Until somewhat recently in the U.S., community foundations were pretty much the province of the wealthy. The same goes for the rest of institutional philanthropy—family foundations, donor-advised funds, etc. But something may be happening to community philanthropy in the U.S. and around the world that reflects the “mutuality of philanthropy,” the sense that “community philanthropy is for everyone,” according to Nick Deychakiwsky, senior program officer of the C.S. Mott Foundation.
In 2011, the Aga Khan Foundation and the C.S. Mott Foundation sponsored a series of roundtables or consultations in Washington, D.C. Johannesburg, and Dhaka. Philanthropic experts and community activists explored how to stimulate and develop community philanthropy, but the theme wasn’t the usual laser focus on simply amassing more money. As the report by CENTRIS consultant Barry Knight explains, the emphasis was on community philanthropy “as a means of contributing to the sustainability of civil society and supporting the effectiveness of development aid.”
Ismailimail 