Demystifying Trust-Based Philanthropy: Session 5

There is a misperception that trust-based philanthropy is at odds with rigorous impact evaluation because of its focus on relationships over project-specific metrics. Trust-based evaluation is indeed rigorous, but it differs from the sector standard in that it prioritizes a learning stance over a proving stance. This ultimately helps illuminate a more nuanced understanding of the barriers and catalyzers of social change, as well as useful information that can help grantmakers improve their strategies toward advancing impact.

In this session, we will unpack these important nuances and will highlight examples of how grantmakers are relying on rigor and continuous learning to understand impact. Participants can expect to gain a clear understanding of trust-based philanthropy’s three-pronged approach to learning and evaluation, as well as concrete tools they can use to implement in their own work.