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Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, challenges traditional philanthropy dynamics by amplifying unheard voices and helping donors find and fund bold solutions to global issues. She discusses the potential drawbacks of philanthropic giving without an application process and identifies trends in philanthropy, including a shift towards giving organizations more control over grant spending and providing larger multi-year grants with fewer restrictions. She emphasizes the importance of allowing space for creative solutions to emerge from a series of failures and advocates for a more responsive approach where organizations propose solutions and strategies, and philanthropy acts as a reactor and responder. Cecilia also shares her personal experience as an "affirmative action baby" and discusses the value of providing feedback to applicants in the grant process. She provides tips for organizations applying for funding, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and maintaining a consistent narrative in grant applications. Additionally, she explains the nomination process for the MacArthur Fellows Program and discusses the concept of "enabling" in the context of the program. Cecilia also discusses the review of the MacArthur Fellows Program and ongoing efforts to conduct another review.
Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, challenges traditional philanthropy dynamics by amplifying