Conversations about philanthropy typically focus on financial assets. However, social impact requires multiple types of resources, which are often referred to as the five Ts: treasure, time, talent, ties, and testimony. As federal funding rollbacks and executive actions are negatively impacting nonprofits and causing a heightened state of uncertainty across the sector, many families are increasing their grantmaking budgets. And yet, their gifts cannot adequately fill funding gaps, and funders are recognizing the need to lean on other resources to complement their grantmaking and support the nonprofits that are driving positive change. One such way is to use their voice and influence (testimony) to inspire other funders to give more and to do so in trust-based ways. A funder’s testimony can be powerful: A funder can advocate for issues in ways that may be too risky for nonprofits. Transparency can build trust and create accountability. And, a funder’s testimony can demonstrate what’s possible, spurring innovation and shifts in practices. 

Using Voice and Influence to Signal Solidarity

This spring, funders were invited to sign onto several commitments to address the new challenges and threats to the field with one voice. Among these invitations, NCFP partnered with the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations to share a call to action for funders to embrace, which asks funders to move in solidarity with nonprofits, mobilize money in a trust-based way, and nurture possibility and innovation. Such statements are a way to demonstrate collective solidarity and create accountability for funders to follow through on an agreed-upon set of actions or values. However, they are only as powerful as the actions that they induce. We have been heartened by the many funders who signed the statement and, importantly, that many are taking action to complement their testimony. 

For the Chicago-based Charles W. & Patricia S. Bidwill Foundation, publicly signing the trust-based philanthropy commitment was an easy decision. The foundation has a new interest in elevating its public presence—insofar as it is of service to its grantee partners—and recently launched a new website. Thus, the public nature of the commitment was a reason for the foundation to sign. “The pledge is a way for us to solidify our commitment to the many trust-based practices we already employ, and it gives us a framework and an opportunity to grow and be better partners,” says Advisor Janice Lombardo, regarding funders using their voice and influence. “There are some elements of the commitment that we might never do, but we now have a guide for discussions of how to keep improving our work in service of our grantees.”

Read the full article about funders using their voice and influence by Maggie McGoldrick at National Center for Family Philanthropy.