Magic Cabinet’s journey as a funder began in earnest seven years ago.
Sparked by a 10-year pilot with three Puget Sound nonprofits, we set out to change status quo funding models that hindered philanthropy’s impact. This transformation centered on shifting decision-making power to include nonprofit and community leaders best positioned to develop and deliver lasting solutions.
What once seemed like an audacious goal has morphed into our standard model, enabling Magic Cabinet to deploy over $43 million in flexible funding to drive meaningful change in Bay Area and Puget Sound communities.
During this time, we’ve grown our impact through direct relationships, authentic engagement, and shared decision-making with nonprofit and community leaders. From launching and adjourning our first five-year cohorts to expanding our grantmaking toward inclusive and responsive funding, we’ve taken smart risks to build a model that works for nonprofits. Along the way, we’ve also leaned heavily on trust, transparency, and flexibility to center the priorities of our grantee partners and the communities they serve.
As we prepare to launch our 25th and 26th cohorts, we’re excited to share our learnings broadly.
Magic Cabinet’s Next Stage of Growth
In 2024, Magic Cabinet partnered with La Piana Consulting to create a multi-year strategic roadmap, engaging community members, our Board, and our staff in thoughtful reflection and planning. This roadmap outlines the foundational elements that will guide Magic Cabinet’s work, approach, and desired impact. Here’s an overview:
Strengthening Our Mission
As we reflect on our journey, one priority has remained clear. Magic Cabinet is committed to centering the voices and leadership of communities. Our updated mission statement, Magic Cabinet shifts philanthropy to center community, reflects this focus, and guides how we move forward.
Our Strategic Priorities
Launch Magic Cabinet’s Philanthropic Solutions
We will partner with philanthropists and foundations to share streamlined solutions that have been shaped by community and nonprofit leaders. These solutions are designed to be accessible and replicable, offering funders strategic support while strengthening nonprofits’ ability to achieve their mission.
To achieve this, we will:
Enhance Our Community Grantmaking
We will stay the course and continue to provide multi-year funding for grantee partners. This means strengthening our participatory grantmaking through the cohort model and alternative approaches and scaling what works.
To achieve this, we will:
Leverage Data to Accelerate Sector Transformation
We will build an innovation and design lab to ideate and incubate equitable approaches that accelerate change in philanthropy.
To achieve this, we will:
A Re-envisioned Philanthropic Sector
The current political climate has created critical gaps in funding and resources for nonprofits nationwide, making the need for multi-year, flexible funding more crucial than ever. With this strategic roadmap, Magic Cabinet will drive the change philanthropy needs to achieve—away from antiquated ‘rules’ toward more responsive, community-informed practice.
As we build on the first seven years and enter the next phase of our journey, we’ll continue to make bold moves in support of a more equitable vision for philanthropy. These strategic priorities are just a starting point. It will require a collective effort from nonprofits, community, and philanthropy to meet the moment and transform the sector for future generations. Join us by filling out the form below.
