Internal Culture, External Impact: How a Changemaking Culture Positions Foundations to Achieve Transformational Change -- With 2024 Prologue.

Authors of this article, originally published in 2016, argue that a foundation's internal culture is critical to achieving large-scale social change, but that efforts to build a changemaking culture too often are left out of strategy conversations. While there is no one culture that suits every foundation, a particular set of characteristics must be present in those that seek large-scale social change: a focus on outcomes, transparency, authenticity, collaboration, racial equity and inclusion, continuous learning, and openness to risk. This article offers insights into why culture can be challenging for foundations to address and maintain, examines cases of successful culture change at foundations, and offers advice for foundations that aspire to it. In the 2024 prologue, the authors note that philanthropy has evolved in some important ways since the article was written. One significant change has been an increase in the number of foundations that are shifting priorities and practices to center racial equity -- this out of recognition that race is the biggest indicator of disparities on a range of social issues in the United States. For foundations working to build a culture centered on equity and inclusion, the authors offer three recommendations: be intentional with language, prioritize relationships and listening, and pay attention to power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]