Tides Foundation How-To: 5 Grantmaking Best Practices

At Tides, our vision is clear: We believe that a just and equitable future can exist only when communities who have been historically denied power have the social, political, and economic power they need to create it. Our mission is to turn this vision into reality by working with doers and donors to center leaders from these communities, connecting them to services, capacity building, and resources to amplify their impact.

How Does Tides Foundation Do This?  

We live into our mission and trust our grantees who are from communities who have been historically denied power.  

One of the ways we shift power is through our Tides-led initiatives — such our Healthy Democracy Fund and our Women’s Environmental Leadership Fund / WE LEAD. These grantmaking funds are led by Tides’ program staff and independent advisory committees that center the needs and knowledge of grantees and the communities we serve. Our initiatives employ rapid response grants to cover urgent needs, multiyear funding commitments that foster growth and sustainability, and collaborative funding that shifts decision-making power to proximate leaders. 

For individuals and families, Tides provides expert guidance and support so they can reach their philanthropic goals, without the complexities of starting a family foundation. Every donor has a designated advisor to work side-by side with them as they find and recommend grants to organizations working in the areas that are most important to them, from climate justice to immigrants’ rights to reproductive freedom. This relationship fosters connections to the leaders and communities closest to the issues and provides direction on creative and complex grantmaking options that go beyond what’s possible at an advisory firm or commercial provider.
 

How You Can Center Grantmaking Best Practices 

If you lead with your values, you’ll see grantmaking as a tool for change. It becomes clear that resourcing frontline leaders is not only the right thing to do, it’ll shine a light on how grantees’ victories will pave the road for our collective success in taking on the biggest issues of our time.
 

5 Best Practices for Grantmaking 

Here are five things you can do to center your grantees and create lasting change.  

1. Get Off Your Assets

It’s all about taking action. By moving your resources where they’re needed most, swiftly and effectively, you can make a world of difference for frontline leaders who are creating meaningful change in our communities. 

2. Be Transparent and Accessible

Open, honest, and ongoing communication with your grantee partners is key to creating trust and shared purpose.  

3. Have a Learning Mindset

By believing in the power of curiosity and adaptability, you’ll see there is always more to discover. Stay open to new approaches, learning alongside grantees, and share your insights with other funders. Also recognize that it is part of your work to understand the change you may affect. 

4. Let the Communities Lead

Trust in the knowledge of your community partners and let them take the lead in giving out resources. When you meet the changing needs of grantees and their environments, it can help to create real impact. 

5. Build and Center Collaborative Relationships

Change happens when donors come together and truly listen to the communities most affected. Seek opportunities that allow donor partners and grantees to collaborate effectively and purposefully. 

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You can deepen your engagement with communities by building relationships with them, and this will, in turn, further the causes that are important to you. As you begin to use these best practices, you’ll see a roadmap to transformative impact. Your commitment can fuel real and lasting change — contributing to our shared vision of a just and equitable world. 

 

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