During the pandemic, many foundations changed their funding processes in response to the urgent needs faced by communities. To ease the burden on organizations and get funds to where they were needed most as quickly as possible, our sector saw an emergence of trust-based philanthropy.

Trust-based philanthropy is rooted in the concept that funder-grantee relationships are stronger when they are built on a foundation of trust. It is an approach to giving that addresses the inherent power imbalances between funders, nonprofits, and the communities they serve. At its core, trust-based philanthropy is about redistributing power—systemically, organizationally, and interpersonally—in service of a healthier and more equitable nonprofit ecosystem. On a practical level, this includes multi-year unrestricted giving, streamlined applications and reporting, and a commitment to building relationships based on transparency, dialogue, and mutual learning.

In 2020, and in response to COVID-19, United Way of Pierce County and Greater Tacoma Community Foundation came together, along with many other local funders, to create the PIERCE COUNTY CONNECTED FUND. As the leaders of these two organizations, Dona Ponepinto and Seth Kirby will join us for this special conversation, moderated by George Zeno, Associate Vice President for Advancement at Pacific Lutheran University, on trust-based philanthropy to reflect on what they learned in 2020 and 2021, and how Pierce County may carry trust-based philanthropy principles forward into future grant-making.

Date: Friday, November 19, 2021

Location: Zoom

Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Cost: $10 for members, $20 for nonmembers

1.5 CFRE credits pending

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