Higher Education at a Crossroads: Reflections on Service, Power, and Accountability at Stanford
đź“· credit: Alison Upton LĂłpez (top row fifth from the left) Alison Upton LĂłpez, Ktisis Senior Director and National Advisory Board member of Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service, recently attended the Spring meeting and first reunion with all past advisory board members. She shares her reflections as higher education institutions remain a focus […]
Narrative Work Matters Now More Than Ever For Immigrant Communities
đź“· credit: National Parks Gallery In today’s political landscape, immigration isn’t just a matter of policy; it’s a matter of narrative. Who gets framed as a threat? Who gets left out of the story altogether? And who gets to decide? The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia offers a chilling example. A longtime Maryland resident, Kilmar […]
Welcome ari vargas: Our Newest Learning Fellow!
We are thrilled to have ari vargas join Ktisis Capital as a Learning Fellow! Through this year-long program, our fellows gain experience and exposure while becoming skilled emerging leaders in the philanthropic field. ari comes to Ktisis with nearly a decade of experience in community and cultural events organizing for BIPOC and queer and trans […]
When Nonprofits Are Under Attack, Security Must Be Funded
đź“· credit: LumiNola For justice-focused nonprofits, the work has never been more urgent or more dangerous. Nonprofits focused on advancing immigrant rights, racial justice, social justice, environmental justice, and defending our democracy are under siege from an escalating wave of attacks. They’re facing politically motivated audits, legal harassment, online threats, and funding retaliation, all while […]
Ktisis Capital’s Democracy Learning Cohort: Shaping the Future of Democratic Philanthropy
đź“· credit: Dylan Gillis In April, Ktisis Capital will launch another cycle of the Democracy Learning Cohort (DLC), a program designed to deepen donors’ understanding of strategies for funding civic engagement and building long-term power in the face of unprecedented threats to democracy. Participants will join a cohort of like-minded philanthropists on a carefully crafted, […]
Understanding Extreme Wealth Today
đź“· credit: StockCake The following was originally published in Mike Gast’s Organize the Rich Substack in a post entitled “Who are the wealthy in the US today?”. Mike is a longtime friend and colleague of our founder Jason Franklin since their organizing time together in Resource Generation in the early 2000s through to today. I […]
Protecting Immigrant Communities in 2025: A Call for Philanthropic Action
đź“· credit: Rawpixel On November 6, the United States of America woke up to face a stark new reality and an uncertain future. We know that this uncertainty and fear is impacting certain communities disproportionately as people worry about their rights disappearing – communities of color, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and women, to name a few. […]
After the Votes Are Counted: Strategic Insights for Democracy Funders
đź“· credit: Ted Eytan / Flickr Despite record-setting fundraising and massive GOTV efforts during the 2024 election, progressive losses across the board present advocates with daunting political challenges over the next four years. The election resulted in losses of the Presidency and Senate and failed to flip the House, leaving a federal landscape increasingly hostile […]
Welcome Sonja Hansen: Our Newest Communications Fellow!
We’re delighted to announce that Sonja Hansen has joined Ktisis Capital as our newest Communications Fellow! As part of our fellowship program designed to support emerging leaders in philanthropy and social justice, Sonja will play a vital role in advancing our mission through strategic communications and storytelling. A Stanford University graduate with a B.S. in […]
Social Justice Donors vs. Mainstream Wealthy Donors: A Comparative Analysis
đź“· credit: Johnson Center for Philanthropy Reposted from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy. In the diverse landscape of philanthropy, a groundbreaking report from Ktisis Capital has illuminated stark differences between social justice donors (SJ donors) and the general population of wealthy donors. This first-of-its-kind comparative analysis offers valuable insights into the unique characteristics, […]