PACS Blog / July 23, 2025

Inside the Stanford Course Empowering Students to Become Philanthropists

By Clarissa Chiu

“Knowing that our class was responsible for distributing real funds added a powerful sense of accountability to apply the tools and frameworks of philanthropy we learned throughout the course.“

Chelsey Darian Arellano
Ethical and Effective Philanthropy in Sustainable Development student

This past quarter, students in the Ethical and Effective Philanthropy in Sustainable Development course, led by Stanford PACS Faculty Co-Director Patricia Bromley and Director of Research and Education Vera Michalchik and supported by The Philanthropy Lab, explored a central challenge in the world of giving: how to make the greatest impact with limited resources. Through class discussions, readings, and real decision-making power, students learned about the history and structure of philanthropy and the nonprofit sector while developing tools to guide their giving decisions.

The course also created opportunities beyond the classroom. Students from across the country who took part in the philanthropy course were invited to represent their university at the Philanthropy Lab Ambassadors conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Maurquez Devynn Thompson and Monica Tavassoli attended to represent Stanford University. There, Maurquez pitched and won a $50,000 grant for the nonprofit Equal Justice Initiative, and Monica pitched the nonprofit Jamboree Housing Corporation, which placed second and received $1,000. Their success is just one example of how this course empowers students to move from learning about philanthropy to actively shaping it.

We spoke with Chelsey Darian Arellano and Erick Noel Rocha, two students from the course, to hear what they took away from the experience and how it’s influencing their future paths.

The Ethical and Effective Philanthropy in Sustainable Development class (left); Maurquez Devynn Thompson and Monica Tavassoli at the Philanthropy Lab Ambassadors conference in Fort Worth, TX (right)

What initially drew you to take this philanthropy course?

Chelsey: I was initially drawn to this philanthropy course because I wanted to explore the role that justice-oriented philanthropic grantmaking plays in elevating community expertise and filling public service gaps in underrepresented communities. I was deeply excited to learn about how my identities and previous experiences in the fields of gender equity and immigration advocacy could contribute to a field that is traditionally associated with power and expertise. I knew that this course would implement Stanford’s principles of ethical and effective service to discuss the power of strategic partnerships and advocacy.

Erick: When I heard that this course offered the opportunity to give real money to a nonprofit of the class’s choosing, I was incredibly excited. I’ve worked as a fundraising development intern for several smaller nonprofits that deeply resonate with me, and I know how difficult it can be to raise enough funding while carrying out the mission of the organization. I had also worked at the San Francisco Foundation and developed an unexpected and deep passion for the philanthropic sector, so this class seemed too good to pass on.

How did it feel to give away real money? Was there a sense of pressure, responsibility, or empowerment?

C: Knowing that our class was responsible for distributing real funds added a powerful sense of accountability to apply the tools and frameworks of philanthropy we learned throughout the course. It also made me feel deeply empowered to realize that the identities and perspectives I brought to my team had a tangible impact. This became especially meaningful when our team won second place, and I saw how my decision to connect my personal background as a low-income student directly influenced a financial contribution to a nonprofit whose mission and values align closely with my own.

E: This was definitely the highlight of the class. I really did feel a strong motivation to advocate for the organization we chose, but I felt a pressure to try to limit my biases and take the time to thoroughly evaluate the organizations that the other groups chose. Ultimately, I realized that the recipients we chose were more than deserving of the grant, and I was so happy to know that they would be able to grow as a result of our class’s efforts.

What was the most challenging part of deciding where the class should allocate funds?

C: The most challenging part of deciding where to allocate the funds was that each team presented a unique organization addressing critical issue areas. This became especially difficult when comparing organizations within the same issue area—such as affordable housing—but based in different geographic regions. In these moments, our peers had to carefully evaluate each nonprofit’s mission, the diversity of its staff, its data-driven impact, and how well it aligned with a long-term, sustainable vision for change.

E: I think the most challenging part of deciding where to allocate funds was that pitches for organizations that supported individuals directly rather than larger movements, projects, or missions were perceived by many of our peers as more effective. While I understand that these interventions offer more tangible and measurable outcomes, I wanted to emphasize that there’s still immense value in supporting movements and organizations working toward systemic change. These efforts may be harder to quantify in the short term, but they address the root causes of inequality and can generate broader, more lasting impact over time.

What frameworks or tools did you learn from this course and do you see yourself using them in future decision-making, whether in philanthropy, business, or other areas?

C: One of my biggest takeaways from this course is that trust-based philanthropy is a crucial approach that empowers nonprofit organizations to allocate funds based on their own internal priorities, rather than being limited by the constraints of short-term, impact-driven metrics. Moving forward in my decision-making processes, this approach underscored that the most authentic and lasting impact comes from directly involving community members and experts at every stage. It also requires an intentional commitment to deprioritize one’s own comfort or desire for a “warm glow” in favor of centering the needs and voices of those most directly affected.

E: I spent a lot of time thinking about the differences between dominant models of philanthropy, like the more recent effective altruism and traditional philanthropic practices, versus the more community-grounded trust-based approach. I definitely thought of myself as a proponent of the trust-based approach, but in the actual process of choosing where to give, I found that I struggled internally with applying a variety of tactics from the different approaches offered. As someone who hopes to work in philanthropy in the future, I know that to implement practices that are truly best for nonprofits, I need to have a very conscious and intentional attitude.

What do you hope to carry forward from this experience in your own life, whether professionally or personally?

C: Next year, I will be moving to New York to join the Ford Foundation’s Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice team as part of the Stanford Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy cohort. This class reminded me that there is always space to draw from my personal experiences to meaningfully support nonprofit organizations and contribute to equity-driven philanthropy. It also revealed a new pathway for creating systemic change—one that centers lived experience, humility, and long-term relationship-building. As I prepare for this next chapter, I feel more confident in my ability to bring both critical analysis and personal insight into philanthropic spaces, and to advocate for funding practices that honor community wisdom.

E: One of the most important things I’ll carry forward from this experience is the ability to question how and why funding decisions are made and to stay grounded in the realities of the communities being served. This course helped me recognize how easily philanthropy can default to prioritizing measurable, short-term impact or compelling narratives over deeper, systemic change. As I begin my Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy in New York City similar to Chelsey, I want to hold onto the lessons of this class: to value trust-based relationships, to push back on surface-level metrics when necessary, and to advocate for strategies that center long-term equity. Personally, this experience has deepened my commitment to using philanthropy as a tool to address the issues important to me, like a serious lack of affordable housing and economic insecurity.

The winning grantee organizations selected by the class include: