See you at the next webinar: Bridging Research and Practice: Career Pathways for Emerging Public Policy Scholars on Dec 3rd (registration opening soon).

"Projects, researchers & programs that are based in local, needs - are going to build trust, more swiftly, because the actual people who are affected by those public policy decisions will understand the work & be in communication with the people doing the research."
- Joseph McNicholas

"Trust comes from recommitting to our mission and our values, and not straying from that, especially in times of disruption ... while it may limit our donor pool, and it may limit the number of funders that want to support us, It strengthens the value of the work that we do." - G.R. Love

How do you approach building donor trust in non-partisan institutions, especially when public discourse is polarized?

"I wish I had good news. Unrestricted giving is generally on the decline. What I attribute it to is that donors more & more want to see their philanthropy as an investment, & they want a say in how their dollars are invested, or have skin in the game." - Elliot Emmer

Are you seeing more donor interest in unrestricted gifts?

"Foreign governments are still funding public policy. If you can get on an international team, or, have an international perspective, you may be able to get access to foreign funds as well." - Joseph McNicholas

"I would also urge you, to be talking to the Government Affairs offices, social responsibility depts, or even marketing depts of firms. Oftentimes they have budgets that are often sometimes even bigger for a grant-making opportunities." - G.R. Love

What new partnerships or funding sources are you exploring, or do you think researchers should explore to sustain their work?

"You really have to understand the funding landscape. It used to be the case that you could be great at the thing you know how to do, which is research. But now, there's so much more, right? Knowledge production is much, much more than the capacity to carry out resources." - Tafadzwa Tivaringe

"I think for graduate students, leaning into your grad advisor or other professors who have grants & really sitting with them & asking them questions about the process - not just from the government, but also private foundations." - Tina Fletcher

What advice do you give graduate students or early career faculty and researchers seeking policy research grants now?

"We've had seen success with giving students an opportunity to get an international scope of kind of where policy sits around the globe, and how that relates to the degree that maybe they're receiving in a school of public policy, and to give them that lens." - Elliot Emmer

There is greater competition now for philanthropic dollars.
What strategies are working for your institution, and how are you building those relationships with donors?