Community-Driven Philanthropy: Giving Away Assets, Not Grants | Nonprofit Quarterly, November 7, 2022

"...The wealth that underwrites philanthropy was extracted from laborers, land, and communities. It is time to return this wealth and its stewardship to its rightful owners. Reallocating assets, which would cede not just money but agency to these communities, would foster a system that is much more responsive to and respectful of those communities’ needs. This process demands a paradigm shift in philanthropy. Philanthropic leaders and donors must let go of their power. Philanthropists must not simply make investments, but return them, allowing for trust to be built in frontline communities, with no strings attached. Philanthropic funding is not a gift; it is a mode of returning resources to the communities from which they were stolen. Funders must trust and invest in BIPOC and working-class communities, their leaders and visions, and the solutions those communities proffer. This means trusting communities to experiment—and to sometimes fail. Existing models of philanthropy too often view failure as a waste, rather than part of a necessary learning process. Through experiments—not all of which prove successful—communities achieve critical insights and lay the foundations for lasting change...."