A landmark 2025 study, “Safeguarding in Philanthropy: Safer Grant-Making for Greater Impact,” by Accountable Now and the Funder Safeguarding Collaborative, reveals that while global grant-makers are increasingly prioritizing safety, significant gaps remain between policy and practice. Drawing on insights from 87 funders and nearly 300 grantees, the report warns that many organizations still treat safeguarding as a “tick-box” administrative hurdle rather than a living organizational culture. To combat this, the study introduces the three pillars of safer grant-making: radical clarity in definitions (covering physical, sexual, and emotional harm), contextual flexibility to reduce the burden on small CSOs, and the move toward evidence-based practice standards. For donors, the findings highlight that sustainable impact is closely linked to funding practices that protect the dignity and safety of the communities they serve. Read more here.
Source: Funder Safeguarding Collaborative
