Philanthropy dreams of transformative change, but operates within a dominant worldview that favors white men, capitalism, extraction, unlimited growth, and institutionalized knowledge. Increasingly, our attempts to infuse our work within a “social justice” or “common good” framework changes capitalism at the margins at its best, while at its worst makes capitalism tolerable for the majority of Earth’s inhabitants who aren’t the “winners” in this model. This addresses symptoms, not causes.

We need to ask ourselves: In what other ways do dominant worldviews influence how we think and act? How do they limit what we imagine, and hence what we fund? On our planet overflowing with views of the world and approaches to community, how do we engage with and lift up those more compatible with philanthropy’s goals? If another world is possible, can we fund our way there? And if so, how can our investments and practices reflect the world we want to see?

Three speakers gave us insights both on how philanthropy has been shaped by dominant worldviews, and on how alternative worldviews can help funders achieve their ultimate goal of a better world for all – of transformative change.