Grant making as advocacy: The emergence of social justice philanthropy

Abstract

Abstract In recent decades the phrase “social justice philanthropy” has emerged to describe grant making for progressive social reform. This article investigates this new discourse based on a cross‐sectional analysis of foundations that actively support nonprofit social action. Smaller foundations, younger foundations, and public foundations are more likely to mention social justice or social change in their program descriptions than are other philanthropic institutions. Results indicate that foundations that set international grant making and rights activities as priorities are more likely to adopt this sensitive discourse than are foundations dedicated to other subjects; foundations with longer legacies of supporting reform also discuss social justice more frequently. This article begins to clarify which foundations provide legitimacy for social change nonprofits through their discourse and offers new insights into the role of foundations as policy actors. These findings suggest that the main advocates for a liberal policy voice within the philanthropic community may be smaller foundations and those incorporated as public foundations, a radical flank that pressures other foundations to expand their funding repertoire.