Confluence Philanthropy

We’re excited to welcome Judy Belk and Holden Lee to Sonen Capital’s Board of Directors. Judy Belk brings extensive executive experience in philanthropy and corporate management. As the former President and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation, one of the largest philanthropic organizations in California, she championed health and equity in underserved communities. Under her leadership, the foundation launched a mission-related investing strategy to leverage its $1 billion endowment for social impact. Holden Lee brings deep expertise in mission-driven investment strategies and investment management. He is a Social Impact Fellow at the Center for Social Sector Leadership at Berkeley Haas currently, and he has spent the past decade as Chief Investment Officer and Chief Financial Officer for organizations dedicated to mobilizing capital in industries with strong opportunities for investment and impact. Both are visionary leaders?and experts?in philanthropy and impact investing, and their insights and contributions will be instrumental in driving Sonen Capital’s next phase of strategic growth while helping solve the pressing challenges of our time. See their full bios here: https://lnkd.in/gjkvCkMy Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gUQyC5qG

"Whether working to protect our planet, empower historically marginalized communities, or build a more inclusive, equitable economy, impact investors and philanthropists need to remember that scale is not a magic trick." Debra Schwartz, Managing Director, Impact Investments, discusses how long-lasting solutions require flexible, tailored, and durable investment approaches. Read her Perspective ?? https://lnkd.in/gKhtjWQr

In the coming year, as more foundations and donor advised fund holders consider their grantmaking and, increasingly, their investment strategy, critical questions about Purpose, Payout, and Perpetuity are inevitable.?For more on the important topic of foundation and DAF spend-out and pay-out practices, see this recent blog post that I authored as part of a timely series by Confluence Philanthropy

?? Trends in #Philanthropy: Reflections on 2024 ?? For its small size (<$1 trillion), philanthropy has had a big year. Here are a few trends I’m seeing: ?? ?????????????? ???????????????????????? ???? ????????????????????. According to the recent ClimateWorks Foundation report, philanthropic funders gave $9-$16 billion in 2023, a 20% increase over 2022. https://lnkd.in/dfNudPfW Much of this philanthropic investment went into #cleanenergy, #forests, and #food and agriculture. ?? ???????? ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ???? #????????????????????. No longer do we talk about the false dichotomy of #mitigation vs. #adaptation. We're in an all-hands-on-deck moment with climate, and many funders are stepping up. They are also collaborating through new coalitions, such as the Laudes Foundation-supported Just Transition Donor Alliance, facilitated by Human Level. ?? ???????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????? ??????????????????????. From the work led by The Partnering Initiative (TPI) and WAPPP | World Association of PPP Units & Professionals to the World Economic Forum's #GAEA, we’re seeing many examples of how philanthropy is partnering with business and government to address systemic issues. Some of these will be celebrated later this month at the inaugural #GAEAAwards in Davos. (I’m proud to share Built by Nature and our Regenerative Production Landscape Collaboratives are shortlisted!) https://lnkd.in/dgXGHCTf ?? ???????????? ?????????????????????????????? ?????? ??????????????. MacKenzie Scott donated $2 billion in #unrestricted giving this year (>$19 billion to date). Melinda French Gates doubled down on supporting women and girls. https://lnkd.in/dqiddrg9 And many more women leaders are putting big money toward big problems. Badr Jafr with the Cambridge Centre for Strategic Philanthropy interviews some of them here: https://lnkd.in/dED-aACu. ?? #???????????????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????????????. This is not new, and as a member of Confluence Philanthropy, I’m inspired by how Dana Lanza has helped foundations use the many tools at their disposal. This year, we also saw the launch of Impact Europe and Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association's collaboration to help European foundations leverage the power of their endowments, while WINGS continued its #philanthropyforclimate pledge, including foundation assets. Kieron Boyle shares more on this potential here: https://lnkd.in/dhnt-u3K. ? Yet, as we look forward to 2025, we must remember that: ?? Philanthropy is not a silver bullet. ???????????????? ?????? ?? ???????? ???? ????????. ?? Grantmaking for climate is still small. ?????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ?? ?????????????? ????????. ?? Our biggest impact is when philanthropy can accelerate how the private and public sectors step up. Despite being a dreadful acronym, #PPPPs are the way to go.