Honoring 2 Community-Centered Leaders in Health Philanthropy
Grantmakers In Health announced Mark Constantine of the Dogwood Health Trust as the 2026 Terrance Keenan Leadership Award winner and Gladys Vega of La Colaborativa as the 2026 Andy Hyman Award for Advocacy recipient. Both leaders are recognized for centering community in health philanthropy—Constantine for advancing rural health equity in Western North Carolina, and Vega for decades of immigrant and low‑income advocacy in Massachusetts. The awards underscore a broader shift toward community‑driven approaches in the health sector. GIH President Cara V. James highlighted their long‑standing impact and relevance in today’s challenging environment.
India’s Social Sector: Scaling Momentum to Improve Resilience and Close Funding Gaps
Research by The Bridgespan Group shows Indian funders are increasingly entering multiyear partnerships and covering core operational costs for nonprofits, signaling a shift toward true‑cost funding. The Pay‑What‑It‑Takes (PWIT) India Initiative, backed by six philanthropic partners and 15 nonprofit leaders,...
Spurring Investment in Movement-Rooted Philanthropic Intermediaries
In early 2026 thought leaders highlighted turbulence across philanthropy—democratic fragility, government overreach, funding cuts, and pressure on nonprofits—but omitted movement‑rooted philanthropic intermediaries. Collaborative funds, which move $4‑7 billion annually across more than 500 global pools, consistently rank in the top 15...
Rising Sea Levels and Sinking Coastal Lands: 2 Studies Reshape Our Understanding of Climate Threats
Two new peer‑reviewed studies reveal that real‑world sea levels are roughly one foot higher than most global models predict, and that many coastal regions are sinking faster than the oceans rise. Researchers examined 385 tidal‑gauge sites and found baseline sea‑level...
![Tracking the World’s Rarest Chimpanzees Despite Conflict [Video]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/d8dbd2b500312952870abebdaf591d98.webp)
Tracking the World’s Rarest Chimpanzees Despite Conflict [Video]
Nigeria’s Gashaka Gumti National Park, home to the world’s rarest Nigeria‑Cameroon chimpanzee, saw research halt in 2018 due to insecurity. A 2023 co‑management deal between the Nigerian government and Africa Nature Investors Foundation revived the effort, hiring over 180 rangers....
Protecting Flowering Plants Is Crucial to Our Future
Ecologist David George Haskell argues that flowering plants ignited a massive biodiversity surge and now underpin modern ecosystems. In his new book How Flowers Made Our World, he explains how floral genetics enabled angiosperms to colonize new habitats for over 130 million...
Cash Flow Underwriting Expands Economic Opportunity by Looking at Behavior in the Present, Not the Past
Cash flow underwriting replaces reliance on historical credit data with real‑time analysis of transactional accounts. By monitoring spending patterns, income streams, and debt management, lenders gain a dynamic view of a borrower’s current financial health. The approach complements traditional credit...
How Inexpensive Rooms Once Prevented Homelessness
In the mid‑20th century, single‑room occupancy (SRO) housing made up roughly a tenth of rental units in major U.S. cities, offering rooms for $100‑$300 a month—far below today’s median rent of $1,200. A 1955 New York City ordinance banning new SRO...
Colombian Night Monkeys: New Research Looks at These Primates, Little-Known Due to Their Nocturnal Nature
Colombian night monkeys (genus Aotus) have long evaded scientific scrutiny because their nocturnal habits make field observation difficult. Researchers like doctoral student Sebastián Montilla are now pioneering in‑situ studies in Colombia’s coffee‑growing regions, aiming to document behavior that has mostly...
Changing Philanthropy’s Source Code for a Brighter Future
The 2026 Global Philanthropy Leaders Summit, themed “Architecting the future: Operating systems for a new era of philanthropy,” highlighted a shift toward more flexible, multi‑year grants and ecosystem‑focused funding. Participants emphasized the need to address geopolitical fragmentation, rapid technology change,...
What Does It Mean for Funders to Stay Rather Than Surrender Amidst Attacks on Civic Life?
Sadé Dozan’s recent piece urges donors and funders to stay engaged and defend civic life amid growing attacks on community organizing. Drawing on a personal pepper‑spray incident at a queer Brooklyn club, she frames joy as a vital piece of...
Scientists May Be Overestimating the Amount of Microplastics in the Environment – and the Culprit Is Lab Gloves
University of Michigan researchers discovered that standard laboratory gloves can contaminate microplastic samples, leading to severe overestimates of environmental microplastic levels. The gloves release stearate salt particles that spectroscopic tools often mistake for polyethylene, inflating counts by up to 7,000...
10 Tips for Funders Supporting Partners in Countries with Conflict and Closing Civil Spaces
Funders face a tightening landscape as nonprofits grapple with soaring service demand and a $60 billion plunge in overseas development aid. Sanctions, data‑access laws and bans on LGBTQ+, reproductive and refugee work are choking cross‑border philanthropy, leaving high‑risk partners either invisible...
Exploring Decolonial Philanthropy for Trans Movements
The International Trans Fund (ITF) is rethinking its grantmaking by adopting a decolonial framework for trans‑movement support. It highlights how Western‑centric funding models perpetuate colonial power dynamics and marginalise Indigenous gender concepts such as Māori takatāpui. By partnering with trans‑led...
Understanding Philanthropy’s Drag Coefficient for Effective Grantmaking
Philanthropic grants are treated like investments, yet they provide no financial return, creating a hidden "drag coefficient" that erodes impact. Foundations impose extensive application, reporting, and oversight requirements that consume staff time and resources. The article illustrates this with a...
Gender-Affirming Care Becomes a Political Indicator for Top Medical Groups
The American Medical Association (AMA) continues to endorse gender‑affirming care, a position it has reiterated over the past decade. Republican attorneys general from twenty states have written to the AMA demanding it oppose such care for minors, citing potential violations...
Climate Change Is Altering Saharan Dust – and Europe Is Downwind
Climate change is reshaping the Sahara, increasing the risk that dust plumes travel northward into Europe. Models suggest a 40‑60% rise in dust emissions by the end of the century, though recent greening in the Sahel and weaker surface winds...
Reforming Public Health in India: A Roadmap to Universal Health Coverage
India’s public health system, despite its nationwide reach, still fails to provide free, high-quality universal health coverage. The Lancet Commission on a Citizen‑Centred Health System for India, launched in 2020, outlines six reform actions to transform the public sector, emphasizing...