Philanthropy’s urgent mandate to divest from genocide, occupation, and systemic oppression is powerfully underscored by the launch of the Funding Freedom toolkit, which calls for funders to fulfill their moral responsibilities.
Philanthropy wields enormous power—rooted in vast accumulations of wealth generated by systems of inequality: colonialism, racial capitalism, and imperialism. These legacies are woven into every level of philanthropic institutions: from governance, to decision-making processes, fund disbursement, and the placement of the vast majority of assets into investment vehicles. Nearly 90% of foundation wealth sits in these investment funds, which benefit from tax-deductible status—allowing wealth to grow while avoiding contributions to public systems that sustain essential community needs.

Defunded & Thriving is an online series with 6 "mini episodes" lifting the insights of women-led organizations, as they pivot to new ways to fund their work, as traditional aid dries up.

What happens to progressive philanthropy in times of accelerated imperialism, fascism, and genocide?

The sector is experiencing major shifts that may be hard to confront, as the Trump administration—in direct coordination with private and state powers—doubles down on its campaign against civil society organizations. If funders are serious about supporting the sector, we need to apply the lessons we’ve learned from these experiences and pivot to navigate this new terrain.

Those of us committed to Palestinian liberation against a genocidal, land-grabbing Israeli regime, have had a head start on confronting and absorbing these lessons. But we know it is only a matter of time before all of us working for justice and life-affirming futures, will need to do the same. Call it the imperial boomerang, call it the canary in the coal mine, but know that the only way to defeat it is to organize.