Investing in Civil Society: The Foundation of Democracy
I’ve spent most of my career working in some of the world’s most challenging, conflict-ridden, and repressive places. Each place was defined by its local context, but all were fragile states, meaning there was an absence or a breakdown of a social contract between people and their governments. When countries...
Navigating Challenges with Unity: Human Rights Day Reflections with Caitlin Heising
On December 10 each year, a global community of human rights defenders observes the principles articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, first ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948. International Human Rights Day celebrates the fundamental rights and freedoms that connect us all as human beings with...
Community Makes All the Difference: Reflections on National Philanthropy Day
National Philanthropy Day is a time to honor the ways we give our time, talent, treasure, and ties. As we celebrate together today, we’re reminded of the power of community in advancing social impact. Since 2006, Stanford PACS has shown how philanthropy and social innovation thrive when practitioners come together...
Beyond the Summit: Reimagining Democracy
Last month Stanford PACS convened over 70 leading philanthropists, leaders, and scholars, to reimagine the structures, systems, and norms that govern US democracy. The day was rich with reflections on the many challenges facing liberal democracy in the US, the cultural forces and institutional constraints that have led to this...
Shifting the Poverty Paradigm: Piramal Foundation
A Journey of Purpose Eighteen years ago, I began the journey of building the Piramal Foundation with a simple belief: if we can instill compassion and empathy in rigid systems, especially among government middle managers who deliver critical services, we can change outcomes for millions. What began as a small...
Our Imperative: Commit and Invest
Nonprofits and foundations across the nation are working under immense pressure to meet rising needs, even as they themselves face growing threats. Policy reversals, investigations, funding cuts, and regulatory uncertainty are requiring leaders to adapt quickly with fewer resources. Low-income families, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, and communities of color are standing...
Are We Listening? Redefining ‘Youth Empowerment’
On International Youth Day, lessons from Washington’s youth homelessness success reveal why investing in young people is essential to our future. Gen Z is often misunderstood. Recent research shows that Gen Z Americans are more likely than all other generations to say that the country is on the wrong track,...
Whatever your first issue is, this should be your second: The rationale for funding local news
In the philanthropic sector, we’re used to funding public goods like emergency response, education, government accountability and the arts. What many of us have failed to see, however, is the vital role local news plays in supporting these public goods – and serving as its own public good, something many...
How Philanthropy Can Help Tackle the Worst-Case Climate Change Scenarios
About five years ago, stuck at home during the pandemic, I began researching what I could personally do to help address climate change. There were and are many ways to help reduce emissions, which we need to do faster and better. But after a career in Silicon Valley focusing on...
Redefining Educational Equity: Neeru Khosla on Philanthropy and the Future of Learning
“It is very hard to change systems, but you must keep trying, and do so alongside people who are equally, if not more, committed to making change in whatever issue you care about. There is no one way to do good in the world.” -Neeru Khosla Neeru Khosla is the...