Author Archive:
Diana Samarasan
Participatory grantmaking: Common parlance, but not yet common practice
Though the principles and practice of participatory grantmaking have made headway recently, the notion that funders know best is still prevalent While many assume the participation of communities affected by funding in philanthropy is a …
The role of philanthropy?
The Innovations in International Philanthropy Symposium – held in the beautiful, if somewhat exclusive American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) – provided me room for reflection on changes underway in philanthropy. My own journey …
A self-assessment tool for foundations on participatory practices
With the fragile state of democracy, growing inequality, social movements calling for action, and demands to address systemic injustices, philanthropic institutions are increasingly exploring participatory grantmaking. It seems that the concept of participation – involving …
Participatory grantmaking: can we afford not to do it?
Participatory grantmaking is a promising way to practise a more just and equitable approach to philanthropy, though implementing it requires considerable readjustment of both attitudes and ways of working. In this article, we – practitioners …
