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A Different Kind of Film Festival in Amsterdam
A Different Kind of Film Festival in AmsterdamThis summer, sex workers came together to celebrate cinema – and challenge the traditional film festival modelChloe Marshall
The Rise of Participatory ESOs
The Rise of Participatory Incubators and AcceleratorsAn introduction to the entrepreneur support organizations driving inclusive innovationJessica Newfield and Kevin McClendon
Philanthropy on the Blockchain
Philanthropy on the BlockchainGrapevine’s founder on how DAOs and giving circles intersectEmily Rasmussen
What’s Next for DAF Reform?
What’s Next for DAF Reform?Advocates are exploring paths to reform through Congress, Treasury and the state levelKaila Philo
Can a New Survey of Fiscal Sponsors Drive a Conversation on Commoning?
A New Vision of Fiscal SponsorshipThaddeus Squire wants to push the field in new, equitable directionsBen Wrobel
Report Roundup: December 2023
Report Roundup: December 2023We read several recent reports about grassroots grantmaking... so you don’t have toProximate
5 Minutes with… Ledys Sanjuan Mejía
Fenomenal Funds' Non Competitive Grant SystemWho funds the funders? Fenomenal Funds used PGM to resource women’s funds during the pandemicProximate
A participação pode ajudar a reavivar a confiança na democracia brasileira?
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 democraciaMarcela Martins
How We Did It: Building the PGM Community of Practice
How We Did It: Building the PGM Community of PracticeA reflection on the growth of the 1,500-person participatory grantmaking communityHannah Paterson
What Tool Should I Use to Survey My Community?
What Tool Should I Use to Survey My Community?A new "Consumer Reports" for digital participation platforms, from People PoweredKevin McClendon
The Ukrainian Activists Taking on Big Philanthropy
The Ukrainian Activists Taking on Big PhilanthropyLess than 20% of humanitarian aid to Ukraine goes directly to grassroots NGOs. A coalition of Ukrainian activists is trying to change thatBen Wrobel
Tamira Benitez Wants to Help DC's Grassroots Leaders Heal
Tamira Benitez Wants to Help DC’s Grassroots Leaders HealTwo years into her tenure, the head of Diverse City Fund is leaning into healing support for on-the-ground organizersBen Wrobel
Editorial: Ground Game
Editorial: Ground GameMoving money to unfamiliar places is hard. That’s why philanthropy leaders are innovating by shifting power to the grassrootsProximate
Research Roundup: Grassroots Grantmaking
Research Roundup: Grassroots GrantmakingWe read six reports about grassroots grantmaking, and pulled out the highlightsProximate
The Citizen Leaders Shaping Climate Policy
The Citizen Leaders Shaping Climate PolicyThe Climate Democracy Accelerator is helping groups around the world build participatory climate projectsMeg Massey
New Report Advocates For Participatory Banking
Is this participatory banking's moment?A new report makes the case for community power in bankingProximate
What Happens When Creators Invest in Creators?
Creators Investing In CreatorsAs writers and actors continue to strike, the Midnight Oil Collective is testing a collaborative approach to funding the creative economyBen Wrobel
Can Participatory Budgeting Revive Trust in Brazil's Democracy?
Can Participatory Budgeting Revive Trust in Brazil's Democracy?Months after the attack on the National Congress, President Lula is betting on a new digital platform to give citizens a voice in their democracyMarcela Martins
A New Map of Participatory Grantmaking in the UK
Mapping Participatory Grantmaking in the UKParticipatory grantmaking is growing in the UK - how far along is it?Proximate
In Conversation: Allie Burns on Peer-Selected Investment
In Conversation: Allie Burns on Peer-Selected InvestmentA Q&A with Village Capital’s CEO on the occasion of their 150th cohort of peer-selected investmentBen Wrobel
What We Learned From Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's PGM Report
What We Learned From Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's PGM reportThe foundation released a report reflecting on their experiment with participatory grantmakingProximate
Growing #ShiftThePower in Kenya will Drive Durable Development
Growing #ShiftThePower in Kenya will drive more durable developmentA movement is growing in Kenya to shift power to communitiesWanjiru Kanyiha and Elizaphan Ogechi
A Novel Way to Predict the Weather in Malawi
A Novel Way to Predict the Weather in MalawiCan Malawi's participatory weather forecasting project change the game in a changing climate?Rabson Kondowe
Food as Medicine? A Vermont Foodbank Tries Culturally-Relevant Food
A Vermont Foodbank Tries Culturally-Relevant FoodVermont's largest food bank is responding to the state's growing diversity by offering culturally-relevant foodBen Wrobel
A Toolkit for Participatory Investing
A New Toolkit for Participatory InvestingA new playbook from Common Future helps foundations drive participation in investingMeg Massey
Participatory Grantmaking Changed My Mind About Sex Work
Participatory Grantmaking Changed My Mind About Sex WorkA personal essay about the power of connection – and the possibility of growthAnonymous
The Kamaʻāina Creatives Tackling Climate Change
The Kamaʻāina Creatives Tackling Climate ChangeA new, experimental venture studio designed to invest in Hawai‘i creative talentMeg Massey
Can Citizen Science Drive the Sustainable Development Goals?
Can Citizen Science Drive the Sustainable Development Goals?A new collection of articles demonstrates the potential of citizen science to measure and drive the SDGsProximate
Putting Patients at the Heart of Medical Research
Putting Patients at the Heart of Medical ResearchA model for patient-centered careJess Rimington and Joanna L. Cea
Field Note: Follow the money: participatory democracy in Ukraine?
Follow the money: participatory democracy in Ukraine?Two Ukrainian communities – Zvyahel and Slavutych – will hold their first citizens’ assemblies in October and November. Proximate
Our Vision for Proximate Brasil
Our Vision for Proximate BrasilAn exploration of participatory problem-solving in Brazil, by BraziliansJoana Ribeiro Mortari

Proximate is an independent media platform covering movements for participatory problem-solving. We look at the news through the lens of money: how it’s given away, how it’s invested, and how it’s distributed by government.
We are a fiscally sponsored project of Movement Strategy Center.

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