When funders are ready to move beyond good intentions toward authentic listening and partnership with community, or deepen their listening practice in ways that shift power, where can they turn for help?
The Funder Listening Action Menu from Listen to Community partner Fund for Shared Insight offers practical answers, recognizing that there’s not a single path or entry point to listening to shift power. The menu is a mix-and-match guide highlighting real examples from peer institutions, along with resources to help strengthen listening practices.
A menu of items for every stage
The menu recognizes that funders are at different stages of their listening journeys. Some are taking first steps, others are deepening existing practices, and many are somewhere in between.
Rather than prescribing a single approach, the menu organizes examples and resources around different pathways: various listening methods, approaches by a funder’s individual role or function, and reflections on listening and power. Users can choose what resonates with their current reality and goals.
The menu features real, on-the-ground examples of listening at dozens of foundations around the country, highlighting practices including community-led evaluation, participatory grantmaking, and building governance structures that include community voices. For users inspired to implement their own new approaches, examples are paired with curated resources, such as Fund for Shared Insight’s guide to hosting effective community listening sessions, tools for accessible meeting planning, and frameworks for participatory research. A section of the menu dedicated to reflecting on listening and power offers questions to help users think through their own contexts, values, and goals.
From ideas to action
The Funder Listening Action Menu is designed to spark ideas, surface possibilities, and help users identify concrete next steps. Whether you use it for individual reflection or team conversations, the menu provides a useful companion for foundations eager to move from talking about listening to shifting philanthropy for good. Explore the full menu and discover the best pathways for you and your organization.
