Hannah Paterson

What Tool Should I Use to Survey My Community?

A new "Consumer Reports" for digital participation platforms, from People Powered

Kevin McClendon

The Ukrainian Activists Taking on Big Philanthropy

Less than 20% of humanitarian aid to Ukraine goes directly to grassroots NGOs. A coalition of Ukrainian activists is trying to change that

Ben Wrobel

Editorial: Ground Game

Moving money to unfamiliar places is hard. That’s why philanthropy leaders are innovating by shifting power to the grassroots

Proximate
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