Philanthropy in a Crisis: Rhetoric or Real Change?

About

This virtual session is part of Stanford Social Innovation Review‘s 15th annual Nonprofit Management Institute, “COVID-19: Reshaping Social Innovation.”

In the wake of COVID-19 many foundations have pledged greater flexibility with grantees, stepped up spending levels, and directed significant new resources to racial equity. Are these the signs of a significant and lasting change in how foundations operate? Or are they temporary shifts? Are the changes being made in how foundations operate sufficiently responsive to the challenges posed by the crises facing the country and the world? What should nonprofit leaders expect from foundations and how can they best navigate fundraising challenges in the months and years ahead to ensure their organizations survive and thrive through and after the current crises?

This session–moderated by Phil Buchanan, president of the Center for Effective Philanthropy–will explore these questions and others, drawing on new data on foundation responses collected by the Center and the perspectives of Hilary Pennington, executive vice president for Programs at the Ford Foundation, and Anthony Richardson, executive director of The Nord Family Foundation.