Coming Together to Achieve Effective Policy Solutions: A Convening of Philanthropic Leaders

In an increasingly complex world, moving public policy in a positive direction requires dedication and collaboration. So on April 2, The Pew Charitable Trusts hosted a pair of conversations about how philanthropy can help find common ground and support effective policy change.

At Pew’s Washington office, president and chief executive officer Susan K. Urahn spoke with Laura and John Arnold, founders and co-chairs of Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based, bipartisan policy solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. The second conversation featured William Foster, managing partner of The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit strategy consultancy, and Allyn Brooks-LaSure, vice president of communications at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a philanthropy dedicated to improving health and well-being for all in America, discussing their outlook on philanthropy and policy change.

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Laura Arnold started the conversation by describing her and John’s journey in philanthropy, which began in education policy but quickly grew to include a variety of social issues such as nutrition, poverty, and criminal justice that connect with education. “We decided to take a broader view and a systematic approach,” she said. John Arnold added that the experience led the couple to focus on problems that deserve better results and have potential for policy response that can lead to scalable solutions.

In their conversation, Foster and Brooks-LaSure discussed the variety of approaches that philanthropy can take to support policy change. Incrementalism emerged as a theme of their exchange, with both speakers identifying it as a key ingredient in driving progress over time. Foster, whose research focuses on “big bets” and other ambitious and collaborative philanthropic models, encouraged the in-person audience and those listening online to support narrative change, local coalition building, and to take a long-term view when approaching a policy challenge. He cited as an example the success of “smart on crime” criminal justice practices that in the past decade have increased community safety while lowering incarceration rates and recidivism. He added that significant policy change often comes from many small wins over time. Brooks-LaSure noted that it can be difficult to identify progress in real time but that philanthropy has the resources to stay dedicated to long-term goals. He offered perspectives from his work on health care policy and his previous experience in domestic and international civil rights—two issues that have seen successes and setbacks along a long road to progress.

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These conversations were especially valuable for me as I think about Pew’s work with partners to create greater collaborative impact.

As Sue Urahn said at our event, Pew looks for issues that are big enough to matter but small enough to get things done, where we think we can move the needle of progress in three to five years, and where we can cultivate support from a bipartisan group of stakeholders to generate sustainable outcomes.

We begin with data and evidence-based research. And our collaborations with diverse partners form coalitions, provide technical assistance, and find and expand common ground that, over time, builds the foundation for durable change.

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As someone who’s worked in policy and philanthropy throughout her career, I can appreciate that our guests on April 2 came into this work with different perspectives. But they all emphasized the impact of policy decisions on communities and individuals, whether they involve such essential human needs as affordable housing and public health or broader topics such as climate change and public finance. These are issues that generate a wide range of opinions about the role of policy and government.

We all share a goal of improving lives, securing the future of the planet, and making the world better for future generations, and policy change is how those achievements happen. Yet only marginal philanthropic resources go toward policy-related interventions, according to a recent report from Bridgespan and Civitas public affairs group. In fact, the report argues, policy can be an exceptional area of opportunity for philanthropies seeking to make meaningful change for our communities.

Recognizing the scale of the societal challenges we face, Pew has made partnerships a major priority in how we work. These partnerships recognize that complementary expertise and economies of scale enable us to find solutions to structural problems and build momentum for change.

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As the conversations we hosted remind us, working for systemic change requires us to be patient and strategic, but the benefits of securing large durable outcomes make it deeply worthwhile. Policies developed through collaborative and nonpartisan processes are more likely to be effective, sustainable, and responsive to real-world challenges—and the social sector is well-positioned to build bridges in today’s highly polarized landscape. 

Priya Bery is a senior vice president at The Pew Charitable Trusts, leading the organization’s partnerships work and helping to develop large-scale collaborations with individuals and organizations that share the goal of making a positive difference for the public.