Giving Compass' Take:

• The author argues that people-oriented philanthropy will lead to greater impact because it forces philanthropists to listen to the communities they would like to serve and base their grantmaking around those dialogues.

• How can we be better listeners? What tools do donors need to hear feedback? 

• Read the Giving Compass Power of Feedback Magazine and learn more about the impact of feedback in the social sector. 

Philanthropy is in an era of renewed scrutiny, with its greater focus on results. You don’t have to look far to find books and commentary taking philanthropy to task.

And, notably, virtually no one (outside of our field) is standing up in our defense. That’s because philanthropists have largely failed to demonstrate that we can allocate the dollars under our stewardship in ways that lead to clear improvements in people’s lives.

Put simply, philanthropists often fail because they fail to listen. They may listen to one another, to academics and pundits, or their guts, but they usually don’t invest in meaningful listening to the grantees they support and, importantly, the people they aim to serve.

Some will argue that “people-oriented” philanthropy is too limiting because it ignores systems change or pushes us to work on problems with easy solutions. I disagree. Many systems do need to change to reduce chronic inequity and other barriers to health and opportunity. But for each system we seek to change, there are people in that system now—people with more wisdom and answers than philanthropy has or gives people credit for.

We can do better by putting people at the center of our work. Here’s how:

  1. Determine who you seek to benefit with your philanthropy. Reach out, connect, and talk to them.
  2. Commit to specific people-focused goals for your grantmaking. Develop, measure, and adjust your grantmaking with the input of the people you seek to benefit.
  3. Share your results—the good and the bad—with the people you seek to benefit.

“People-oriented philanthropy” isn’t new. But it has faded as we convinced ourselves of the need for “strategic philanthropy.” By strategic philanthropy I mean expert-driven philanthropy that incorporates social science theory to solve societal problems, usually to change systems or policies. Listening, as a result, has suffered.

Read the full article about impact philanthropy by Don Howard at Forbes