Stanford Social Innovation Review

MAY 6, 2025

Autocratic governments, nihilistic oligarchs, escalating climate impacts, dynamic pandemics, menacing technologies, rampant misinformationall of these forces and more conspire to leave Americans and people around the world feeling less safe, more uncertain, and more frightened about the future.

Nonprofit governance and management 94

Nonprofit governance and management Civil Society Collaborations Public and Social Policy 94

NonProfit Quarterly

JUNE 11, 2025

In their forthcoming book Liberation Stories: Building Narrative Power for 21st Century Social Movements , coeditors Shanelle Matthews and Marzena Zukowska share a compilation of stories by communications workers from some of the most impactful social movements in the United States. All rights reserved.

Public and Social Policy 97

Public and Social Policy Public Policy Culture Governance 97

Stanford Social Innovation Review

MAY 20, 2025

Some of you are cautious of making public statements, worried political backlash could freeze assets, as has already happened to others. Yet for civil society, this restraint feels indistinguishable from abandonment. During COVID, bold partnerships and government action fast-tracked changes that once took decades.

Philanthropy 125

Philanthropy Health Civil Society Public and Social Policy 125

Stanford Social Innovation Review

JUNE 17, 2025

These leaders are transforming public systems from within—finding champions in government, building cross-sector coalitions, persisting through setbacks, and continuing to deliver impact for the communities they work with. It’s not to replace public systems but to help make them better. 2) We’re getting on with the work.

Philanthropy 52

Philanthropy Public and Social Policy Governance Civil Society 52

Stanford Social Innovation Review

DECEMBER 23, 2024

Three years into this effort, more than 50 schools have joined the movement, all aligned around a commitment to living the values of active citizenship, social justice, and good governance. Public schools, which serve about 40 percent of Lebanons 1.1 million students, have been particularly affected.

Education 75

Education Education Public and Social Policy Nonprofit governance and management 75

NonProfit Quarterly

JUNE 6, 2025

It’s easy to see why totalitarian governments would want to destroy the ability of people to see things from different perspectives and come up with a shared reality. Totalitarian governments want us to believe that there is only “one” truth: theirs. Bonding Versus Bridging Think about your own social circles.

Public and Social Policy 96

Public and Social Policy Governance Values Energy 96

Stanford Social Innovation Review

JUNE 23, 2025

Social Issues Education, Health, Security, etc. Arts & Culture Cities Civic Engagement Economic Development Education Energy Environment Food Health Human Rights Security Social Services Water & Sanitation Sectors Government, Nonprofit, Business, etc. Simply asking “why?”

Participation and motivation 103

Participation and motivation Nonprofit governance and management Health Public and Social Policy 103

The NonProfit Times

OCTOBER 15, 2024

By Shaista Keating and Chloe Mankin The rapid evolution and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies (AI) offer both opportunities and challenges to civil society, particularly concerning responsible and ethical usage. Foundational efforts in these areas are underway. UNICEF has developed guidelines for AI use.

Civil Society 105

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Ethics Public and Nonprofit Management 105

NonProfit Quarterly

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

Image Credit: photos by Mohammed Ibrahim on Unsplash, Anzhela Bets on Unsplash , Henry Wilkins via VOA, and Steve Sandford via VOA “Civil society is being tested like never before by a series of multiple and accelerating crises” (4). Threats to US Civil Society These threats to civil society include the United States.

Civil Society 130

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Law Environmental 130

NonProfit Quarterly

JANUARY 28, 2025

The unprecedented move, whose legality has already been challenged, could affect trillions of dollars in federal aid to thousands of programs, and threatens to have a catastrophic impact on the US nonprofit sectorand civil society at largeif the funds are successfully halted.

Civil Society 142

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Public and Nonprofit Management Law 142

NonProfit Quarterly

JUNE 10, 2025

In this series, The Unexpected Value of Volunteers , author Jan Masaoka takes on the underappreciated topic of volunteerism, provides some unexpected ideas, and points the way toward a public policy agenda on volunteerism. Others may support public institutions like local PTAs and Friends of the Library chapters.

Civil Society 109

Civil Society Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Public and Social Policy 109

NonProfit Quarterly

APRIL 29, 2025

Columbia, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Northwestern and the University of Pennsylvania have all experienced withdrawn federal grantspart of a broader strategy to condition public funding on political compliance. Federal officials had previously warned 60 institutions that their civil rights policies could jeopardize their grants.

Civil Society 116

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Universities Education 116

NonProfit Quarterly

MAY 9, 2025

The Schott Foundation for Public Education accurately describes the familiar pattern as boom-and-bust cycles of funding whenever a big election is looming. As Harvard Kennedy School Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society Marshall Ganz points out, there is a large gap between mobilizing and organizing.

Nonprofit Administration and Development 109

Nonprofit Administration and Development Public and Social Policy Leadership Civil Society 109

NonProfit Quarterly

APRIL 21, 2025

the time of publication, 394 organizations have signed the statement since the initial call. The order tasks departments to identify up to nine potential civil compliance investigations of publicly traded corporations, large non-profit corporations or associations, foundations with assets of 500 million dollars or more.

Foundations 105

Foundations Civil Society Public and Social Policy Law 105

NonProfit Quarterly

JUNE 20, 2025

As interest costs of carrying that rising debt increase, politicians will increasingly sacrifice government spending on social programs in order to pay off interest to corporations and the rich.” The opposition raises public anxiety about it, and [passage] looks doubtful.” Quite the contrary.

Public and Social Policy 96

Public and Social Policy Nonprofit Administration and Development Healthcare Civil Society 96

Stanford Social Innovation Review

JUNE 17, 2025

Both communities are designed to pool philanthropic funding, aligning resources and expertise among diverse partners, with an aim to support targeted programs and policy efforts that can create long-term, region-wide impact. Adopting Flexible and Community-Driven Approaches Philanthropy’s role is not to simply replace government funding.

Philanthropy 59

Philanthropy Civil Society Public and Social Policy Collaborations 59

NonProfit Quarterly

JUNE 16, 2025

My social media feeds were full of images of empty streets and abandoned street vendor carts. Together, we’ve passed two statewide policies and more local ordinances that create a formal pathway for street vendors to get permits so they can build their businesses in peace.

Public and Social Policy 83

Public and Social Policy Nonprofit Administration and Development Food Construction 83

Stanford Social Innovation Review

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

My peers and I in the CHIC networkalong with many other social innovators and supporters like the Skoll Foundationhave been driving toward systemic change on this issue, from different angles, for decades. Skoll has observed that successful social movements often share a special sauce that elevates their effectiveness: a system orchestrator.

Health 132

Health Public and Social Policy Civil Society Finance 132

NonProfit Quarterly

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Credit: Photo by Jay Soundo on Unsplash Nonprofits are reeling, with many reporting fear of government reprisal and/or public or private backlash for addressing politically sensitive issues. Fear of government retaliation a widespread concern. Theres fear of retribution.

Public and Social Policy 113

Public and Social Policy Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Governance 113

NonProfit Quarterly

FEBRUARY 2, 2025

The coalition is raising alarms over the potentialand already realimpact the proposed funding freeze could have on hundreds of billions of dollars that flow to work undertaken, often on behalf of government, by nonprofits across the US. The administrations subsequent rescinding of the freeze was in fact a bait and switch.

Public and Social Policy 119

Public and Social Policy Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Nonprofits 119

NonProfit Quarterly

MARCH 13, 2025

Credit: Good Faces on Unsplash Eight years ago, at the dawn of President Donald Trumps first administration, airports were flooded by public demonstrations protesting an executive order banning travel from a number of majority Muslim countries. This time, as Trumps second administration begins, an explicit travel ban is missing.

Philanthropy 100

Philanthropy Public and Social Policy Law Governance 100

NonProfit PRO

JUNE 25, 2025

These shifts have introduced uncertainty for organizations committed to equity, as they put funding, legal standing and public perception in flux. Some helpful questions to consider: How vulnerable are your funding streams to changes in public policy or political oversight? What are their social identity markers?

Nonprofit Administration and Development 230

Nonprofit Administration and Development Public and Nonprofit Management Nonprofit governance and management Public and Social Policy 230

Stanford Social Innovation Review

JUNE 17, 2025

That means that questions surrounding the legitimacy of philanthropy—what value it provides to the public, how responsive it is to the public’s needs, and how it aligns with democratic norms and institutions—must sit at the center of its response to the moment. Beware of the limits of philanthropic deliverism.

Civil Society 59

Civil Society Philanthropy Public and Social Policy Governance 59

NonProfit Quarterly

JULY 15, 2025

Some people focus on political institutions , such as federal courts or opposition-led state governments, to act as bulwarks against autocracy. Still others believe that Trump’s economic mismanagement or attacks on “third rails” like Social Security and Medicaid will undermine the administration’s support.

Civil Society 56

Civil Society Activism Public and Social Policy Nonprofit Administration and Development 56

NonProfit Quarterly

APRIL 17, 2025

Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) calls these efforts a coordinated assault on civil society and democracy. Much of this funding comes in the form of government grants or contracts for nonprofits providing vital services and programs essential to preserving the safety net in their communities.

Nonprofit Administration and Development 52

Nonprofit Administration and Development Nonprofit governance and management Public and Social Policy Social Enterprise 52

NonProfit PRO

JUNE 25, 2025

These shifts have introduced uncertainty for organizations committed to equity, as they put funding, legal standing and public perception in flux. Some helpful questions to consider: How vulnerable are your funding streams to changes in public policy or political oversight? What are their social identity markers?

Nonprofit Administration and Development 130

Nonprofit Administration and Development Public and Nonprofit Management Nonprofit governance and management Public and Social Policy 130

Stanford Social Innovation Review

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

Even where there is overall economic growth, continued concentration of ownership prevents ordinary working people, and marginalized communities in particular, from reaping the benefits of their contributions, reinforcing power imbalances and social inequalities. million in bonuses paid over and above their greenleaf income.

Governance 71

Governance Public and Social Policy Production Finance 71

The NonProfit Times

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

According to The Generosity Commission, they instead are complex actions that go straight to the core of civil society and democracy, which includes declining trust of institutions and neighbors and social isolation. By Paul Clolery Making a donation to charity or volunteering time would seem to be relatively simple acts.

Civil Society 110

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Volunteerism Volunteerism 110

Philanthropy 2173

OCTOBER 21, 2024

Pick an area of social, economic or political life and I can guarantee you people somewhere are trying to figure out how to govern energy systems, communication sites, health policy, economic policy, political campaigns, and nations in ways that account for our digital dependencies, something the 18th century thinkers were spared.

Civil Society 52

Civil Society Governance Public and Social Policy Energy 52

Stanford Social Innovation Review

MARCH 23, 2023

What little optimism remains to tackle such complex challenges is mostly placed in supranational schemes, such as the COP climate change conferences, or transformational national policy, such as the Green New Deal in the US. ” Scaling up social innovation takes time, but there are also varying ways it can be done.

Civil Society 119

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Construction Governance 119

Stanford Social Innovation Review

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Colclough & Kate Lappin In 2018 in the Netherlands, the public learned that Dutch tax authorities had for years been using an AI-driven system to incorrectly accuse people of committing child welfare fraud. They also show that protecting labor rights is foundational to protecting human and civil rights as well. By Christina J.

Public and Social Policy 143

Public and Social Policy Governance Civil Society Technology 143

Stanford Social Innovation Review

JUNE 17, 2024

It’s time to work shoulder-to-shoulder with civil society and government to do the big, urgent work that no sector can accomplish alone, to adopt entirely new systems of operating that enable all people to thrive and reach their full potential and protect our natural environment. But they never have. America runs on business.

Public and Social Policy 131

Public and Social Policy Civil Society Governance Public Policy 131

Stanford Social Innovation Review

SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

The social sector is using big data to enhance nonprofit transparency and knowledge more than ever before, and the opening of the Form 990 has made an essential contribution. Yet despite these breakthroughs, the social sector has only begun to scratch the surface of open 990 data’s capabilities.

Public and Social Policy 126

Public and Social Policy Nonprofit governance and management Public and Nonprofit Management Governance 126

Stanford Social Innovation Review

OCTOBER 18, 2023

They aspire to be the vanguard—titans behind the policies, reforms, and decisions that will build our collective tomorrow. Several recent studies reveal that, globally, people under 30 lack trust in their national governments, do not feel heard by politicians, and have lower levels of participation in national elections.

Public and Social Policy 132

Public and Social Policy Governance Civil Society Public Policy 132

NonProfit Quarterly

SEPTEMBER 12, 2024

These laws, purportedly designed as a check on foreign interference, limit civil society organizations and restrict democratic practice by cutting off funding from foundations to movement organizations. A Government of National Unity As a response to the dwindling support, the ANC agreed to form a coalition government.

Philanthropy 97

Philanthropy Public and Social Policy Poverty Civil Society 97

Philanthropy 2173

MARCH 17, 2020

Governments expanding their surveillance capabilities under the guise of public health, but neatly omitting any plans to "turn it off" when situations change. A social media connected world without human content moderation. We all live in digital civil society now. There is no civil society without digital rights.

Civil Society 40

Civil Society Public and Social Policy Public Policy Governance 40

Stanford Social Innovation Review

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Often portrayed in Western feminist literature as the disempowered, the excluded, and needing rescue, India in fact continues to be reinvented by the heads, hands, and hearts of her women—from farmers, to craftswomen, to political leaders, to social reformers. The world’s largest cooperative dairy is also in India.

Food 122

Food Civil Society Agriculture Public and Social Policy 122