Grassroots Giving

Field Note: Citizens Assemblies Meet Participatory Grantmaking

March 2025

|

Proximate

October 2024

March 2025

|

Proximate

Supported By :

In Partnership With:

Last month, a group of 50 randomly-selected Austrians finalized a decision on how to spend $27 million of Marlene Engelhorn's fortune, in a unique participatory grantmaking process inspired by citizens’ assemblies.
Back in April, we spoke with one of the project's leaders, days before it all kicked off. As Alexandra Jing-Yi Wang told us: "There will be people from the left, right and middle of the political spectrum – people who think the current system is amazing, and people who think the system is broken. This is what democracy looks like – it’s about different people having different opinions on different things.”
Interested in citizens assemblies? Check out Proximate’s newsletter Beyond Elections, which launched last month – our first edition was a deep dive into citizens' assemblies. Part of our mission at Proximate is to get participatory philanthropy and participatory democracy folks talking to each other – so check it out and subscribe!

- BW

No items found.

Related Reads

No items found.

Imperial Valley’s New Endowment – and What It Represents

Imperial Valley’s New Endowment – and What It Represents

Why one California foundation chose to shift assets — not just grants — to a more proximate foundation

How Fiscal Sponsors Can Help Nonprofits Survive Political Threats

How Fiscal Sponsors Can Help Nonprofits Survive Political Threats

Take these eight steps today to prepare new structures of support

Half Her DAF: A Conversation with Jen Risher

Half Her DAF: A Conversation with Jen Risher

The co-founder of #HalfMyDAF talks about wealth, money stories, and what’s next for DAF reform

Imperial Valley’s New Endowment – and What It Represents

Imperial Valley’s New Endowment – and What It Represents

Why one California foundation chose to shift assets — not just grants — to a more proximate foundation

A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking

A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking

Twelve research papers shine a light on participatory models and approaches

Five Questions for John Hecklinger

Five Questions for John Hecklinger

We spoke with the Global Fund for Children’s co-CEO about participatory grantmaking and more

A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking

A New Book Shares Evidence on Participatory Grantmaking

Twelve research papers shine a light on participatory models and approaches

Participatory democracy isn’t just for governments

NGO People Powered demonstrates how member-based organizations can use participatory democracy to determine how to allocate its budget.

We need a common vocabulary for participation

What does make public participation in government decision-making meaningful?

No items found.

Proximate is an independent media platform covering movements for participatory problem-solving. We look at the news through the lens of money: how it’s given away, how it’s invested, and how it’s distributed by government.
We are a fiscally sponsored project of Movement Strategy Center.

Get Our Monthly Issues

Proximate

© 2025 PROXIMATE ® ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.