Introducing Philanthropy Insights: A New Lens for Understanding the Nonprofit Ecosystem

Philanthropy Insights is an open-access, fact-sheet-style tool designed to bring clarity to local philanthropic ecosystems through data.

Our University Community: Faculty-Nonprofit Partnerships Bring Academic Knowledge to Real-World Needs

The three inaugural awardees from our Juan Olivarez Learning Equity Endowment, which pairs GVSU faculty with Michigan-based nonprofit partners, share reflections from their work in the program.

Preserving the Mission: Reframing the Nonprofit Lifecycle Model

From an organization’s inception and at every stage of its life, leadership and stakeholders should consider the value of, and opportunities for, adapting, restructuring, and exiting. This article introduces a model to help nonprofits stay flexible, efficient, and connected within their ecosystems.

Living Lineage: Stories of Community Philanthropy from Ghana

Community philanthropy in Ghana is rooted in long-standing cultural traditions of mutual aid, storytelling, and collective responsibility, showing that local communities have always been active agents in shaping their own development and well-being.

Cross-Border Giving: From Aid to Investing in Community Philanthropy

As foreign aid declines and cross-border philanthropy faces new challenges, investing in community-led philanthropy and local leadership offers a more sustainable path for equitable and resilient development.

Ukrainian Community Foundations Are Protecting Local Ownership, Even in Wartime

Ukrainian community foundations are working to balance international wartime aid with sustained local philanthropy by prioritizing community-led needs, building trust, and using external funding to strengthen — not replace — long-term local giving and engagement.

Developing Community Philanthropy Through Civic Listening in Spain

Using civic listening as a strategic practice, community foundations can help create a shared awareness among local nonprofits, businesses, public institutions, and residents about the problems facing their communities and the solutions worth pursuing.

Community Catalysts: Six Lessons from Local Philanthropy

This blog offers valuable insights on amplifying the impact of local philanthropy, embracing collaboration, and scaling community-led initiatives to foster long-term growth and resilience throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Preserving the Mission: Strategic Options for Nonprofits Facing Crisis

Nonprofits are too often presented with a limited narrative: that merger or closure are the only two options when facing a financial crisis. Our research has identified nine strategies to consider.

Inside The Foundation Review, Volume 18, Issue 1

This issue of The Foundation Review draws attention to topics often overlooked in mainstream research — everyday decisions and infrastructure choices that shape philanthropic practice and its impact.