Trends in Philanthropy

COLLECTION

Anticipate and embrace what’s next.

Each year, experts and thought leaders from the Johnson Center explore trends we expect to see impacting the field of philanthropy in the coming months and years.

Many of these trends trace back to a central question: what is the role of philanthropy in a democracy? Across our sector, in politics, in business, and in our communities, people are asking who has the responsibility — or the right — to tackle complex problems like poverty and climate change. How are our societies changing, and how are nonprofits and funders evolving in response to community needs and global crises?

These questions and others — about the value and use of data, about trust in our relationships, about philanthropy’s role in advancing equity — both shape and are shaped by larger, dynamic forces in our world and our work. Each 11 Trends in Philanthropy report is meant to help you anticipate and embrace what’s next.

11 Trends for 2021

The critical questions we face in the aftermath of the chaos and trauma of 2020 are ones the sector has been wrestling with for years, but must now address more forcefully, including sprawling impacts of wealth inequality; significant declines in public trust in institutions and in each other; the bright and dark sides of technological proliferation; and the systemic racism permeating so many aspects of our society and our democracy. Each of these trends has real implications for our day-to-day work, how we carry out our missions, and how we broaden our frame on public good.

Explore Further

11 Trends in Philanthropy

We have published an annual 11 Trends in Philanthropy report every year since 2017. More than 20,000 readers have accessed the individual articles and full reports shared in this collection.

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