Candid insights

The big picture of the social sector, backed by data and expertise

Reflections by a new philanthropist

Never. Never have I had a course that has had such an influence on my academic life, as well as my personal life, as this one. Philanthropy & Civil Society, a course offered at Binghamton University through the Learning By…

By Brendan Hurley

July 21, 2020

Today I become an advocate of community-centered fundraising

At the beginning of my career, I learned fundraising from Hank Rosso, founder of The Fundraising School and author of Achieving Excellence in Fundraising. Hank taught that “fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.” I also…

By Claire Axelrad

July 20, 2020

Virtual benefits here for a while—connecting donors to the cause and to each other

In his best-selling book, Together, former surgeon general Vivek H. Murthy, MD, writes, “The universal drive to connect is still alive and well. … It surfaces during times of crisis and in unexpected acts of kindness that remind us who…

By Katherine DeFoyd (she/her)

July 17, 2020

Long-term planning in a time of flux and struggle: sharing Candid’s 2030 vision

This is a moment of immediacy. The entire globe is battling a pandemic. The streets of American cities are brought alive by righteous anger at racial injustice. Urgency eclipses long-term thinking, as it should. That sense of urgency is central…

By Jacob Harold (he/him)

July 16, 2020

Does your philanthropy have the clarity to be the change we need?

During COVID-19, we’ve seen how systemic racism and injustice magnifies personal hardship, undermines recovery, and prevents transformational change. We’re also witnessing what happens when too many nonprofit organizations balance on a financial knife’s edge. So, just when we need robust…

By Kris Putnam-Walkerly (she/her)

July 15, 2020

How many nonprofits will shut their doors?

We find ourselves amidst a pandemic-driven recession of uncertain scope and duration. Over the last months, Candid employees have been asked repeatedly, “How many nonprofits are going to shut their doors and go out of business?” There is no easy…

By Jacob Harold (he/him)

July 15, 2020

Beyond Words: What UK Grantmakers are Learning About Power and Trust

Philanthropy has to confront its contributions to maintaining systems of oppression if it ever is to contribute to the kind of systemic change needed in our society. State-sanctioned violence and anti-Black racism is urging deep reflection on how to build…

By Shyrina Rantisi (she/her) and Roxanne Nazir (she/her)

July 14, 2020

How libraries are adjusting to the new normal during COVID-19

Hello, Candid Learning users! I’m Kent Mulcahy, the Grants Resource Librarian at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, one of Candid’s Funding Information Network (FIN) partners.  As I type this, my senior pitbull, Frances, is adorably snoring loudly…

By Kent Mulcahy (he/him)

July 14, 2020

When a pandemic hits: How Chinese community foundations responded to COVID-19

"When a pandemic hits: How Chinese community foundations responded to COVID-19" is reprinted from Global Fund Community Foundations. When COVID-19 emerged in China, Chinese authorities took unprecedented measures to contain the virus. From mid-January, strict lockdowns were imposed across the…

By Jasmine Zhang

July 13, 2020

What’s new at Candid (July 2020)

Since my last “What’s new at Candid” update, George Floyd’s death at the hands of police and the ensuing uprisings have sparked significant reckoning with racial justice in our sector. At Candid, this meant affirming our commitment to racial equity, accelerating updates to our racial equity webpage, and taking time to pause and share together. We have also published several…

By Jen Bokoff (she/her)

July 10, 2020

Meeting the moment: more and better funding for human rights

When we launched our research to map the human rights funding landscape in 2010, we wanted to both increase funding for the human rights field and help funders spend it more effectively. As the COVID-19 pandemic and sweeping protests against…

By Rachel Thomas (she/her)

July 9, 2020

How racial equity supports better grantmaking practices

As the philanthropic sector aims to build trust, strengthen relationships, and address the systemic power imbalances in our society, trusting nonprofits and the people they serve is crucial.

By Brendan McCormick and Afia Amobeaa-Sakyi

July 8, 2020