Using Lessons From Public Affairs to Inform Strategic Philanthropy

Abstract

Although private, institutional philanthropy can be an engine of significant social change, often this possibility is not realized. This article creates a new framework to inform philanthropic strategy built from lessons gleaned from decades of public affairs research. Drawing on what is known about social change movements, government relationships with nonprofits, and nonprofit management, key questions help foundation staff develop and hone their strategy. A flexible framework for private investment in human services fields is developed and implications for practice and future research are considered.