With government funding drying up and political scrutiny of nonprofits increasing, all eyes are on philanthropy to step up. But that also means the sector is under pressure to adapt, innovate, and maximize its impact — whether it’s stomaching more risk or handing over more control to communities.
At South by Southwest, or SXSW, in Austin, Texas, this week, philanthropy leaders convened for a series of discussions — both onstage and behind closed doors — acknowledging that change is needed to meet the moment.
While philanthropy alone cannot fill the gaps left by shrinking government coffers, funders are increasingly being called on to align their endowment investments with their missions to ensure their dollars go further. "If you’re not thinking about aligning your investing dollars with your mission, then you’re leaving a huge social change lever on the sidelines," said Sarah Haacke Byrd, CEO of Women Moving Millions.
About the author
Kate Warren@KateDWarren
Kate Warren is the Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of Devex, where she leads a global team of journalists, event producers, and communications and marketing professionals to drive conversations around the most pressing and urgent issues of our time, including climate, global health, food security, philanthropy, humanitarian crises, and foreign aid funding. Through live journalism — via in-person and virtual events — along with insider news, analysis, podcasts, content series, and special reports, Kate and her team ensure the most important ideas, voices, and debates reach an influencer audience to drive impact and make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.
