On this 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, we are all in an unsettled place. Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken tens of thousands of lives and containment measures have caused unprecedented economic disruption. Our world has turned upside down. Beyond the pandemic disaster, other dangers — most notably the very real threat and current…
The following is a message sent by Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer to the foundation’s grantees and nonprofit partners. We are sharing it as a matter of transparency: Dear grantees and partners: I’m writing to update you about some decisions the foundation has made concerning grantmaking during this difficult time. I do so while…
Government officials around the world make thousands of decisions a day. How to allocate budgets, how to design and target public programs, where to invest in infrastructure or public services, when to expand or end a program based on its performance. These decisions are consequential for the people governments are meant to serve. Whether or…
The foundation’s Madison Initiative is addressing three big challenges facing U.S. democracy. We seek to strengthen Congress, improve campaigns and elections, and combat digital disinformation. While these are distinct objectives, they all depend on our having well-led and well-managed grantee organizations to take full advantage of our funding. Leadership is typically not a problem for…
Writing in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer makes an urgent call to action to philanthropic organizations to increase climate giving: What should grantmakers do when the social and political and environmental circumstances that have made our work and progress possible begin falling apart? Because, make no mistake, that is what’s happening…
There are many important elements to effective philanthropy, but a critical – and sometimes overlooked – element is the human one: the relationships that program staff forge with grantee partners. At the Hewlett Foundation, one of our guiding principles is a commitment to working collaboratively and with mutual respect. But how do you put that…
At the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, we strive to work with grantees in ways that align with our Guiding Principles and Philosophy of Grant Practice. Among the most important of these principles is that grantees are our partners. We embrace this principle not only because it is right and appropriate, but because we strongly …
Read this post in French here. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day is just around the corner. On December 12, people around the world will rally for every person—no matter who they are or where they live—to get the health care they need without facing financial hardship. A year ago, I offered some ideas for funders to…
Lire l’article en anglais ici. La Journée de la couverture universelle de santé (CUS) approche à grands pas. Le 12 décembre est le jour où les gens du monde entier se mobiliseront pour que chaque personne, peu importe son identité ou son lieu de résidence, obtienne les soins de santé dont elle a besoin sans faire…
Read this post in French here. The Ouagadougou Partnership Annual Meeting is my favorite meeting of the year and this year it is going to be extra special. There’s an intangible magic to this gathering of leaders from nine Francophone West African countries together with donors, advocates and researchers to share lessons and progress towards…