The value of a philanthropic laboratory

This culture of experimentation, innovation, and active participation is part of the American ethos. It is both part of who we are and how we operate. Somehow, thinking of America as a great experiment simultaneously makes it feel like a noun and a verb, which, in turn, transforms reflections into a call to action — a call to action that has endured through centuries.

Admittedly, fully embodying a philanthropic laboratory identity is an experiment in itself, as there are not many blueprints or models for this type of orientation or approach. PACE has always been about learning, but we wanted this new mission to push us to make sure that learning is both participatory and actionable. So after a year of exploration, we reflected on the value and design of a philanthropic laboratory, and how we will move into action moving forward.

In a traditional sense, a laboratory is a place for practice, observation, and testing. PACE Members told us (through a year-long planning process and a number of surveys) and showed us (through their commitments and engagement over the last many years) that this kind of space is needed in the field of philanthropy, especially as it relates to philanthropy’s role in strengthening civic engagement and democracy. Reflecting on our experience, three trends lead us to see the value of a philanthropic laboratory more clearly:

The laboratory identity allows us to build on the core pieces of our DNA. Previously, PACE talked about itself as a “learning collaborative.” We organized our work around learning outcomes for and with our members, and we believed that we learned best with a diversity of people at the table. Those core values have not changed in spirit or priority.

What has changed, however, is what we do with our learning. We wanted to enable a culture that shifted from saying “That was interesting and gave me a lot to think about” to “That was interesting and gave me an idea of how to move forward with my work differently.” We still believe learning and fellowship are important, but we wanted to do more than have smart and thoughtful conversations with good people. We wanted to do more to have Members make the learnings actionable based on what they learned and who they learned with at PACE. We also wanted to do more to share those learnings with the larger field of philanthropy to shape and contribute to efforts beyond our community.

After a full (and eventful) year operating in this new way, we have deepened our understanding of a philanthropic laboratory as a collective space for philanthropy where learning is participatory and actionable.

By participatory, we mean:

By actionable, we mean:

Equally important to our process of defining a philanthropic laboratory is defining what is not:

In the future, when we are asked “What does it mean to be a philanthropic laboratory?” we will send along these reflections with acknowledgement that this is all a work in progress. At the end of our first year as a philanthropic laboratory, we are settling into this identity. In many ways, this identity is really about a subtle — but profound — shift in intentionality towards learning with a purpose. And this could not have come at a better time. Many have called the challenges we face today “unprecedented.” While that might be true, our country has certainly faced challenges of this magnitude in its 244-year journey of experimentation. It is when individuals and groups participate and take action — or as Vice President Harris urged: refine, tinker, and perfect — that the experiment continues and evolves.

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