With Investments Rising, Philanthropy Commits to Connecting Across Differences, Council on Foundations Report Finds
WASHINGTON – The Council on Foundations today announced the release of Coming Together, Not Apart: How Philanthropy Supports Connection in a Time of Dangerous Division, the first in a three-part series exploring philanthropy’s investment in connecting across differences.
With most Americans in support of working with those holding different beliefs, foundations have emerged as a leading force for supporting that work across the country. The Council on Foundations, in partnership with Philanthropy for an Active Civic Engagement (PACE) and the New Pluralists, has examined the contributions of philanthropy through a survey of over 133 foundations and in-depth interviews with more than 43 philanthropic and field leaders.
The report finds that, of foundations in our survey sample:
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85% of foundations have funded work to connect and collaborate across differences within the past 10 years, with 61.7% of organizations supporting six or more of these projects over the same span.
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Nearly a quarter allocated over half of their grantmaking budget to this work (2022). Of those funding this work, over 90% increased or maintained their investments year to year (2021-2022), and 78.8% intended to increase their investments in the year ahead (2023).
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Funders invest in this work in different ways, but multiyear support (56.9%) is far more common than single-year (27.6%), and slightly more funders are making general operating support grants (25.2%) than restricted grants (20.8%).
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Foundations cited two main rationales for their work in this space: It is core to their identity and mission, like a funder centered on bridging, or it can enable their mission, such as a health funder uniting disparate groups to collaborate on vaccines.
“Foundations are increasingly investing in connecting across differences because they believe that this work is an integral part of building a multicultural, multiracial society where everyone belongs,” said Kristen Scott Kennedy, the Council’s Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness. “We hope this resource will help illuminate a different path forward from the toxic polarization that’s holding our nation back.”
The report also shares insights from leaders about the challenges to this work, including terminology that clouds understanding, perceptions that connecting across difference can deter equity and justice work, and the risk that improperly designed programs can unintentionally cause more harm than good.
The second publication in this series will dive more deeply into case studies of the work in progress, and the third will explore the future of philanthropy’s role in this space. For more information and to access the report, visit the Council on Foundations website.
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About the Council on Foundations
The Council on Foundations is a nonprofit membership association that serves as a guide for philanthropies as they advance the greater good. Building on our 75-year history, the Council supports over 900 member organizations in the United States and around the world to build trust in philanthropy, expand pathways to giving, engage broader perspectives, and co-create solutions that will lead to a better future for all. Learn more about the Council and become a member by visiting www.cof.org.
