Stanford University Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society

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

10/20/2026

“It would behoove [Anthropic] to have a separate board and separate governance structure. It would give it a lot more legitimacy.”

Executive Director Priya Shanker spoke with The San Francisco Standard about Anthropic's pledge to redirect 5% of its stock to establish a Public Benefit Fund.

Read the article for additional perspectives on how AI wealth may impact philanthropy—and democracy ⤵️

🔗 https://bit.ly/4iuWNH3

The AI boom is changing how billionaires give away their money, with unconventional donation methods, huge pools of money, and more blatant political motives.

10/15/2026

Since our founding 20 years ago, Stanford PACS has helped build the intellectual foundations of the global, interdisciplinary study of philanthropy and civil society.

Through our fellowship programs, Junior Scholars Forum, Faculty Affiliates program, and more, we have committed to field-building by investing in scholars who study the sector, creating space for research and conversations spanning the social sciences, humanities, engineering, law, education, and business.

For our look back on the center's two decades of impact, alumna Priya Fielding-Singh, PhD ’18, reflected on how PACS gave her a home for questions that didn’t fit neatly within a single academic discipline — questions about inequality, institutions, and how people and communities navigate and collectively bring about social change.

“Just as importantly, PACS was a place where rigorous scholarship and real-world impact were treated as deeply connected rather than separate pursuits," said Priya, who now serves as the Director of Policy and Programs at the Global Food Institute. "That orientation has stayed with me throughout my career and continues to shape how I approach my work today: starting with people’s lived experiences, understanding the systems that shape them, and asking what it would take to change those systems for the better.”

Read more in the Stanford Report ⤵️

🔗 https://stanford.io/4i5Fjjf

The Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society connects research on giving and civil society with public dialogue and hands-on student learning.

10/09/2026

Twenty years ago, a group of Stanford scholars, alumni, and philanthropists recognized that as private wealth and philanthropy grew in scale and influence, the field needed greater scholarly attention, and a dedicated space for rigorous inquiry and constructive dialogue across disciplines and sectors.

Stanford PACS was born. ✨

We are thrilled to celebrate our 20th anniversary this year, a milestone we recently commemorated at our standing-room-only Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening on October 1. The convening featured a fireside chat between President Jon Levin and Melinda French Gates, several breakouts and attendee-led unconferences, and a closing with Jeff Raikes and Lily Sarafan, chair of the Stanford University Board of Trustees.

"The founding mission of PACS was to shine a light on the activities of philanthropy and how it was influencing civil society and the nonprofit sector," said founding Faculty Co-Director Woody Powell in reflecting on the center's origins. "Today, that light is needed more than ever."

Read more about Stanford PACS' two decades of leadership in the field, and what's next. ⤵️

🔗 https://stanford.io/47QcaUl

Stanford faculty, philanthropists, and nonprofit leaders celebrated 20 years of leadership and gathered to reflect on the future of philanthropy at the Women and the Future of Philanthropy convening.

10/09/2026

“True paradigm-level change happens when we start structuring our resources into a dynamic spectrum of purpose.”

Ahead of our Integrating Philanthropy and Investing program later this month, program partner Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth shared insights on the power of moving past conventional asset categories to activate one’s collective resources for greater impact.

Read more: https://bit.ly/479Cvwt

Discover how moving past market-rate binaries and organizing capital around real-world change unlocks true portfolio impact.