Stanford PACS

In observance of this month’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Veronica Colondam of YCAB Foundation shares insights from her decades of experience investing in family economic security in Indonesia—including how acknowledging philanthropy’s limits can be integral to its success.

stanford.ioEmpowerment, With Its Limits: What 27 Years at YCAB Has Taught Me About Fighting PovertyVeronica Colondam, CEO & Founder, YCAB Foundation

Read on our Philanthropy Innovation Summit blog ⤵️ 🔗 stanford.io/4BwGyAQ #Philanthropy #PACSSummit #SocialImpact #EndPoverty

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Stanford Social Innovation Review@ssir.org

Appalachia’s disaster recovery offers a road map for anywhere underdeveloped infrastructure is exposed to climate volatility. On Wed, Oct 28, we speak with Ryan Eller, Andrew Crosson, and Patricia McIlreavy about “Resourcing Appalachian Resilience After Helene” stanford.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

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Have you listened to the latest episode of the Giving With Impact podcast? We spoke w/ Jacqueline Watts of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation about AI—how funders can support nonprofits in transition, and how to build responsible AI infrastructure across the social sector. ssir.org/podcasts/ent...

bit.lyWomen and the Future of Philanthropy: Opening RemarksOn October 1, 2026, Stanford University hosted Beyond the Summit: Women and the Future of Philanthropy, a special convening that explored the opportunities, responsibilities, and possibilities facing ...

“Rigor and urgency can coexist. Playing the long game doesn’t have to mean moving slowly.” — Tricia Raikes Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes opened our #WomenInPhilanthropy convening with a focus on learning together, sharing power, and taking collective action. Watch ⤵️ #PACSSummit #Philanthropy

bit.ly4 Questions About the Anthropic Public Benefit FundThe fund’s post-IPO value could hit $100 billion. But we don’t know how this new LLC will be governed or spend money, how transparent it will be, or how it will address AI disruption.

How will Anthropic's planned #PublicBenefitFund be governed? Where will it direct its spending? Will its funding priorities include addressing the disruptive impacts of #AI? Executive Director Priya Shanker spoke with @insidephilanthropy.com for a new article exploring these and other questions.

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"This would allow it to scale up its giving as needs emerge, rather than having to build the necessary infrastructure, relationships and knowledge from scratch," she said.

Read the full piece for more takeaways ⤵️ 🔗 bit.ly/3UkTQzN #Philanthropy #TechPhilanthropy #AIPhilanthropy

“There is a real opportunity here to build something that is not only well resourced,” Priya said, “but also offers a blueprint for how corporations can translate the value generated by their commercial operations into tangible and lasting public benefit.”

"Shanker also encourages the fund to develop partnerships with local governments, community foundations, and other intermediaries to support individuals and communities experiencing AI-related economic disruption."

stanford.ioReflections on the Women and the Future of Philanthropy ConveningBy Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes

What might it mean for #philanthropy if the women now shaping so much of its capital chose to lead differently? That question guided our #WomenInPhilanthropy convening, where we welcomed 130+ philanthropists and leaders to Stanford from across generations, geographies, and political identities.

In a new reflection, Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes share what they took away: ➤ The importance of collective action over individual efforts ➤ Collaboration as a means of mutual learning and community empowerment ➤ The value of openness, diverse perspectives, and humility

stanford.ioReflections on the Women and the Future of Philanthropy ConveningBy Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes

“The experience of navigating systems of power as women can shape how leadership is understood and exercised.” ✨ Read the full reflection ⤵️ #Philanthropy #StanfordPACS #PACSSummit

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sfstandard.comMusk and Anthropic kick off a new, weirder era of tech philanthropyThe AI boom is changing how billionaires give away their money, with unconventional donation methods, huge pools of money, and more blatant political motives.

“It would behoove [Anthropic] to have a separate board and separate governance structure. It would give it a lot more legitimacy.” Priya Shanker spoke w/ @sfstandard.com about Anthropic's pledge to establish a Public Benefit Fund. Read more on how AI wealth may impact philanthropy—and democracy ⤵️

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Donors have the motivation and the means to give, so what’s slowing them down? A new episode of "Giving With Impact" features two donor advisors unpacking the friction that gets in the way of moving money fast, w/ insights on nonprofits, DAFs, collaboratives, and more. ssir.org/podcasts/ent...

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ssir.orgCommunity Governance Is Critical for Better Data-Informed Decisions (SSIR)Organizations that put authentic community governance at the heart of their work are using civic data to drive better decisions, generate more durable trust, and produce positive social change.

When the data-driven collective impact nonprofit, Baltimore’s Promise, set out to map the city’s youth programming, the numbers seemed to tell a clear story. But before acting, they took the finding to the people, and they found a much different diagnosis of the problem.

stanford.ioPACS marks 20 years of studying giving and its impactThe Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society connects research on giving and civil society with public dialogue and hands-on student learning.

Since our founding 20 years ago, Stanford PACS has helped build the intellectual foundations of the global, interdisciplinary study of #philanthropy and #CivilSociety.

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“PACS was a place where rigorous scholarship and real-world impact were treated as deeply connected rather than separate pursuits," said Priya, who now serves as the Director of Policy and Programs at the Global Food Institute.

"That orientation has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to shape how I approach my work today: starting with people’s lived experiences, understanding the systems that shape them, and asking what it would take to change those systems for the better.” Read more, via Stanford Report ⤵️

Since our founding 20 years ago, Stanford PACS has helped build the intellectual foundations of the global, interdisciplinary study of #philanthropy and #CivilSociety.

Through our fellowship programs, #JuniorScholarsForum, and more, we have committed to field-building by investing in scholars who study the sector, creating space for research and conversations spanning the social sciences, humanities, engineering, law, education, and business.

For our look back on two decades of impact, alumna Priya Fielding-Singh reflected on how #PACS gave her a home for questions that didn’t fit neatly within a single academic discipline—questions about inequality, institutions, and how people and communities collectively bring about #SocialChange.

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New podcast: Funding local orgs on the front lines of humanitarian aid For the second episode of this season of "Giving With Impact," we talked to N Hlaing and Jose Ravano about their efforts to move private money more quickly and efficiently to those who need it most. ssir.org/podcasts/ent...

stanford.ioStanford PACS marks two decades of shaping philanthropy and civil societyStanford faculty, philanthropists, and nonprofit leaders celebrated 20 years of leadership and gathered to reflect on the future of philanthropy at the Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening.

20 years ago, a group of Stanford scholars, alumni and philanthropists recognized that as private wealth and philanthropy grew in scale and influence, the field needed greater scholarly attention, and a dedicated space for inquiry and dialogue across disciplines and sectors. Stanford PACS was born.✨

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"The founding mission of PACS was to shine a light on the activities of #philanthropy and how it was influencing #CivilSociety and the #nonprofit sector," said founding Faculty Co-Director Woody Powell in reflecting on the center's origins. "Today, that light is needed more than ever."

Read more about Stanford PACS' two decades of leadership in the field, and what's next. ⤵️ #StanfordPACS #Philanthropy #CivilSociety

We are thrilled to celebrate our #20thAnniversary this year, a milestone we recently commemorated at our standing-room-only Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening on October 1.

The convening featured a fireside chat between President Jon Levin and Melinda French Gates, several breakouts and attendee-led unconferences, and a closing with Jeff Raikes and Lily Sarafan, chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees.

bit.lyIntegrating Philanthropy and Investing for Real ImpactDiscover how moving past market-rate binaries and organizing capital around real-world change unlocks true portfolio impact.

“True paradigm-level change happens when we start structuring our resources into a dynamic spectrum of purpose.” Ahead of our Integrating Philanthropy and Investing program this month, CSP shared insights on the power of moving past conventional asset categories to activate one’s full portfolio.

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ssir.orgWhy Charlie Kirk Didn’t Build a ‘MoveOn of the Left’ (SSIR)The Turning Point USA founder's obituaries invoked his desire to build a conservative MoveOn. What he built instead is revealing about the structure, strategies, and outcomes of political advocac...

Many of Charlie Kirk's obituaries mentioned the same fact: At 18, he set out to build a conservative equal to MoveOn. Does that comparison hold up? What lessons about activism, organizing, and persuasion are found in comparing these orgs? New from @ninahall.bsky.social & @davekarpf.bsky.social

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ssir.orgBuilding a Culture of Conflict Resiliency (SSIR)Conflict is inevitable in any organization. The question for the nonprofit sector and its supporters is how to structure it in ways that strengthen communities.

In 2022, Causa—a leading immigrant-rights org in Oregon—announced its closure, citing fundraising difficulties, staff and leadership turnover, and an unresolved labor dispute. To many, the news was surprising, but the deeper story was familiar: The mission did not fail; internal relationships had.

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Madalina Vlasceanu, PhD

@madalina.bsky.social

The Fight for Life on Earth Is Regaining Momentum | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/clim...

psychologytoday.comThe Fight for Life on Earth Is Regaining MomentumFrom collective efficacy to AI governance, Climate Week revealed signs that the climate movement is rebuilding momentum and expanding the possibilities for meaningful action.

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Politics and Social Change Lab

@pascl-stanford.bsky.social

Thanks to @herbertchang.bsky.social for sharing his insightful work on how AI can influence politics under geopolitical threat in the lab last week! @robbwiller.bsky.social

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Live tomorrow @ 9am PT/12pm ET: SSIR talks w/ Katie Deal about new financial models enabling renters to enjoy some of the wealth-building benefits of property ownership. Register here to join: stanford.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

For Stanford PACS, 2025-2026 was an exciting year of progress towards our three core goals: expanding the reach and impact of research, developing the next generation of scholars and leaders, and strengthening the practice of #philanthropy and #SocialInnovation. ✨

Across Stanford PACS and @ssir.org, we brought scholars, students, philanthropic leaders, and #CivilSociety practitioners together to examine difficult questions, test new approaches, and help translate knowledge into action.

pacscenter.stanford.eduStanford PACS Impact Report 2025-26

We are deeply grateful to our faculty directors and affiliates, students, staff, advisory board, university colleagues, supporters, partners, authors, and practitioners who make this work possible. Explore our 2025-2026 Impact Report for more ⤵️

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podcasts.apple.comGiving With ImpactNon-Profit Podcast · Updated Monthly · A podcast from Stanford Social Innovation Review featuring conversations with leaders from across the philanthropic ecosystem about what’s at the heart of achiev...

Replying to @ssir.org

We'll be publishing new episodes every Monday for the next eight weeks. Listen at ssir.org or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/g... Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/6mrmGgA... Pocket Casts: pocketcasts.com/podcast/givi...

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New podcast! We're excited to relaunch "Giving With Impact" for season 6 today, beginning with a conversation about the growth of impact investing. Megan Kashner of @kelloggschoolnu.bsky.social joins to talk about the trends, critiques, and innovations she's tracking ssir.org/podcasts/ent...

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Robb Willer

@robbwiller.bsky.social

🚨Come work with us! 🚨 We're hiring a postdoc for Stanford's AI for Public Benefit Lab (ai4pb.stanford.edu), in partnership with @stanfordhai.bsky.social Open to PhDs from psych, poli sci, sociology, CS, econ, HCI, data science, etc. Please share! Position: postdocs.stanford.edu/prospective/...

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ssir.orgWho Holds the Keys? Unlocking Foundation Board Support for a Sector in Crisis (SSIR)As federal funding disappears and community organizations close, much of the power to respond sits with foundation boards&#8212;and the moment to use it is now.

"Nearly 70% of nonprofit leaders in the U.S. reported a drop in funding in 2025. At the same time, 65% report demand for their services has increased. 30% have been forced to cut services—among them, programs that are vital to the health, safety, and survival of individuals and families."

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ssir.orgClosing the Rental Wealth Gap (SSIR)For nearly a century, US policy prioritized homeownership to build middle-class wealth&#8212;leaving many renters behind. But innovative new renter-wealth models are enabling renters to access the...

22 Sept

From 1989 to 2022, the median wealth gap between homeowners and renters—the “renter wealth gap”— increased by 70 percent. Homeowners now hold more than 40 times the median net worth of renters.

21 Sept

Aligning your investments with your #philanthropy can help you do more for the causes and communities you care most about. Join us for an immersive program on leading with #IntegratedCapital — designed exclusively for private wealth holders and staff of family offices and foundations.

bit.lyAn exclusive, high-impact programThis unique program blends strategic learning with hands-on application, empowering participants to lead with clarity in the impact investing space.

21 Sept

Over four days of in-person learning at Stanford University, you’ll explore field-tested frameworks and tools to integrate your resources with intention and impact. Learn more and apply by October 1 ⤵️

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21 Sept

The TEV is one of a handful of models today reimagining how rental housing can build wealth for working-class families across the country. The financing infrastructure that the United States built for homeowners can—and should—be built for renters, too.

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ssir.orgNonprofit Mergers Need More Than Mission Alignment (SSIR)What two mergers taught us about the necessary conditions and hard truths that come after "yes."

17 Sept

When nonprofit organizations consider merging, the first question is always about purpose: 'do we share the same mission?' But the more urgent question, the one that determines whether a merger actually happens, is 'why now?'

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ssir.orgScale Doesn’t Belong (Only) to Government (SSIR)Choosing the right path to scale depends on the nature of the problem we're trying to solve.

8 Sept

"If government is one very important pathway to scale, however, the private sector—for-profit and not-for-profit alike—is another. And because there is more than one road to scale, it would be unwise to over-index on a single solution."

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ssir.orgBuilding a Learning Society (SSIR)School-based models for developing talent won't provide the skillful, resilient people every society will need going forward. We need to build civic architecture for recognizing learning whenever...

8 Sept

Online today: Our new cover story is about the past, present, and future of education, learning, and skills development in the United States. The "credential society" that developed in the last half of the 20th century is coming apart. So what comes next?

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ssir.orgHow to Build Digital Health Platforms in Emerging Markets (SSIR)In developing economies, the digital health platforms that actually work are not imported. They are built from scratch by the communities they serve.

31 Aug

"Imported platforms don’t fail in emerging markets because of bad translation. They fail because they were never designed for these places to begin with. The ones that work are built from the ground up by founders who confront the same constraints they’re designing for."

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