ABOUT
Who We Are
Listen to Community is a joint effort of seven organizations committed to community-centered philanthropy grounded in listening: Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Feedback Labs, Fund for Shared Insight, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, National Center for Family Philanthropy, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, and Native Americans in Philanthropy.
Why Now?
Every time a project that communities neither need nor want receives funding, funders perpetuate an unjust status quo and increase the likelihood of causing real harm. Philanthropy risks losing relevance, wasting resources, and eroding trust.
Amid growing scrutiny, the sector faces a crisis of credibility. By listening in ways that shift power to community, philanthropy can strengthen its connection to the people most impacted and build trust as a true partner in change.
With the support of funders already embracing listening and participatory practices — and an opportunity to engage many more — we can make listening, responding, and shifting power a standard approach in philanthropy.
Why Listen to Community?
We need a better way to move philanthropy to change. Many funders and nonprofits think they already listen to communities, but lack the necessary depth or understanding, and do not have the tools or support to change their approach.
Through storytelling, resources, and peer connections, Listen to Community can engage funders committed to listening, responding to what they hear, and closing the loop, so that philanthropy is supporting the self-determined goals and needs of the communities we seek to serve.
What we mean by listening to community
Listening to community to shift power means centering the voices of people and communities historically marginalized by structural racism and other systemic inequities so philanthropy can become more just, equitable, and effective.
Listening to community to shift power means intentionally choosing “power with” — in which there’s a reciprocal relationship between philanthropy and communities — instead of defaulting to “power over” approaches.
Listening to community to shift power — to “shift philanthropy for good” — means:
- Committing to an ongoing practice of listening, not a one-time exercise
- Being grounded in relationships and partnerships
- Bringing a clear analysis of power dynamics to every decision
- Advancing equity with every action
Other practices and approaches Listen to Community supports
Listen to Community aligns with and supports complementary approaches and practices, while keeping its central focus on listening to shift power to community. By highlighting listening as a foundational and transformational practice, the initiative strengthens and reinforces these other efforts, including:
Trust-based philanthropy: Alleviating inherent power imbalances by emphasizing listening to grantees, unrestricted multi-year support, and relationships based on trust and mutual accountability.
Community-driven philanthropy: Meaningfully engaging a broad and diverse set of voices, including nonprofits, communities, and key partners, and centering the expertise of impacted communities.
Participatory philanthropy: Creating processes in which those most affected weigh in on decisions, including but not limited to grantmaking.
Community authorized and accountable board governance: Ensuring people deeply vested in the community are at the table and driving the conversation.
Shifts in learning and evaluation: Adopting practices that change who makes decisions on questions asked, how data and stories are gathered, and who makes meaning.
Staff that reflect impacted community: Hiring, and retaining, people deeply connected to the community, and listening to them. This includes changing organizational culture so they are supported.
