Strategic Philanthropy Limited by Top-Down, Technocratic Approach, Report Argues
Philanthropy News Digest
January 30, 2013
While growing awareness of the concept of "strategic philanthropy" has helped to improve philanthropic impact and effectiveness, the approach is limited by an overly narrow focus and top-down, technocratic view of social change, a new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy argues.
According to Real Results: Why Strategic Philanthropy Is Social Justice Philanthropy (20 pages, PDF), the practice of so-called strategic philanthropy — which emphasizes clearly defined goals, evidence-based strategies, and frequent feedback and course adjustments — typically favors short-term metrics, eschews public policy, and is largely disconnected from the grantees and the communities they serve. To overcome these limitations, the report argues, grantmakers should prioritize the needs of underserved communities and invest more in advocacy and community engagement efforts, both of which are hallmarks of social justice philanthropy.
