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The CEP blog aims to offer a range of perspectives, experiences, and opinions related to effective philanthropic practice. We welcome submissions that address crucial issues facing individual and institutional donors and are not self-promotional in nature. The views expressed in these posts are not necessarily CEP’s own.
This is the second in a series of occasional chats among some of CEP’s staff we’ll be posting on the blog, in which they discuss the current context for philanthropy and nonprofits. In this conversation, CEP President Phil Buchanan talks with CEP Vice President of...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
The rapid dismantling of U.S. foreign assistance has thrown the social and civic sectors into upheaval worldwide. Media reports understandably focus on the human costs of shuttering global health programs, humanitarian assistance, and other lifesaving aid, where the...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
This is the first in a series of occasional chats among some of CEP’s staff we’ll be posting on the blog, in which they discuss the current context for philanthropy and nonprofits. In this conversation, CEP’s Vice President of Assessment and Advisory Services...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
In times of political turbulence, the impulse to focus solely on immediate challenges is understandable. Yet history reminds us that democracy has always been a long-term project — one that requires sustained investment, strategic patience, and unwavering vision....
An education nonprofit uses artificial intelligence (AI) to support k-12 students individually to become stronger writers. A metropolitan county deploys AI to forecast which individuals accessing services are at risk of experiencing chronic homelessness and provides...
Four years ago, the Sewall Foundation decided to tackle an incongruence in our practice of trust-based philanthropy: how to make multiyear grants within a structure of single-year grants budgets. The deep belief that structures manifest and reinforce our culture and...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
In uncertain times, strong relationships matter more than ever. We’d argue that it’s nearly impossible to build genuinely strong relationships with grantees if you’re not asking them about their challenges and current needs. That’s why, in recent rounds of CEP’s...
Individualism. Competition. Risk aversion. Short-termism. Scarcity. Presumed expertise. Many of the norms by which philanthropy operates perpetuate the very narratives our sector seeks to change. In this series on the CEP blog, contributors who represent a...
In a context where authoritarianism is rising globally, even in countries some believed were out of reach, funders who seek to protect democracy and human rights often express that we’ve been outmaneuvered by well-resourced opponents that use powerful narratives to...
Despite proven effectiveness, Indigenous Peoples organizations remain underfunded compared to mainstream philanthropic initiatives. Structural barriers and lack of trust within the funding landscape — such as rigid grant requirements, short-term project-based funding,...
As we collectively navigate a new political reality that has devalued and divested from equity, justice, and inclusion, funders must interrogate how we think about movement impact and progress. Community wisdom fuels our ability to make lasting change: if it’s...
In the last few years, our country has experienced turbulent times that have left indelible marks on our collective psyche. We witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that gripped the world with uncertainty and fear. Shortly thereafter, the murder of George Floyd...
It’s clear that nonprofits are looking for more support from their foundation funders, in both words and deeds, as they grapple with a Trump administration that seems hell-bent on going after nonprofits — and civil society more broadly. We have documented some...
Have you seen that pizza video — you know, the one produced by the Human Services Council of NY that shows how hard funders can make it for nonprofits to get funded in ways that align with their work? In the comedic short video, the “funder” wants to buy a bunch...