Learning Out Loud: Insights from our 2023 Grantmaker Survey

By Eddie Whitfield

4/10/23

"This is an exciting time for the Project, and for the philanthropic sector. This data tells a compelling story of the momentum funders are building in trust-based, equitable practices. We want to capture and celebrate the growth and learnings we're collectively doing, while looking ahead to support sustained progress and an ongoing sense of accountability to nonprofits and communities."

-Chantias Ford, Director of Programs, The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project

In January 2023, we launched the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project’s second annual grantmaker survey. We were thrilled to hear from almost 400 of you- over twice as many responses as last year! Thank you to every single person who took the time to respond to this year’s survey - we are truly grateful for the insights that your individual and collective feedback offers!

Through the survey, we heard from a diverse array of grantmaking professionals at various types of funding institutions. Respondents represented a variety of demographic identities, locations, and levels in their trust-based journey.  

The data illuminated some key findings, including the top motivations for pursuing trust-based philanthropy, organizational shifts to trust-based practices and operations, and contributing factors for organizational change.  Through this research, we have a deeper understanding of how trust-based philanthropy is being explored, practiced, and embodied, and what funders think will help continue to sustain and grow this approach from the margins to the mainstream.

The trust-based movement has grown incredibly over the last several years. While the survey reveals that organizational change happens in unique individualistic ways, there are similar themes around what is helping to make, and sustain, these shifts. We were humbled to hear that the community that’s been built here through the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project’s peer-to-peer network, listserv, resources, and programs as being centrally important for funders building and bolstering a new path forward.

Interested in learning more? We hope you can join us for our survey report share-out happening on Monday, May 1, 2-3:30pm. We will spend the first 45-minutes recapping the survey findings, discussing general interpretations, and reflecting on the data. We will discuss the data implications for the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project as well as the broader philanthropic sector, and answer any questions.

Eddie Whitfield is the Learning Manager at theTrust-Based Philanthropy Project.