Trust-Based Philanthropy Virtual Summer Learning Series: The Purpose, Culture, & Values of Trust-Based Philanthropy

Tuesday, June 8, 2021, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, in partnership with Philanthropy Missouri, Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania, and New Mexico Association of Grantmakers, Philanthropy Colorado, and Connecticut Council on Philanthropy are pleased to announce a three-part virtual series on the values and practices of what it means to be a trust-based grantmaker.

As the challenges of the past year have illuminated, effective philanthropy relies on partnership, dialogue, and transparency with nonprofits and communities. It also requires grantmakers to reexamine traditional practices in service of a healthier and more equitable nonprofit sector. 

But what does it take to embody this spirit of partnership in our work? What is the process of building trust and mutual accountability? What is the internal work required in order to be sure that we are building relationships centered on equity and power-awareness?

While the journey of trust-based philanthropy can be at times uncomfortable, for many trust-based grantmakers, this journey IS our work. Why? Because in addition to offering more space and flexibility for nonprofits to focus their time and resources where they are most needed, it also helps funders learn more deeply about the efforts that we support. 

Join us for a summer learning series where we’ll unpack these benefits, dive deep into the six principles of trust-based philanthropy, and illuminate next steps in your trust-based philanthropy journey.

Each session will include 60 minutes of presentations and discussion, followed by 30-minute small group breakouts where you’ll get to discuss and determine next steps on your own trust-based journey.

Session #1: The Purpose, Culture, & Values of Trust-Based Philanthropy

Trust-based philanthropy is much more than unrestricted grants and streamlined paperwork. At its core, this approach is fundamentally about recognizing and addressing power imbalances in service of a healthier, more equitable, and more impactful nonprofit sector. This requires a commitment to relationships based on transparency and mutual learning -- both internally within our organizations and externally with our grantee partners. For many funders, this culture-building is the work of trust-based philanthropy.

In this session, we’ll explore why trust-based philanthropy is trending, the fundamental values that undergird this approach, and the roles of staff and board in cultivating the culture of trust that is required in order to make this work successful. We will also preview the six grantmaking principles of trust-based philanthropy and how they go hand in hand with reimagining our roles as learning partners rather than compliance officers.

Presenters:

Dimple Abichandani, Executive Director, General Service Foundation

Dimple Abichandani joined General Service Foundation in late August 2015 as the Executive Director, bringing two decades of experience advancing social justice as a funder, advocate and educator. She was previously the ED of the Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at UC Berkeley School of Law, and the founding program officer for the Security & Rights Collaborative at the Proteus Fund.  Earlier in her career she was a legal services attorney and represented low-wage workers and low-income immigrants. Dimple earned a JD at Northeastern University School of Law, and a BA in English with Honors at the University of Texas at Austin. Outside of work, she finds joy in time spent with family & friends, gardening, and yoga.
 

 

 

John Brothers, President, T. Rowe Price Foundation

John Brothers is the current president of the T. Rowe Price Foundation as well as the president of the T. Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving. Before coming to T. Rowe Price, he founded Quidoo, an international consulting firm he led for more than a decade.
 John previously served as a management and social policy professor for more than a decade at New York University and Rutgers University. He also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University and is currently serving as an International Advisor to CO3, an organization serving Northern Ireland and working with the China Global Philanthropy Institute. He holds an M.P.A. in nonprofit management from New York University, an M.B.A. from American Public University, and a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University.
 

 

Pia Infante, Co-Executive Director, The Whitman Institute

Pia Infante is a Trustee and Co-Executive Director of The Whitman Institute. Philippine-born, California-grown, and queer, oldest daughter in an immigrant family, Pia navigates difference to broker connection. Pia brings her chops as a former high school teacher, organizational development consultant, and nonprofit manager to her work. Pia is a nationally recognized advocate for trust-based philanthropy and radically embodied leadership. She chairs the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project steering committee and serves on the board of MediaJustice.org. Pia is visiting faculty at the University of Vermont's Rubenstein School of Environment, and speaks and teaches in many settings. She holds a M.A. in Education from the New School for Social Research, and a B.A. in Rhetoric from The University of California at Berkeley. 
 

 

Register here