Engage R+D

"Learning cannot simply be switched back on at a later time." When crises hit, the instinct is to act now and reflect later. Yet experience shows that without learning, rapid response is less effective, less equitable, and less sustainable. Learning isn’t overhead—it’s the infrastructure that enables strategy, adaptation, and connection to community wisdom. As philanthropy faces renewed uncertainty, now is the time to invest in the capacity to both respond and reflect. Click here to learn more about the critical role of learning in moments of crisis: https://lnkd.in/gv5u_d9e

In 2020, philanthropy proved it could respond with both speed AND strategic learning. Today, we risk losing that capacity when we need it most. Our new article with the Center for Evaluation Innovation examines how learning infrastructure enabled effective crisis response and why philanthropy can't afford to abandon it now. Key insight: The instinct to "just act now and reflect later" actually slows effective response. Learning isn't separate from action—it's what makes action strategic, targeted, and sustainable. We analyzed four major philanthropic crisis responses and found five critical lessons: ✓ Relational groundwork makes responsiveness possible ✓ Trust accelerates strategy—and learning deepens it ✓ Strategy needs grounding, not just ambition ✓ Treat narrative as strategy, not afterthought ✓ Crisis navigation requires radical collaboration The bottom line: In times of polarization, misinformation, and volatility, dismantling learning infrastructure means losing our compass. Grateful to collaborate with Clare Nolan, Sonia Taddy-Sandino, Hanh Cao Yu, Kim Ammann Howard, Marion Standish, and Charles Fields on this critical work. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gv5u_d9e #Philanthropy #Learning #FoundationStrategy #Evaluation #SocialChange

✨ New in Stanford Social Innovation Review ✨ Public systems are under stress — cuts to essential services, policy rollbacks, and escalating risks for communities are testing the supports people rely on every day. For philanthropy, the question isn’t how to get back to “normal” — it’s how to meet this moment in a way that builds something stronger. In a new article, Engage R+D Co-Founder Clare Nolan and Jewlya Lynn explore how funders can bounce forward by: • Shifting mindsets beyond short-term fixes • Sharing power with communities • Acting boldly to push systems in new directions 📖 Read here: https://lnkd.in/gQvzy4mA

💬 Authentic engagement isn’t neat. It’s human, relational, and sometimes messy. When funders and grantees lean into that messiness together, strategy becomes sharper, relationships grow stronger, and trust has space to deepen. In our new article in Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy's Foundation Review, we share lessons from the The James Irvine Foundation’s Just Prosperity initiative — and wanted to lift up four voices that capture what authentic engagement looks and feels like. 👇 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/g4fSmURv

#FeelGoodFriday and notes from the field! Learn about our recent work with First 5 LA's Best Start #placebased initiative and the community-driven networks working to build power, transform systems, and create conditions for young children and families to thrive. #participatoryapproaches #powerbuilding #emergentlearning #earlychildhood Shout out to Informing Change for your partnership!

Think back to a story that changed how you saw something. What made it powerful? In our work, we’ve found that stories can unlock understanding in ways that other evaluation methods alone cannot. But not all stories are created or collected equally. That’s why Anna Katz Saltzman and Jennifer Garcia have been exploring participatory storytelling: a data-gathering approach that draws upon lived experiences of grantees and community members and engages them as co-creators throughout the process. We lay out our thinking in a new blog post. Building upon what we shared at the Grantmakers for Effective Organizations 2025 conference, we present a practical toolkit for applying participatory storytelling methods: https://lnkd.in/g3h4zVTU What role does storytelling play in your learning and evaluation work?

What will it take to embrace AI's potential benefits in our work AND ensure we're doing so in a way that's consistent with our values? This question has guided Engage R+D's year-long exploration of AI for our evaluation, strategy, and communications work. Our biggest takeaway? Start with your values, not the technology. We developed three core principles to guide our exploration of AI, no matter the tool. We're sharing about this journey on our blog: https://lnkd.in/enZa4qMA For organizations considering AI: What's your organization's approach? We'd love to hear about your experiences.

✨ What does it take to create strong state early childhood systems? It starts with inclusive governance, equitable financing, and truly listening to families and the workforce. I’m honored to be presenting this week at the Education Commission of the States #NationalForum on Education Policy with Dr. Maria Lupe Jaime-Mileham and Maribel Loste. Together, we’ll share lessons from their leadership in California and the Northern Mariana Islands, alongside findings from Engage R+D’s evaluation of the Early Childhood Governance & Finance Project—a multi-year effort to improve early learning systems across eight states and territories. We’ll offer real-world takeaways on what helps—and what hinders—progress: ✅ How inclusive governance can advance even when equitable financing takes longer ✅ How system mapping can lay the groundwork for sustainable change ✨ Are you working to strengthen early childhood systems or curious about evaluating systems change? I’d love to hear what you’re seeing—let’s connect!

We just sent out our latest Engage R+D newsletter, New Ways Forward: Listening, Learning, and Leading Together. This issue explores what’s changing in philanthropy and evaluation, ways to center relationships, and strategies to evolve with complexity—all shared with the hope of sparking new ideas and connection. Interested in joining our mailing list? Sign up here → https://lnkd.in/gjjmG_zD We’d love to stay in touch, keep learning together, and share resources that support your work!

"Are our governance structures fit for purpose in a world defined by complexity, interdependence, and disruption?" NEW on the CEP blog, Clare Nolan of Engage R+D argues that as philanthropy evolves toward systems change and participatory approaches, board oversight often remains rooted in linear, control-based models. How must governance evolve to meet today's complex challenges, especially in a moment when philanthropy is more needed than ever? Read her piece here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eTgbvtxz #philanthropy #impact #governance #boards #leadership #change #leadingchange