JPB’s Deepak Bhargava to deliver ‘lightning bolt’ to philanthropy

As longtime modern motion organizer Deepak Bhargava takes the reins of the multi-billion-dollar JPB Foundation, he’s unveiling an formidable plan to give giant to democracy strengthening efforts.

The New York City-based basis, which says it has property of about $4.2 billion, introduced it’s going to building up grantmaking this yr by way of 20% to about $510 million. JPB’s center of attention shall be on supporting teams that building up the political sway of other folks of colour, LGBTQ other folks, and staff; preventing on-line incorrect information; and making grants to faith-based establishments and different teams that paintings to get other folks with other backgrounds and ideology to to find common ground.

Coming from Bhargava, the adjustments don’t seem to be a marvel. Unlike different massive basis presidents who’re ceaselessly leaders in academia, Bhargava’s activist background makes him a unique selection. To assist in his movement-building efforts, he has recruited a solid of modern stars together with: Daniel Altschuler, former co-executive director of Make the Road Action; Alicia Garza, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter motion; and Arianna Jimenez, who has held management roles on the Service Employees International Union and the California Democratic Party.

Under founder Barbara Picower, whom Bhargava changed as president, JPB concentrated its grant making in 3 spaces: decreasing poverty, protective the surroundings, and supporting scientific breakthroughs.

Picower used to be married to the overdue investor Jeffry Picower, who were given embroiled within the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal. The basis used to be created the use of Picower’s wealth after she agreed to pay greater than $7 billion to sufferers of the scheme. She is now president emerita and stays chair of the root’s board.

The basis’s new grantmaking methods are: Democracy, Gender, and Racial Justice; Community and Worker Power; Movement Infrastructure and Explorations; Faith, Bridging, and Belonging; and Reproductive Justice, Medical Research, and NYC Community Grants.

The adjustments sign a shift towards grants that construct energy for many who were denied it at the foundation of race, elegance, or gender, Bhagarva stated.

“Supporting grassroots organizing and movement building will be an even more prominent feature of our approach in the next chapter,” he stated. “The underlying issue underneath all the problems we face, from housing to health care to climate injustice, is really an imbalance in power.”

Current grantees embodying that manner, stated Bhargava, come with community-organizing teams People’s Action and the Center for Popular Democracy and the employee advocacy nonprofit Jobs for Justice.

Bhargava stated grants to beef up coverage analysis or provider supply can be minimize.

“That’s where you’ll probably see some scaling back,” he stated.

A philanthropy ‘lightning bolt’

Bhargava, a lecturer at City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies, used to be prior to now president of Community Change, a grassroots workforce that helps organizing in low-income spaces with a top share of other folks of colour. But he’s no stranger to philanthropy. He prior to now served at the forums of each the JPB and Open Society foundations.

Under Picower, JPB used to be energetic in modern philanthropy, continuously taking part in pooled funds with the Ford, Hewlett, and Kellogg foundations. But JPB didn’t search the highlight, stated Gara LaMarche, former president of Democracy Alliance, a community of liberal political donors and previous president of Atlantic Philanthropies.

LaMarche, who has continuously collaborated with Bhargava, stated JPB is poised to transform a extra muscular and vocal chief of social alternate. Usually foundations which might be JPB’s measurement pick out a former college chief to function president, LaMarche stated, bringing up the Hewlett Foundation and Carnegie Corporation as examples. In Bhargava, JPB has an organizer and public highbrow accustomed to banging the drum louder to deliver extra consideration to its grant making, LaMarche says.

The adjustments below Bhargava, stated LaMarche, “will be a huge infusion of money, brainpower, and strategic thinking.”

Naming Bhargava to lead JPB used to be like a “lightning bolt” putting philanthropy, stated Patrick Gaspard, president of the Center for American Progress, a liberal assume tank. Gaspard, who prior to now served as president of the Open Society Foundations, stated Bhargava’s years as an activist will assist him deliver an “obsessive-compulsive” and “incessant” center of attention on elevating the root’s profile as an agent of alternate.

Bhargava sees the root taking a public management position.

“Philanthropy needs to be part of the chorus of voices that are speaking up for how essential multiracial democracy and its institutions and practices are,” he stated.

The basis’s grantmaking price range is anticipated to be about $510 million this yr, up from $359 million in 2022, when its property totaled about $2.9 billion. The greater than $1 billion acquire within the basis’s property have allowed it to building up its grantmaking price range.

But with an anticipated payout that might close to 12%, JPB will nonetheless greater than double the federal requirement of five% that non-public foundations should distribute to charities each and every yr. The larger payout will permit JPB to punch above its weight and feature the grantmaking affect of a miles higher basis. For example, in 2022, the $8.3 billion David and Lucille Packard Foundation made grants totaling $432 million, a long way lower than JPB plans to make this yr.

Democracy constructing vs. Election influencing

Progressive philanthropy has come below criticism for supporting movement-building efforts which might be nonpartisan however may just finally end up swaying elections. To some, pouring personal bucks into nonprofits that mobilize citizens and construct actions turns out like an end-run round regulations proscribing tax-exempt organizations’ talent to get concerned with politics.

Michael Hartmann, senior fellow at Capital Research Center, a conservative philanthropy assume tank, says he “gets skittish” when he hears about modern foundations championing their democracy investment.

“When people hear progressive foundations say they want to help ‘small-d’ democracy, there’s a justified concern that they’re really going to just be boosting the prospects of ‘big-D’ Democrats,” stated Hartmann, who used to be now not aware of the JPB Foundation’s plans.

Still, Hartmann stated there may be want for foundations throughout ideologies to beef up connecting other folks with one every other and to the civic establishments that may create a extra solid, consultant democracy.

Gaspard, of the Center for American Progress, applauded JPB’s center of attention on motion constructing, announcing that if other folks lose religion of their establishments and really feel like they’ve no talent to form their global, the ones establishments transform vulnerable to assaults by way of demagogues.

“You can only be a fulsome defender of our democratic institutions if you believe that they pay some dividends in your life and your well-being,” he stated.

Bhargava stated he sees JPB’s paintings constructing actions as having a longer-lasting affect than the result of a unmarried election.

While the method isn’t fleshed out, the brand new religion and bridge-building effort, Bhargava stated, will beef up within the mildew of present grantees the Heartland Fund, which helps advocacy in rural spaces, and the Metro Industrial Areas Foundation, a community of religion and network organizations.

Bhargava stated the trouble will paintings to deliver other folks in combination who disagree on many considerable problems however who’ve a commonplace trust that the country is highest served by way of strengthening its multiracial democracy.

“The defense of democracy requires a big tent,” he stated.

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Alex Daniels is a senior reporter on the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the place you’ll be able to learn the full article. This article used to be supplied to The Associated Press by way of the Chronicle of Philanthropy as a part of a partnership to duvet philanthropy and nonprofits supported by way of the Lilly Endowment. The Chronicle is simply answerable for the content material. For all of AP’s philanthropy protection, seek advice from https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.