conversation

Philathropy and Civic Engagement

By May 30, 2017

By Kristen Campbell, Executive Director of Philanthropy for Civic Engagement (reposted from the Center for Effective Philanthropy blog) It doesn’t take a meteorologist to reveal the shifting winds in America. CEP’s aptly-titled report illustrates the sentiments many foundation leaders have felt as we make sense of the swiftly changing context in which we work. Its findings…

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4 Lessons in Rapid Response Grantmaking

By May 4, 2017

In December of 2016, TWI allocated $250,000 in rapid response funds to protect and build power within communities most vulnerable to the rollback of civil and human rights promised by the then new administration.   Rather than create a new system, we leaned into our trust based grantmaking process to expend the $250,000 by the…

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In the Direction of Courage

By November 10, 2016

Eyes Wide Shudder It is with an anguished heart and clear eyes that I write this. The difference in our historical context between Tuesday morning and today is stark and sobering. The real cost of this election outcome will fall disproportionately on the undocumented immigrants, muslims, blacks, women, queer, and poor people scapegoated in this campaign…

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voice of witness cliff mayotte

What Happens When Philanthropy and Empathy Meet?

By September 30, 2016

Most grants and reports happen on paper. Here at the Whitman Institute (TWI), we like to do things a little differently. Recently, we invited current and potential supporters for one of our core grantees, Voice of Witness (VOW), for lunch at the office. Our relationship with VOW had come full-circle: Six years earlier, TWI Co-Executive…

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who's at the center of your philanthropic mission

Putting Grantees at the Center of Philanthropy

By August 25, 2016

Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) has produced a series on grantee inclusion, in partnership with Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR). We’re excited about sharing this ongoing conversation because we believe in placing our grantees at the center of our work at the Whitman Institute. These articles represent a deep dive into how we can increase our impact…

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