Giving Compass' Take:

• Philanthropists and foundations have an opportunity to support social mobilization and activism and employ flexible funding in the wake of COVID-19.  

• What else can individual donors do besides provide emergency support and capital?

• Read more suggestions and recommendations on how to offer support during COVID-19.


Social movements and community organizing mechanisms are more important than ever at this time. Where social and health systems crumble, mutual aid societies are being established and are in the position to quickly react.

In some places, activists are mobilizing their networks and communities to assure that the opportunities arising from this historic moment do not go unused and that earlier demands (e.g. universal basic income) and practices (community supported agriculture) be translated to fit the current situation (pandemic emergency basic income, massive expansion of local supply chains). In other spaces, local organizing systems are coming together to explore how to support vulnerable populations; reaching out to those without the resources and safety nets to take the precautions that we, who are privileged, can take and playing crucial solidarity roles at a time where fear is the predominant factor.

There is a huge opportunity for foundations and wealth owners to be catalysts who help bring about a future in which we make use of these windows to tackle some of the social and environmental challenges that until a couple of weeks ago seemed so impossible to tackle at a systemic level.

This is a call to foundations to make use of their privileged position that is largely unaffected by the current downturn: forget about your long-term strategy, be in the present, look around and spend your capital stock to support the range of civic action taking place where you are. Be flexible with your existing grantee partners whose activities will be severely affected but who need you the most right now.

Read the full article about social movements and foundation support by Romy Krämer, Graciela Hopstein and Halima Mahomed at Alliance Magazine.