Models for individuals and organizations to give together are on the rise: this is the consensus from all of those who are researching or promoting the idea of collective and collaborative giving. This approach can offer a number of advantages, especially in a climate where donors and funders are searching for ways both to give more effectively and to involve themselves more actively with recipients. What is not always said, however, is that, while it’s increasing, it is far from new and far from reaching a peak. Moreover, it is potentially changing ideas of what philanthropy is and who can practise it.

Across cultures and since time immemorial, people have pooled resources, shared decision-making, and acted collectively to support one another, often on the basis of community and kinship groups. These of course pre-date state and institutional intervention and work in ways that are distinct from the individualistic frame most of philanthropy operates within today. Contemporary collaborative and collective giving groups build on these deep-rooted practices, even if, and as, they take on new forms. As one contributor to the In Abundance report featured in this article put it, collective and collaborative giving provides ‘an opportunity to honor the historical, cultural aspects of collective giving that allows the communities to actually function and to amplify that. …’

A Bird's Eye View of the Field

Variety is one of the most striking features of the field of collective and collaborative giving. It spans a wide range of models and scales, all with the focus of multiple donors giving together. At one end are everyday donors coming together through informal giving circles, mutual aid efforts, or community-based groups. At the other are ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutional philanthropies pooling resources through highly structured philanthropic collaboratives. Across identities and affinities there are women’s or feminist funds, Indigenous-led funds, place-based collectives, activist funds, territorial funds, and many more. Taken together, these efforts reflect a common orientation toward collective action and shared purpose.

‘Despite large differences in scale, collective and collaborative giving is fundamentally about people working together toward a shared dream for the world,’ says Isis Krause, Chief Strategy Officer at Philanthropy Together. ‘Giving together requires deep trust, clarity of decision-making, accountability to communities and leaders, and a willingness to navigate differences in pursuit of impact. Those dynamics are consistent whether the money comes together from everyday donors, institutions, or ultra-high-net-wealth individuals.’

Read the full article about collective and collaborative giving by Andrew Milner at Allliance Magazine.