Philanthropic Funding for Community and Economic Development: Exploring Potential for Influencing Policy and Governance

Dale E. Thomson

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Urban Planning and Governance Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering Community Development and Social Impact

Abstract

Philanthropic foundations are prominent participants in collaborations to revitalize some distressed cities. Their participation and vast resources raise questions about their potential to influence city policy, become part of local governing regimes, and alter regimes’ policy biases. Yet, no comprehensive, empirical studies exist to establish the potential scale of this phenomenon across a large number of cities. This study begins to fill that void by analyzing a unique database of foundation giving for community and economic development (CED) relative to other city funding sources in 30 legacy cities. I conclude that the potential for foundation influence on policy and governance is substantial for a subset of large legacy cities with especially high need and local, resource-rich foundations. Comparative case studies of these cities can provide critical knowledge regarding potential evolution of decision-making processes, governing regimes, and policy outputs in legacy cities.

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References

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