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.
Engagement Summary – Solano County
This report summarizes Magic Cabinet’s research and engagement in funding Solano County nonprofit organizations. In addition, we highlight opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for future philanthropic initiatives in Solano county as well as a framework for engagement for alike regions.
Our Guiding Principles
Magic Cabinet was founded as a learning organization. We did not want to make something for nonprofits – we wanted to build it with them. Together and over ten years, we experimented, with the aim to develop a new type of philanthropic partnership.
Why Are We Called Magic Cabinet?
Just as the original magic cabinet sparked Ken’s career of creation, he founded Magic Cabinet to be that same spark for others. So with a little bit of coin, and the help of everyone’s self-made do-hickey–let’s work together to create a just and equitable world.
Let’s Stop the Destructive Practice of Focusing on the Needs of Donors Instead of Grantees
Stop asking your grantees if they’re making an impact on your mission. Instead, ask yourself how you can become a nonprofit partner, not their director.