Ascendium's Education Philanthropy’s Post

#AscendiumEP made significant investments during 2023 to identify and validate promising workforce training programs that provide learners with in-demand skills and connect them directly to employment. Learn more about our grantmaking efforts in 2023 by reading our online annual report. #PostsecondaryEd #FromLearningToAction

👋 Happy #FellowFriday! This week on the Fellowship, we hosted our first Working Session, where we came together to discuss and engage creatively with these topics: 🌟 Philanthropy & Fundraising 101 - What do philanthropy and fundraising *really* mean? What principles, values and approaches can guide us to achieve the most impact in these areas? 🌟 Theory of Change - What is a theory of change? And how can we think about our impact in the wider context of an ecosystem? 🌟 Asset Mapping & Donor Offering - What assets does your organisation have, and how can you leverage these to create a donor offering suited to your capacity, needs and donor motivations? This is just the beginning of the learning journey for our Fellows. Many more sessions on funding and fundraising best practice to come. 🔥

Global and national social impact awards because Opportunity Knocks is not just a TV series on PBS. It is The Opportunity Initiative’s behaviorally designed outreach and engagement strategy that leads “underestimated” viewers to leverage nonprofits, CDFIs, and not-for-profit credit unions to make more money, keep more of their own money, and solve big family challenges (healthcare, utilities, immigration) essential to getting ahead! And we are measuring the results!

The website for our Philanthropy Lab – an innovative, transformative space for funders – is now live!  🎉 The Philanthropy Lab is a place for philanthropic funders to connect, develop new forms of strategy, and work together towards greater impact. We believe that to see the fundamental changes our world needs, we must transform how philanthropy happens. The Lab is a place in which to set greater goals together, work across silos and foster systemic change. It is a space to learn about and put into practice new models, transformative structures, and new forms of collective action. Our guiding star is to support economies in service to life, with three active workstreams currently: 👉 Evolving the tax system to serve life 👉 Going beyond ESG 👉 Supporting the rights of nature movement Intrigued? Excited? Head to to the Lab’s brand new website and discover how you can get involved: www.philanthropy-lab.org The Philanthropy Lab is hosted by EFN and the The Bio-Leadership Project. #philanthropy #lab #learning #funding #grants #trusts #funders #foundations #impact

#Funders, it's a crucial time to be listening to grant recipients, staff, and other stakeholders, and to do so in a comprehensive and equity-centered way. CEP's benchmarking tools and resources are designed to help you understand both what's going well and where your work can be even better - and to contribute to an overall culture of learning from and with your partners. #philanthropy #philanthropiceffectiveness

Here's how #K12 leaders can better utilize data to meet their philanthropic goals. Insights from Sasha Rabkin, Ed.D from Advanced Education Research and Development Fund (AERDF)

At GRM, we believe that making a meaningful impact often lies in the little things that might seem small or ignorable to many. Recently, we had the privilege of donating ceiling fans to multiple schools, ensuring that every child can learn in a comfortable environment. The event was graced by our esteemed Founder and Ex-Chairman, Mr. Hukam Chand Garg, whose vision continues to inspire us. His presence was a testament to the values we hold dear – that of giving back to our community and focusing on the finer details that contribute to a brighter future. We know firsthand the importance of a conducive learning environment and the profound impact it can have on a child's ability to focus, learn, and dream bigger. It's these seemingly small contributions that can have a massive impact – much like the butterfly effect. It’s not just the grand gestures that matter, but also the everyday comforts and logistics that make a school a true haven for learning. Together, let’s continue to support education not only by infrastructure but also by ensuring that these spaces are accessible, joyful, and encouraging. It’s the collective effort of addressing both the big and small needs that truly builds the foundation for future generations. #BuildingFutures #CommunitySupport #EducationForAll #GRMOverseas #SmallGesturesBigImpact #ChildhoodEducation #ComfortInLearning #GivingBack

Between 2019-2023, estimated giving has grown a cumulative $123B, or 28%, reflecting long-term steady growth in philanthropy. Click to learn how multiple factors shaped giving in 2023: bit.ly/4bM5cjF

~~ WONDER CAMP: AN INVESTMENT IN REVOLUTION ~~ As Paige Walthall & Katie Hawkins know, there's a real part of me that gets stressed about the upcoming Wonder Camp HCD bootcamp, because I feel "but we're giving away so much of our secret sauce here!!" I'll admit some hesitancy and nervousness about sharing so much of our methodology. But I've also been the one saying for nine years that: a) we are in the early stages of a deeply important "romantic revolution" that brings #humancentered, #experiencedriven balance to the longstanding reliance (and over-reliance) upon data-driven, "scientific" #marketing and #fundraising systems and techniques b) this will enthuse donors and prospects for unprecedented participation, resulting in growth that most organizations in our sector haven't seen for a long, long time AND c) that this experience-driven #RomanticRevolution isn't going to just happen. It's going to take people with passion, endurance, knowledge and will to make it so I'm standing on the sidelines and not fully contributing to "c" above if I hold us back from sharing some of our most important techniques and methods with those of you doing the most important work in our sector. So that's what Wonder Camp's Human Centered Design for Nonprofits certification is all about. It's our investment in the cause. We're investing in making YOU better, so that you can change your organization for the better. Wonder Camp: October 15-17 in Carefree Arizona. The best event you'll participate in all year - it's not even close. LESSSSGOOOOO!

As we enter a future that’s more interconnected and interdependent than ever, we’re redefining what global learning looks like. Although the world has changed drastically over the past 92 years, one thing has remained constant: our role to convene and connect Pittsburghers who care about the world. Although our WHAT has remained the same, our HOW has evolved to reflect our changing society. In 2023, we expanded our reach to meet people where they are, whether in a classroom, conference room, or on a bike trail. You can learn about a few of these paths to global connection in our 2023 Annual Report! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e99wRFUJ #globallearning #globaleducation #pittsburgh #nonprofit #annualreport #yearinreview #culturaldiversity #worldaffairs #worldaffairscouncil