Darren Walker, the President of Ford Foundation says there should be loud “shouts” of ‘glorious tongues at the coming of hope’ for philanthropy in 2019.
In the era of great challenges that this crucial sector faces, such as the “undemocratic nature of wealth and philanthropy”, structural racism in many parts of the world and a “rigged economic system” that strengthen the economic and social structures that separate the haves from the have-nots, Walker suggests that what is needed is placing meaningful resources in the hands of those closest to the problems, backing their visionary efforts over time, listening and learning at every step of the journey. “The communities most proximate to the problems possess unique insight into the solutions,” he writes.
Walker also shines light on the internal systems within foundations and grant making institutions, saying that beyond the mission to improve the unequal systems, foundations and grant making agencies must find ways to manage the privileges they enjoy in the space. “This means interrogating our own unconscious biases, cultivating humility in ourselves and our organizations, and more clearly understanding how others experience the institutions of philanthropy” Read Darren Walker’s full article Here