Reimagining Institutional Philanthropy

  • May 2026
  • Academic / Journal Article
  • Publisher : Stanford Social Innovation Review
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Powell, Seldon & Sahni challenge conventional institutional philanthropy, urging funders to embrace humility, share power, and embed equity in their practices. Drawing on interviews with U.S. foundation leaders, they highlight strategies such as participatory grantmaking, providing flexible funding, and fostering honest self-reflection. These approaches are presented as crucial for building trust with grantees and catalyzing meaningful systems change, addressing the growing gap between philanthropic aspirations and actual societal impact.

Author(s) :

Alison Powell, Willa Seldon & Nidhi Sahni

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Key topics

Social Justice, Philanthropy and Human Rights

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