Field Note

Resumo de Relatórios: Proximate 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

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Grassroots Grantmaking

A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking

Twelve research papers shine a light on participatory models and approaches

Ben Wrobel

State of Rebuilding

Who’s Defining Participation?

Maybe we need to focus on the social and political context in which the idea and practice of participation emerges.

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State of Rebuilding

The Ultimate in Participatory Democracy is People Governing Themselves

The concept of people governing themselves is beginning to take root in an exciting way in Myanmar

Proximate

State of Rebuilding

Let's all work together: A New Ecosystem Map

I’m intrigued by the National Civic League’s effort to map the entities working to create a healthier democracy across my large and sprawling country.

Proximate

State of Rebuilding

Follow the money: participatory democracy in Ukraine?

Two Ukrainian communities – Zvyahel and Slavutych – will hold their first citizens’ assemblies in October and November.

Proximate

State of Rebuilding

Beware of ‘Participation-Washing’

An ever-present danger of deliberative democracy is that a government may host a citizens’ assembly or jury, and then ignore its recommendations.

Proximate

State of Rebuilding

Citizen Participation Does Build Trust in Government

So why don’t most European laws that address climate change integrate public participation?

Proximate

State of Rebuilding

Citizens’ Sssemblies Picking up Steam in UK

Richard Wilson, of Iswe Foundation, predicts in The Guardian that in its first 100 days, the Labour government will announce a citizens’ assembly.

Proximate

Participatory Investing: Nuts & Bolts

5 Questions with Real People's Fund

We spoke with Jessie Nguyen, from the REAL People’s Fund, on why solidarity between entrepreneurs and local organizers is necessary for democratizing capital.

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

A New Book on Participatory Grantmaking

There’s a new book called Participatory Grantmaking in Philanthropy coming out in 2025.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

RWJF Reflects on Participatory Philanthropy

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the latest major foundation to experiment with PGM and they released a case study of their pilot phase.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

New Data on the "Economics" of Localizing Aid

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Conference Confidential: A weekend with Resource Generation

Anna Patton investigated the rise of fiscal sponsors – both in the Global North and Global South – that are making it easier to donate across borders.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Citizens Assemblies Meet Participatory Grantmaking

A group decided how to spend $27 million of Marlene Engelhorn's fortune. We spoke with one of the project's leaders, days before it all kicked off.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Time for "empowerment philanthropy"?

Our own Isabelle Clérié weighed in with her column, Want Effective Philanthropy? Look to the Global South.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

New Resources on Participatory Philanthropy

Porticus has been on a journey to explore participatory approaches in their work for a few years now. I've had a chance to peek at their internal decks.

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

A New Community of Practice

I had the pleasure to speak recently with Maya Hasan, who is building out a new, global community of practice for the #ShiftThePower movement

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Where Will the Money Come from?

The news that Wellspring Philanthropy Fund is closing its doors by 2028 came as a shock to many in the human rights space.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Melinda French Gates speaks about participation

Yes, we read that op-ed. Melinda French Gates wrote about her vision to “play offense” on womens’ and reproductive rights.

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Silencing proximate leaders on Palestine

We made a roundup of news and updates on Palestine from the field of grassroots grantmaking

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Conference Confidential: Resistance in the air in Tbilisi

I traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia for a gathering of the Human Rights Funders Network.

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State of Rebuilding

Participatory democracy isn’t just for governments

NGO People Powered demonstrates how member-based organizations can use participatory democracy to determine how to allocate its budget.

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State of Rebuilding

We need a common vocabulary for participation

What does make public participation in government decision-making meaningful? 

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State of Rebuilding

Field Note: ‘Nation states’ are no longer the engines of progress

Democracy is not in decline. The nation-state is.

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Aprofundando a Filantropia

Resumo de relatórios: Doações de base no Brasil

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

Proximate

Deepening Philanthropy

Report Roundup: Proximate Brasil

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

Proximate

Grassroots Grantmaking

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

Grassroots Grantmaking

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

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Report Roundup: December 2023

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

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Grassroots Grantmaking

Research Roundup: Grassroots Grantmaking

We read six reports about grassroots grantmaking, and pulled out the highlights

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Grassroots Grantmaking

What We Learned From Chan Zuckerberg Initiative's PGM report

The foundation released a report reflecting on their experiment with participatory grantmaking

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