Philanthropy is supporting incredible work for the greater good. But in the ways we talk about that work, we could do better. Even as we evolve to meet the compounding challenges that society faces, trust in institutions, including philanthropy, is falling.
To rebuild that trust, we must expand our capacity to elevate the positive impact our work, be clear about our processes, and push back against misconceptions.
To support this work, the Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications are working together to pull forward positive narratives about philanthropy and increase trust in the sector through research, analysis, and message testing. The first step in this work, a landscape scan of the dominant narratives on philanthropy in the United States, showed that philanthropy needs better stories and better language if we want to be better partners to our communities.
A New Voice for Philanthropy
Telling better stories with better language is more than a public relations exercise. It's a comprehensive, data- and research-driven approach that will engage the field, the public, and experts in communications, academia, and public opinion research. We'll explore:
- How both positive narratives and misinformation are shaping Americans’ view of philanthropy;
- The best kinds of stories for lifting up philanthropy’s impact;
- New tools and practices that best deliver new messages;
- How different audience demographics, ideologies, and experiences affect how people receive; stories about philanthropy;
- The way transparent, clear, and accurate language affects how Americans perceive foundations; and
- How philanthropy can unite behind a narrative that connects what we do with whom we serve.
Join Us!
We know that some of you are already doing this work well, or you may know foundations or individuals that are telling great stories. Please join our effort by:
- Emailing us with ideas, tips, or examples; and
- Help our research by taking a five-minute, IRB-approved survey to help capture a fuller picture of narratives around philanthropy. (Please do not take the survey if you are under 18 years old or do not live in the United States.)
