The Funders Policy Institute is a hands-on immersive learning program focused on capacity building and network facilitation. Participants will engage and learn directly from policymakers and advocates while connecting with other philanthropists who are committed to effective, policy-based grantmaking.
Funders and philanthropists need opportunities to learn how they can participate in policy advocacy or become more strategic in their public policy grantmaking.
IMAGINE
Imagine the kind of transformative change we could achieve if every funder and philanthropic organization adopted an advocacy and gender lens to guide its giving.
At Women’s Foundation California, we believe in order to pass legislation that advances justice and equity, philanthropic support is essential.
TRAIN
Over the course of the program, participants will learn:
- How to support policy advocacy
- How to strategically invest in policy change
- About lobbying and advocacy rules for foundations and nonprofits
- How to partner with community advocates to advance their policy solutions
Testimonials
- [FPI is an] amazing opportunity to elevate your understanding of how to leverage and guide your philanthropic mission to impact and sustain social change. It prepares you to think about addressing the root causes of social inequity by realigning your funding further upstream to impact the policies that create inequity in the first place.
– Elizabeth Anderson, City of Santa Barbara
- FPI is an opportunity to meet and deepen relationships with other funders in the state who are already or interested in funding policy. It gives you an inside look at how policy change can happen at the grassroots level. It is very educational and informative and fun.
– Gretchen Sandler, Philanthropist
- FPI is a great opportunity for an introduction to how policy is shaped in Sacramento and the role that philanthropy can play. Also, a wonderful chance to get to know colleagues who are navigating similar territory.
– Elena Chavez Quezada, The San Francisco Foundation
Partners
The Funders Policy Institute (formerly PPI) is made possible thanks to partnerships with:
FAQ
Tuition for the Funders Policy Institute includes all educational materials and meals and excludes transportation and lodging. Tuition is based on a sliding scale:
$2,500: Annual grantmaking under $5M
$3,500: Annual grantmaking from $5M – $9,999,999
$4,500: Annual grantmaking from $10M – $24,999,999
$5,500: Annual grantmaking of $25M or more
FPI brings together a cohort of philanthropic leaders from all sectors and geographies, from national funders with a focus on California to regional family foundations. Participants’ backgrounds range from those with new interest in systems change through policy advocacy to experienced grantmakers interested in refining their long term strategy. Previous FPI cohorts included individual philanthropists and philanthropic leaders from a broad range of organizations and affiliations including Blue Shield of California Foundation, California Bar Foundation, California Breast Cancer Research Program, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, the City of Santa Monica, East Bay Community Foundation, First 5 LA, Heising-Simons Foundation, Liberty Hill Foundation, Northern California Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, WHH Foundation and Women Moving Millions, among others.
- State Public Policy 101
- How a Bill Becomes a Law
- County Public Policy 101: Duties, Authorities, and Responsibilities of CA Counties
- Lobbying Rules for Nonprofits and Foundations
- The Impact of Politics on State and County Policy
- Persuasive Speaking: Making the Case for Policy
- Evaluating Public Policy Advocacy Funding