The role of philanthropy in systems change

Since Andrew Carnegie established the first US charitable foundation in 1911, grantmakers have fought hard to address entrenched social problems. Billions of charitable gifts have gone to feed the hungry, house the homeless, heal the sick, and educate the underserved. For the better part of a century, responsive giving to address existing needs was the preferred approach for philanthropy. 
But toward the latter part of the 20th Century, astute grantmakers began to question their ability to make change. They began to explore ways to address root causes of social issues – how to prevent disease rather than treat it, how to foster stable housing rather than temporary shelters, or how to improve access to quality education rather than provide remediation. 
However, disease prevention, education, homelessness and other challenges are huge issues. Each organization that grantmakers fund is part of a larger web of organizations, government entities, and communities that make up complex systems that ultimately affect outcomes. For example, Medicaid, Medicare, state and federal regulations, and public and private healthcare providers all form a complex system of healthcare. Pre-k programs, K-12 school districts, colleges and universities, combine with myriad federal, state and local programs and standards to create a highly complicated public education system. Housing authorities, federal, state and local governments, nonprofits, shelters, and other housing providers are similarly participants in a web of funding streams and regulations that create a system of affordable housing. (author introduction) #P4HEwebinarOctober2023