2023 | Our Year in Review

Discover the highlights of Magic Cabinet’s 2023 Year in Review, featuring key insights into our organizational growth, collaborative efforts, and impactful philanthropic initiatives.
Magic Cabinet and PolicyLink Invest $3.6 Million to Advance Community-Led Solutions in Puerto Rico

Magic Cabinet and PolicyLink invest $3.6 million in a four-year partnership for community-led solutions in Puerto Rico. The initiative, sparked by a roundtable during the Biden-Harris Administration’s Puerto Rico Economic Dialogue, focuses on strengthening local governance, fostering transparency, and supporting grassroots organizations.
Future of Smart Podcast: Opening New Paths for Philanthropy

In this episode of the Future of Smart podcast, host Ulcca Joshi Hansen speaks with Christina Engel and Tiffany Johnson of Magic Cabinet, a philanthropic organization that seeks to shift power dynamics in philanthropy by championing community-driven grantmaking.
5 Minutes with…Ledys Sanjuan Mejía

Activist Ledys Sanjuan Mejía of Fenomenal Funds shares the fund’s learnings over two years using a participatory approach to shift power and build a more responsive funding ecosystem.
Tamira Benitez Wants to Help DC’s Grassroots Leaders Heal

As executive director of DC’s Diverse City Fund, Tamira Benitez is on a mission to ensure that grassroots leaders and organizers across the region are resourced to prioritize rest and healing.
New Nonprofit Journalism Partnership Lifts Up Participatory Problem-Solving

Magic Cabinet is pleased to announce its exciting partnership with independent media startup Proximate. Together, they’re set to deliver impactful solutions journalism, focusing on participatory grantmaking and social sector innovations, in a bid to strengthen communities and trust in institutions.
Magic Cabinet Elects Two New Board Members From Local Community Nonprofits

Nonprofit leaders from Seattle and San Francisco inaugural appointments establish a community-centric board structure to further Magic Cabinet’s mission of championing community-led work.
Connecting with Community: How We Identify Funding Opportunities

Community voices shape every aspect of our work, starting with our engagement process. By prioritizing conversations with community leaders and grassroots organizations, we’re able to identify areas where our grants can make the most impact.
INSIDE PHILANTHROPY | Magic Cabinet: A Matchmaking Participatory Grantmaker Helps Teams of Grantees Build Capacity

Magic Cabinet has a unique take on participatory grantmaking, inviting small cohorts of grantees to share flexible, capacity-building funds. Magic Cabinet’s leadership explains how it works in a report by Wendy Paris of Inside Philanthropy.
A Look Inside Magic Cabinet’s Approach to Participatory Grantmaking

In this blog series, we’ll dive into each of the engagement phases described above our continuous learnings, and how Magic Cabinet works tirelessly to ensure and improve our process so that communities are the loudest voice in shaping their own future.