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Our Work

United Philanthropy Forum is the largest network serving philanthropy in America, consisting of more than 93 regional and national philanthropy-serving organizations (PSOs)—including regional philanthropy associations and national issue-based, identity-based and practice-based associations and networks. We focus on helping PSOs be as efficient and effective as possible in their individual and collective work to advance, inform and support philanthropy. Our ultimate goal is to help ensure that philanthropic investments are making the greatest possible impact to strengthen people and communities across the country.
 
The Forum has a strong track record of collectively convening and supporting philanthropy-serving organizations to advance the effectiveness of their philanthropy members in various ways. We focus on the following core areas of work:
 
Philanthropic Practice

Regional and national PSOs typically offer a wide variety of educational programs to education and inform the philanthropy sector. The Forum supports and advances the work of our members to strengthen and grow effective philanthropic practice through high-quality education programming and partnerships. We work to develop and implement strategies that leverage the full knowledge and skills within our network to develop high-quality education opportunities to advance philanthropic practice that can be delivered by our members throughout the network in a consistent and efficient way.

Knowledge Services

Many Forum members participate in a shared state-of-the-art technology platform that offers both a constituent relationship management (CRM) solution, using Salesforce, and a sophisticated website content management system (CMS), based on Drupal, which are fully integrated. Forum members are able to use this platform for a fraction of what it would have cost them to develop a similar platform on their own. They receive ongoing support and help from the Forum team and are part of an active user community of PSO peers.

Public Policy

The Forum supports and advances the work of our members to engage in government relations and public policy work at the state and national level. We help regional and national PSOs advance effective policy that will strengthen philanthropy and advance issues that their members support, strengthen relationships and partnerships between philanthropy and government, and provide a collective voice for the Forum network.

Forum Publications

Journey Toward Racial Equity Report: Year 2

This report benchmarks the progress of the Forum’s PSO members on advancing racial equity. In doing so, this report helps shed light on the internal and external racial equity strategies being undertaken across the larger PSO field. We also offer a summary of the successes and challenges PSOs face in designing and implementing racial equity efforts for further reflection and action.

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Forum Policy Playbook: October Edition

The October edition of our month-by-month advocacy guide focuses on how to engage in elections. With off-year elections coming up in November, it is an appropriate time to focus on this issue, and perhaps stimulate some thinking on how your organization might get engaged in the elections in 2018 and beyond.shington to face debates over tax reform, and everyone re-focused on work after the summer holidays, this is an opportune moment to get our issues on policymakers’ radar.

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Partner with the Forum

By fostering the expertise and relationships of its members, the Forum Network leverages our network assets and credibility in partnerships with national funders, philanthropic infrastructure organizations, and other trusted partners to strengthen philanthropy and benefit communities.

Search for Resources

The Forum shares the highest quality knowledge resources and informed practices in the field of philanthropy with our membership.