Philanthropy does not exist in a vacuum; it is a system built to respond to inequity, but also one built by those who benefited from that inequity. Building an understanding of the historic and current context of philanthropy creates the opportunity to build on its potential going forward.

This includes:

• The history of philanthropy, including its inequities and power dynamics 
• Sector changes and trends over time
• The limitations and opportunities of philanthropy
• The role of equity in the future of philanthropy

Sector Knowledge Resources

In 2021, EPIP will reintroduce the Philanthropology™ curriculum, first developed in 2012 to share the context, history, and challenges of Philanthropy. The program will cover the landscape and history of the sector, intersectionality, movement building, grantmaking with an equity lens, and strategies for putting this knowledge into practice and continuing to learn as the field continues to evolve.  EPIP will begin to deliver Philanthropology™ in 2021 as a pilot program in conjunction with national and regional philanthropic partners, chapters, and interested institutional and philanthropic partners.

In the interim, you can get learn more about the sector with EPIP's Dissonance & Disconnects report, which gives an overview of how entry- and mid-level foundation staff see the field. You can also build on your sector knowledge by learning how to move the sector through Advocacy & Policy, bringing an equity lens to your sector work with an Equity Analysis, or learning about all seven ILF cornerstones here.