2026 REPORT
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A Calling-in to Philanthropy
We are grateful for your engagement with the Sustainable Grantmaking Benchmark. This is more than a report: it reflects values, a challenge to our philanthropic practice, and a call-in to action for our collective future.
Philanthropy is being tested in this moment. And while the contours of today’s crises may feel new, the essence of the challenge is not.
Philanthropy has shown unity in defending freedom of speech and assembly. But funders must—and are—going further. Many of us are looking to fund in sustainable ways that allow organizations not just to survive, but to lead systemic change, especially important for racial justice grantees. This is critical today, as so many grantee nonprofits are not even surviving, laying off staff, spending down reserves, and facing existential threats. The rigidity of traditional grantmaking cannot meet this moment.
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The Sustainable Grantmaking Benchmark is designed to promote what sustainable grantmaking is, and the path to arrive there. The Benchmark measures the most basic of a foundation’s activities: how it uses its wealth. It assesses whether our grantmaking practices are sustainable by being flexible and responsive—the kind of grantmaking that enables organizations to make systemic changes. It is not intended as a scorecard; rather, it is a learning tool and a starting point for sustainable grantmaking.
We were thrilled to partner with the cohort of philanthropic foundations in our inaugural class. Their transparency and willingness to share their results set a powerful example for the field, a good model for the future of sharing information and collectively moving philanthropy forward.
We invite you to reflect on your own grantmaking practices through the lens of this Benchmark. Engaging in this process is a meaningful step toward aligning our philanthropic commitments with the needs of this moment—and with the future we seek to fund.
Justice is not inevitable. It is intentional.
And together, we must fund it.
John
Dr. John H. Jackson
President & CEO
Schott Foundation for Public Education
Why a Benchmark for Philanthropy?
Foundations & Donors
- Signals which behaviors matter most for grantee sustainability.
- Offers clear guidance on how to strengthen portfolios through multi-year, unrestricted, and endowment-based giving.
- Enables funders to benchmark their own progress and see pathways for improvement.
Nonprofit Recipients
- Encourages transparency and accountability in funding relationships.
- Elevates practices that give grantees more agency, flexibility, and power.
- Pushes funders to adopt practices that sustain—not just support—movements.
Philanthropic Field
- Normalizes new behaviors that are currently unusual, even among equity-focused funders.
- Helps document and validate the funders who are doing this well.
- Promotes learning across different funder types-private, family, PSO, conversion, or pass-through.
What is the Sustainable Grantmaking Benchmark?
Philanthropy is at a crossroads. Many funders aspire to support systemic change, but our practices often fall short, especially for racial justice organizations that need sustained, flexible resources.
The Sustainable Grantmaking Benchmark, developed by the Schott Foundation, is a pioneering initiative to promote equity-centered, long-term funding practices across the sector. It centers transparency, multi-year support, and flexible funding as essential tools for driving systemic change.
The Benchmark is designed to reshape norms and invite participation. By joining, funders signal a commitment to learning, transparency, and equity-driven practice.
- Models Transparency: Sharing practices publicly builds trust and normalizes openness.
- Creates a Community of Practice: A growing cohort is committed to sustainable grantmaking.
- Shapes the Tool: Participant feedback helps refine the Benchmark to reflect diverse foundations.
- Signals Commitment: Multi-year, flexible funding is increasingly recognized as a best practice.
- Inspires Others: Participation encourages peers to take the first step—examples matter.
Benchmark Score Determines Metal Designation
Each participating funder reviewed and agreed to share its results publicly. Based on adoption and depth of practices, funders receive designations—Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. Earning any designation reflects meaningful progress toward durable, equity-driven philanthropy.
- Bronze (20-39 points) Mostly traditional grantmaking while implementing several sustainable grantmaking practices
- Silver (40-59 points) Increasing use of multi-year and flexible support
- Gold (60-79 points) Strong portfolio of unrestricted/multi-year support and some durable practices (endowments, program related investments (PRIs), funding 501(c)(4)s)
- Platinum (80-100 points) Redefining funder–grantee relationships with heavy emphasis on multi-year/unrestricted funding, endowment grants, PRIs, and multi-entity structures
Insights from the Inaugural Cohort
Findings from the 2025 cohort show promising trends:
- Multi-year funding is becoming more common
- Unrestricted support is expanding
- Flexible disbursement practices are becoming more common
- Some funders are integrating innovative tools like PRIs, endowments, and support for 501(c)(4)s
These practices show how sustainable approaches are taking root—and offer valuable lessons for the field.
Inaugural Cohort: Modeling Transparency
Every funder who participated, regardless of score, models courage and integrity. By sharing their practices and scores publicly, they have helped normalize transparency and build up philanthropy’s culture of collaborative learning.
Click on an organization below to see their designation and learn more:
Advisory Group: Thought Leadership
The Sustainable Grantmaking Benchmark was shaped by an outstanding group of philanthropic leaders who have lent their time, expertise and vision.
- Nicole Rodriguez Leach – Grantmakers for Education
- Susan Taylor Batten – ABFE, a Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities
- Aaron Dorfman – National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy
- Nick Tedesco – National Center for Family Philanthropy
- Deborah Aubert Thomas – United Philanthropy Forum
- Marcus Walton – Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
- Winoka Yepa – Native Americans in Philanthropy
- Connie Chung Joe – Asian Americans in Philanthropy
- Darren Isom – Partner, Bridgespan Consulting
- Ana Marie Argilagos – Hispanics in Philanthropy
Get Involved
Is your grantmaking sustainable? Connect with us to explore the possibility of your philanthropic organization being included in the next benchmark release:
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