Let's talk about ... relational philanthropy

Have you considered the impact it makes when grantmakers and grant seekers cultivate relationships as a stepping stone to building partnerships?

At a recent major philanthropy forum in London, a practitioner shared a striking statistic: only ONE out of every 23 grant request applications is successful. I am sure you can envision the extensive hours invested in crafting, refining, and proofreading these applications, even with the help of AI in the background.

Now let's think about the wishes of grant seekers. A survey of 1,200 UK charities conducted in 2021 by the Institute For Voluntary Action Research, under its Open and Trusting Grant-making initiative, revealed that "75% of survey participants would appreciate greater transparency from grantmakers regarding the success rates at different stages of the application process." This suggests that grant seekers often feel like they are hoping for success without clear expectations, akin to wishing on a shooting star.

Now, consider the significant time investment required for grantmakers who are committed to doing genuine philanthropy. They have to sift through stacks of grant applications, a task that becomes especially daunting if they depend on paper-based processes and have only a few staff members dedicated to this task. They then need to carefully shortlist suitable applicants. Despite an application looking impressive on paper, a crucial question persists for grantmakers: "Can I trust everything presented in this application if I have not worked with this grant seeker before?"

A possible solution to enhance efficiency and alleviate frustrations for both parties could be to completely abolish grant applications and shift the focus to relational philanthropy. This solution may seem radical.

But what does "relational philanthropy" entail? Envision a scenario where grantmakers and grant seekers take the time to deeply understand each other's missions, values, and goals. This would lay the foundations for partnerships rooted in mutual trust and shared objectives, resulting not only in short-term benefits but also in lasting change.

My experience in securing funding for an eye health programme in South Sudan is a prime example of the effectiveness of a relational approach. Overwhelmed by the numerous grantmakers who require extensive due diligence documents alongside complex grant applications, I opted for direct outreach. My passion for building impactful partnerships sparked a collaboration with a grantmaker, leading to more alliances that ultimately resulted in uplifting people with disabilities in IDP camps in South Sudan.

The theme of "relational philanthropy" was further emphasized during a webinar I recently co-hosted with a dear peer. We concluded that by fostering strong relationships, grant seekers can gain substantial benefits, such as increased trust, support beyond financial assistance, reduced reporting needs, and the possibility to co-create programs with their grantmaker. Similarly, grantmakers can enjoy significant advantages, like deeper insights into supported projects and organizations and lower costs from continually seeking new partners.

For further reflection, I have summarized some benefits of prioritizing a relational approach (though not exhaustive) for grantmakers and grant seekers:

Now, that we have explored the transformative potential of prioritizing relationship-building in grant-making and grant-seeking endeavors, I would be thrilled to offer my guidance and share insights from my own experiences to help you embrace the principles of relational philanthropy.

Together, we can do better. Get in touch at [email protected]

Clarifications on terms: "Grantmaker" is a term that refers to grantmaking foundations and "Grant seekers" is a term that refers to non-profit organizations that design and implement programmes.

#RelationalPhilanthropy #GrantMaking #GrantSeeking #MeaningfulEngagement #PhilanthroPower #TrustBasedPhilanthropy

Source: Get the basics right: 10 actions to improve charities’ funding experience - IVAR