Feedback Labs in the News

Publishing thought pieces to share with the broader nonprofit and philanthropic sectors is one way Feedback Labs and our partners work to build the field of high-quality feedback and listening—sharing insights, sparking dialogue, and inspiring action. Browse our latest media coverage and articles. If you’re interested in having us contribute to your blog, magazine, or publication, contact us at [email protected].

The Fear of Saying “No” Is Holding Us Back from Listening

Inside Philanthropy

When sweeping cuts to foreign aid and other U.S. federal programs were rolled out following the inauguration in January, the nonprofit sector was plunged into uncertainty.

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Turn on Your Headlights: How Funders Can Cut Through the Chaos Right Now

February 13, 2025
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Britt Lake & Melinda Tuan

The speed and intensity of the unprecedented attacks on the nonprofit and public sectors unleashed in the first month of President Trump’s second administration has been staggering. While many of us anticipated disruption, the consequences for communities in the U.S. and globally have been even more severe than expected.

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Ten years of funder listening: Taking stock and looking forward

7 January 2025
Alliance — Britt Lake & Clara Bennett

The days are running out for implementers and funders to say, without shame, that they cannot demonstrate credible evidence of what the people they aim to help actually think about their work!

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Going Beyond Innovating: Reimagining the Program Officer Role

April 18, 2024
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Sarah Moody

This is the fourth and final in a series of posts contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change.

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The Abbott Approach: Innovating in the Program Officer Role

April 11, 2024
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Mary Coleman

This is the third in a series of posts contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change.

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The Barbie Land Approach to Funder Listening

March 21, 2024
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Megan Campbell

“I get that listening is important, but what role am I actually supposed to play to make it happen?” A program officer from a large private foundation recently asked my colleague this question.

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The Case for Being Radical

June 2, 2022
The Center for Effective PhilanthropyMary Coleman

This is the fifth and final post in a series contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change and to supporting their grantees to listen as well.

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What Ted Lasso Teaches Us About Philanthropy

May 19, 2022
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Clara Bennett & Jessica Kiessel

This is the fourth post in a series contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change and to supporting their grantees to listen as well.

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We Need Many Champions to Shift Foundation Listening Practices

May 5, 2022
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Rick Moyers

This is the third in a series of posts contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change and to supporting their grantees to listen as well.

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How Do Funders Encourage Grantees to Listen?

April 7, 2022
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Megan Campbell & Madison McDaniel

This is the second in a series of posts contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders convened by Feedback Labs that are dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change and supporting their grantees to listen as well.

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Using our Power to Recenter Voice

March 24, 2022
The Center for Effective Philanthropy — Clara Bennett, Joshua Elder, Katie Ensign, Lexi Mairone & Veronica Olazabal

This is the first in a series of posts contributed by the Feedback Incentives Learning Group, a group of funders dedicated to encouraging peer funders to listen to the people most harmed by the systems and structures they seek to change and to supporting their grantees to listen as well.

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