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Caring to Change

Aspen Institute

www.aspeninstitute.org

  • Program Civil Society
  • Program Area Strengthening Civic Space
  • Grant Amount $25,000
  • Grant Period January 1, 2007–December 31, 2009
  • Location Washington, DC, United States
  • Geographic Focus United States

About this grant

The aim of Aspen Institute’s Caring to Change project is to promote fresh thinking about how foundations can achieve social change by drawing on the wisdom and experience of nonprofit and foundation staff not usually involved in strategy development. Over the past 18 months, over 100 interviews with nonprofit leaders and foundation staff have been conducted, with a special emphasis on reaching out to younger leaders and people of color. A Web site for presenting and exchanging emerging themes and ideas has been launched, and a working paper is being drafted in advance of a February 2009 retreat of 25 senior philanthropic leaders to deliberate new foundation strategies to promote social change. A grant extension and increase will provide the time and funds necessary to promote strategies emerging from the retreat and to support an informal affinity group of funders applying the new strategies.