A global online festival, organised by the Global Fund for Community Foundations (GFCF) as part of the Giving for Change programme, brought together nearly 300 community leaders, activists, filmmakers and human rights defenders to reflect on the power of community philanthropy amid shrinking aid, rising geopolitical tensions and overlapping crises. Speakers emphasised that community philanthropy is deeply rooted in local traditions worldwide and is based on solidarity, shared responsibility and care, rather than donor-driven agendas. Examples from Africa, Latin America and the Middle East showed how community-led initiatives meet urgent needs, protect dignity and enable faster, more humane responses in times of crisis. The discussions also underlined that community philanthropy goes beyond charity, serving as a tool for advocacy, social change and accountability, while not replacing the responsibility of the state. As traditional development systems become more fragile, participants stressed that sustainable change depends on trusting communities to lead and valuing locally held knowledge and relationships. Read more here.
Source: GFCF
