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Thinking Big: Community Philanthropy And Management Of Large-Scale Assets, Mary Fifield

The Foundation Review

This article presents three case studies — from Ghana, the U.S., and Canada — to examine how community philanthropy might scale up to support community asset management and increase the power of communities to determine their own development with much greater and more complex financial investments.

Community philanthropy institutions have become increasingly popular — especially in the Global South, where they serve to harness local assets, cultivate local capacities, and build trust among diverse stakeholders. Although bilateral donors and other international development funders are beginning to recognize the power of these local organizations, they are usually considered small-scale actors.

As …

The Community University Experience: Shift The Power Or Share The Power?, Graciela Hopstein

The Foundation Review

The recent growth of community organizations and collectives can be seen as a consequence of social movements that have emerged in defense of human and civil rights. This article reflects on an initiative implemented by Instituto Rio, a community foundation based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, within the context of this expansion of community philanthropy.

The initiative — the West Zone Community University — works to strengthen civil society actors so they can lead efforts to secure civil and human rights, decentralize the production and sharing of knowledge, and construct a public, democratic space for local communities. The analysis will …

Building Vietnamese Community Philanthropy: Understanding The Experiences And Expectations Of Donors To The Lin Center For Community Development, Dana Doan

The Foundation Review

Vietnam’s steady economic growth over the past two decades interacted with existing patterns of inequity, social exclusion, and geographic disparities to widen the gap between those who can and cannot obtain quality education, a stable income, and access to quality basic services. Meanwhile, after the World Bank classified Vietnam as a lower middle-income country in 2010, several international and bilateral donors announced plans to gradually decrease their development assistance.

It was under these circumstances that Vietnam’s first community foundation, the LIN Center for Community Development, was established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2009. Its mission is to build a …

Strategies For Impacting Change In Communities Of Color, Kenneth W. Jackson, Alandra L. Washington, Russell H. Jackson

The Foundation Review

· Historically, organized philanthropy has given scant attention to giving among communities of color; however, as the population changes it is becoming more important to learn about and promote giving in these communities.

· The W. K. Kellogg Foundation supported the Cultures of Giving (COG) initiative over a five-year period to understand, develop, and support philanthropic giving within and among communities of color.

· COG began with two major principles of action – advancing strategies, approaches, and tactics of community philanthropy and connecting leaders of color in a community of practice such that they might learn, share, and collaborate with …

My Experiences With The Community Foundation, Jennifer L. Vest

Honors Theses

Founded in 1968, the Community Foundation is a philanthropic endowment serving the Greater Richmond and Central Virginia community. ...in the Foundation's 1992 Annual Report they write, "We exist to help individuals, corporations, and other foundations achieve their own unique ideas about community philanthropy. We provide permanent stewardship, efficient administration, and the opportunity for our benefactors to remain active in their giving." ...over 400 localities across the nation have created similar foundations that cumulatively manage $8 billion in assets. In 1992, The Community Foundation made grant commitments totalling $1,352,232 to 193 agencies in Greater Richmond and Central Virginia and has approximately …