Devex: Will philanthropy’s flexible funding outlast the pandemic?
“The presidents of five leading foundations plan to increase rather than decrease their spending during the period of economic hardship brought on by COVID-19, they announced last week. The foundations were motivated by concerns over the impact that the pandemic has had on their grantees and the people they serve, said Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, who spearheaded the effort, which also includes the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. … The question is whether these commitments to increase funds, provide more flexibility, and limit asks of nonprofits will become part of the new normal — or whether funders will return to business as usual…” (Cheney, 6/15).