Theory to Practice is an ongoing series of discussions hosted by the Evans School that brings together academics and researchers at UW with practitioners in the field to explore key policy, governance, and social sector topics.
As a sector, philanthropy is beginning to acknowledge and grapple with an inherent dissonance: though philanthropy’s intended purpose is to create positive change, it can also be a driver of continued inequity and harm. The policies and structures that support charitable giving have perpetuated wealth inequalities, and the practices that many philanthropic institutions have historically employed may cause harm to the communities they are trying to support.
On December 7, 2023, Maria Kolby-Wolfe, President and CEO of Washington Women’s Foundation, and David Suárez, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Evans School spoke about systemic challenges in philanthropy as well as new models that strive to reduce harm and shift power to communities closest to the work.