We practice Trust-Based Philanthropy. Trust-based philanthropy is a national movement and philosophy centered on advancing equity, shifting power, and building mutually accountable relationships between funders and grantees.

Building on a stronger foundation

Nothing is more important than the relationships we have with our nonprofit community. When we have strong relationships with our nonprofit partners, honest conversations about community needs and workable solutions become more feasible. So, we work to build, strengthen, and continually nurture those relationships.

The Trust-Based Philanthropy model encourages grantmakers to evolve their grantmaking by adopting practices that foster those relationships and build that trust. Since 2019, we have made changes to our grantmaking that align with Trust-Based Philanthropy.

  • We have significantly shortened the application for our annul grants. We have reduced the number of questions to only those we need to make a decision about a request.
  • Grantees may complete the final report for their grant either in writing or be interviewed by staff who will then draft the report for the grantee to review and finalize.
  • We continually solicit and incorporate feedback from grantees, applicants, nonprofits, and others in the community to learn how we can evolve and improve.
Another important practice of Trust-Based Philanthropy is to offer support beyond the check. For many years, PCHF has offered workshops, convenings, and seminars designed to build our nonprofits’ capacity to better manage the organization and service the community.

Here, too, we seek input from nonprofits on what they need to learn. We have introduced learning communities to bring staff from different organizations with similar positions together to learn from each other. We’ve also launched “shorts,” 30-minute virtual workshops that cover a narrow, but important topic. And we’ve initiated an emerging leaders series to build the next generation of nonprofit leaders.

Through it all, we make ourselves available and accessible for phone calls, meetings, events, and other opportunities to listen to and learn from our nonprofits, and, where appropriate and requested, provide advice.

Photo Credit: Nestor Diaz-Valentin