Stanford University Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

11/04/2026

New AI wealth could bring a third wave of American philanthropy. How should donors prepare?

At our Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening, Cari Tuna of Good Ventures and Coefficient Giving sat down with Susan Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of Gates Foundation, for a conversation exploring the possibilities and responsibilities for capital stewards in a new era of tech philanthropy.

Moderator Mark Wolfson pointed out that giving has stayed at about 2% of GDP for 75 years. Could this wave change that?

▶️ Watch the full conversation for insights and perspectives, including an introduction by Rob Reich: https://bit.ly/4ejblHw

On October 1, 2026, Stanford University hosted Beyond the Summit: Women and the Future of Philanthropy, a special convening that explored the opportunities, responsibilities, and possibilities facing women as they take on stewardship of unprecedented levels of wealth and influence. As women increasi...

11/03/2026

Local news has been disappearing from communities across the U.S., contributing to declining public trust and increased polarization. But there are bright spots for charting a new path forward.

Liz Simons, Co-Founder and Chair of the Heising-Simons Foundation, outlines why local news is essential for flourishing communities and a healthy democracy—and how philanthropy can help journalism adapt and thrive in this new era.

Read more on our Philanthropy Innovation Summit blog, including examples of a wide range of organizations leading in this space. ⤵️

🔗 https://stanford.io/4zq3Yqf

11/03/2026

In an era of declining trust, what does it take for institutions to become worthy of trust in the first place?

New on our Philanthropy Innovation Summit blog, DeAngela Burns-Wallace, President & CEO of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Stanford PACS Advisory Board member, shares insights on how philanthropic foundations and other institutions can earn public trust—and support a stronger democracy—by not only seeding opportunity but sharing power.

Read: https://stanford.io/4eeDOOI

11/02/2026

What happens after our Education for Philanthropy Professionals (EPP) course ends?

Our inaugural EPP alumni gathering, hosted by alumns Alice Gregori and Luigi Bajetti at their Noi Due Farm, brought together course graduates from numerous cohorts for conversation and community building.

See takeaways and photos from the gathering ⤵️

🔗 https://stanford.io/4AcV4MV

By Stanford PACS

10/29/2026

“It is a gigantic responsibility, and it’s an enormous privilege as well. But I want to challenge you to think really boldly about your role.” — Melinda French Gates

In conversation with Stanford University President Jonathan Levin at our Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening, Melinda French Gates pointed out that only 2% of philanthropic funding has historically gone to causes many women say they care about. She then gave two examples of women whose giving changed history:

➤ Mary Elizabeth Garrett, who insisted that Johns Hopkins medical school admit women
➤ Katharine McCormick, who helped bring the birth control pill to market

The women who came before us changed history. The question is: how will we shape what comes next?

▶️ Watch the clip: https://bit.ly/4zgO8hs

On October 1, 2026, Stanford University hosted Beyond the Summit: Women and the Future of Philanthropy, a special convening that explored the opportunities, responsibilities, and possibilities facing women as they take on stewardship of unprecedented levels of wealth and influence. As women increasi...

10/28/2026

Since 1999, YCAB Foundation's economic empowerment and resilience programs have reached more than five million people.

In commemoration of this month’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Veronica Colondam, founder and CEO of YCAB Foundation, shares insights from her decades of experience investing in family economic security in Indonesia—including how acknowledging philanthropy’s limits can be integral to shaping its success.

Read on our Philanthropy Innovation Summit blog ⤵️

🔗 https://stanford.io/4BwGyAQ

10/26/2026

What is the role of athletics in colleges and universities today? What do athletes owe their schools, and what do schools owe their athletes?

Rapidly changing regulations around Name Image Likeness (NIL), Title IX, and the transfer portal raise fundamental ethical questions on and off the field about opportunity, fairness, and responsibility.

Join the Center for EdEthics this Friday, October 30 for the first event of the 2026–2027 EdEthics Forum at Stanford University. Faculty, leaders, and student athletes will share perspectives on how higher ed institutions can balance success in sports with commitments to their academic and social missions.

Mitchell Stevens, Stanford PACS Faculty Director and Stanford Social Innovation Review Academic Editor, will be among the panelists.

RSVP to attend at Stanford ⤵️

🎟 https://bit.ly/4zLJeZC

10/26/2026

“Rigor and urgency can coexist. Playing the long game doesn’t have to mean moving slowly.” — Tricia Raikes

Priya Shanker opened our Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening by explaining why we came together: “Not just another event about women as donors.” It was a chance for women to learn from one another, build relationships, and engage seriously with some of the larger questions facing philanthropy and civil society.

Tricia Raikes, Co-Founder of the Raikes Foundation, followed by asking what it means to share power:

➤ Move with urgency: Balance long-term commitment with the need to act now.
➤ Share power and ownership: Put resources and influence in the hands of those closest to the challenges.
➤ Embrace collective action: Work together to achieve lasting change.
➤ Lead with courage and humility: Challenge assumptions, learn from others, and support new ideas.
➤ Invest in the future: Use women’s philanthropic power to strengthen democracy and create opportunities for the next generation.

The challenge for all of us: How can we use our collective power to build a more equitable, deeply collaborative, and democratic future?

▶️ Watch here: https://bit.ly/3UOkvVR

On October 1, 2026, Stanford University hosted Beyond the Summit: Women and the Future of Philanthropy, a special convening that explored the opportunities, responsibilities, and possibilities facing women as they take on stewardship of unprecedented levels of wealth and influence. As women increasi...

10/23/2026

How will Anthropic's planned Public Benefit Fund be governed? Where will it direct its spending? Will its funding priorities include addressing the disruptive impacts of AI?

Executive Director Priya Shanker spoke with Inside Philanthropy for a new article exploring these and other questions.

“There is a real opportunity here to build something that is not only well resourced,” Priya said, “but also offers a blueprint for how corporations can translate the value generated by their commercial operations into tangible and lasting public benefit.”

"Shanker also encourages the fund to develop partnerships with local governments, community foundations, and other intermediaries to support individuals and communities experiencing AI-related economic disruption. 'This would allow it to scale up its giving as needs emerge, rather than having to build the necessary infrastructure, relationships and knowledge from scratch,' she said."

Read the full piece for more takeaways ⤵️

🔗 https://bit.ly/3UkTQzN

The fund’s post-IPO value could hit $100 billion. But we don’t know how this new LLC will be governed or spend money, how transparent it will be, or how it will address AI disruption.

10/22/2026

What might it mean for philanthropy if the women now shaping so much of its capital chose to lead differently?

That question guided our recent convening, Beyond the Summit: Women and the Future of Philanthropy. On October 1, we welcomed more than 130 philanthropists and leaders to Stanford University from across generations, geographies, and political identities.

In a new reflection, Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes share what they took away:

➤ The importance of collective action over individual efforts
➤ Collaboration as a means of mutual learning and community empowerment
➤ The value of openness, diverse perspectives, and humility

“The experience of navigating systems of power as women can shape how leadership is understood and exercised.” ✨

Read the full reflection here: https://stanford.io/4yXLYDf

By Priya Shanker and Tricia Raikes