WF Fund

The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy's annual Trends report is out and its filled with intriguing questions as we continue to see changes in our sector. Nonprofit lobbying activity, the impact of the aging population on the sector, social justice philanthropy, and the future of volunteering are just a few of the topics that the Johnson Center addresses in this year's report. Framing the report around our sector being five years out from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 11 Trends in Philanthropy report emphasizes some of the strain that has been on the sector with changing demographics, deepening polarization, and a continued strain on nonprofits to keep with ever growing need. As you consider your own experience, we're curious how these 11 Trends show up in your work. Share your thoughts with us in the comments. #philanthropytrends #equitymatters

The WF Fund is proud to support M. Tauseef Akbar as one of the 2025 Fellows for the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago. Tauseef serves as the Associate Director of Spiritual Life & Coordinator of Muslim Life at the University of Chicago and is one of 29 Chicago area community leaders to join this year's cohort. As William Howell, director of CLA, notes this program "advances more effective governance by elevating cross-sector discussion and empowering a community of civic leaders to enact reform.” With over 300 alumni from government, nonprofits, and education, the Civic Leadership Academy has been integral in advancing reform on a number of policy issues throughout Cook County. #changemakers #changematters

This past September Inspired Generosity launched in Atlanta, highlighting stories of Muslim generosity. This year, the WF Fund is working with partners in Minneapolis, Texas, Michigan, California, New York, and more to share these inspirational stories in a community near you. #storiesmatter

There's an old proverb that says "if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." Coming out of the COVID pandemic, two organizations in California realized they could go much further together. Janet Carter and Jason Sacks of Positive Coaching Alliance share five key lessons for other nonprofit leaders considering a merger. 👉 Recognize and leverage the strengths of each organization 👉 Over communicate 👉 Ground the organization in shared values for a healthy culture 👉 Create support from the inside first 👉 Involve funders early in the process, even as your in consideration for a merger It's worth noting that while these lessons are key for an effective merger, they are also useful for any collaborative effort. We're curious to hear from you... ❓ How are you collaborating ❓ Are there partnerships in your sphere that might be more impactful with a full merger #nonprofitleadership

Here's a fun way to start the new year, test your knowledge of the nonprofit world with this news quiz from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Let us know how you did in the comments! #philanthropymatters #nonprofitnews

"Despite the growing body of research highlighting the good that Muslim Americans do in the sector, it’s news that often doesn’t get reported by mainstream philanthropic sources, leaving one to suspect that there are blind spots in philanthropy." At the WF Fund, it's our hope to bring light to these blind spots through Inspired Generosity. Fund president, Dilnaz Waraich, and Tamela Spicer, who serves as Director of Strategic Philanthropy, share more about why this project matters to our sector in this blog for the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. #muslimphilanthropy #philanthropymatters

A new report from Ktisis Capital seeks "to offer new insights into some of the unique characteristics and motivations of social justice donors." Using a combination of data from Bank of America's 2023 Study of Philanthropy and a survey done by Ktisis, the report highlights a few key implications for philanthropy: ➡️ Social justice focused donors "are embracing the importance of long-term, flexible funding and collaborative giving" to bring about systems change. ➡️ Nonprofits can focus more on systems change and providing impact data to better attract this group of donors. ➡️ The sector needs better resources and tools to facilitate impact measurements. More detail is provided in the report from the Ktisis team, in particular Dr. Jason Franklin and Ricardo Benavidez, MPA. #philanthropymatters

We appreciate the continued scholarship that comes out of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and this article from a recent issue of The Foundation Review is no exception. Noting that "the philanthropic sector often undermines its own goals by replicating those same inequitable policies, practices, and structures within their institutions," the article offers four practices that can help shift power and advance equity: 👉 Start by embedding a racial equity lens in the work. 👉 Demonstrate, through words and actions, an authentic commitment to the communities you serve. 👉 Bring your grantees into true partnership by allowing them to define their success. 👉 Elevate your organization's thinking and orient toward internal systems change. We would like to hear from you! How is your work shaping up in relation to these practices? #equitymatters #philanthropymatters

Today we give thanks to our grantee partners for all that they do to impact community 💝

In 2019, the Edward W. Hazen Foundation made the decision to sunset and set a robust goal to move all of their funds into the community by 2025. In addition to urging peers "to question the assumptions rooted in privilege," the foundation reminds us that "all change begins with action." In the Reevaluating Practice: Reimagining Philanthropy report, they share lessons learned from their own spend down experience and offer recommendations to the sector that include: 👉 Prioritizing people 👉 Collaborate, don't control 👉 Name and confront the imbalance #equitymatters #philanthropymatters