Learning is Philanthropy’s Compass
Two new briefs share lessons from past philanthropic crisis responses and a call to action for keeping learning central to philanthropy’s response.
The polycrisis of 2020 — spanning a pandemic, racial justice uprisings, and threats to immigrant and low-wage communities — pushed philanthropy to act with urgency and creativity. Funders streamlined processes, took bold risks, and discovered that learning wasn’t a nice-to-have. It was what kept their response grounded and impactful.
Now in 2025, we are again in turbulent waters: rising authoritarianism, backlash to equity work, and burnout across the sector. And yet, the learning infrastructure that helped philanthropy navigate the last crisis feels like it’s fraying — just when we may need it most.To support the field, we are sharing two complementary resources:
Joint Field Brief (with the Center for Evaluation Innovation, The James Irvine Foundation, and The California Endowment): a call to action for funders and boards to protect and strengthen learning capacity.
Engage R+D Companion Brief: five lessons from four major philanthropic crisis responses showing how learning helps philanthropy move from reaction to strategic action.
Together, these briefs offer evidence and practical ideas for how to support communities and times of turmoil and the value of learning for ensuring effective responses. We invite you to read, share, and use them to spark reflection and action in your own work.
