The Learning Philanthropy Framework
A Shared Language for Learning Philanthropies
What It Means to Be a Learning Philanthropy
Explore the Framework
Six interconnected components and their associated subcomponents that together define what it means to be a learning philanthropy. Maturity ratings across each subcomponent help funders understand where they are today, identify opportunities for growth, and chart a path toward stronger learning and greater impact.
Hover or click on different elements to learn more
Activities a philanthropy does to learn — internally (Internal Learning Processes), with grantees and partners (Learning With Partners), and in collaboration with broader systems they hope to influence (Ecosystem Learning) — as distinct from the internal "Accelerating Conditions" that make learning possible inside the organization.
The internal organizational enablers — Learning Leadership, Structure & Resources, and Learning Culture — that create the foundation for a philanthropy to learn effectively and put its Learning Practices into action.
Internal Learning Processes
Explores how your foundation turns information into insight and insight into action.
- Clarify Strategy
- Cultivate Systems Awareness
- Curate Evidence
- Sensemake & Take Action
Learning With Partners
Explores how your foundation turns funding relationships into learning relationships.
- Reflect & Adapt Together
- Learn From Feedback
- Design & Award Grants
Ecosystem Learning
Explores how your foundation turns learning beyond its walls and direct partners into collective momentum for systems change.
- Strengthen Relationships & Networks
- Steward Knowledge
- Convene
- Innovate & Influence
Learning Leadership
Explores how your foundation’s leaders model, champion, and sustain a culture of learning.
- Embody Learning
- Commit to Learning
- Encourage Learning
Structure & Resources
Explores how your foundation structures its people, resources, and decision-making to support learning.
- Active Staff for Learning
- Invest in Learning
- Clarify Decision-Making
Learning Culture
Explores how your foundation nurtures the habits, mindsets, and behaviors that sustain learning.
- Value Learning Mindsets
- Create Psychological Safety
- Strengthens Foundations for Learning
Evidence of Impact
91% of nonprofit leaders say that transparent funders—those that share what they are learning and how they assess impact—are more helpful to their organizations and easier to build strong relationships with.
— Centre for Effective Philanthropy
When people feel safe to speak up and learn, organizations benefit from higher staff engagement, motivation, and satisfaction, ultimately leading to stronger organizational outcomes.
— Edmondson, 1999 & 2018
Foundations that embed learning across their work report improvements in grantmaking, including better decision-making, stronger critical reflection, and a greater ability to adapt to evidence and changing contexts.
— Price et al., 2019
How Foundations Are Becoming Learning Philanthropies
Too often, philanthropy starts over. These stories capture how foundations have evolved their learning practices over time—and the insights they hope future leaders can inherit rather than rediscover. By sharing their experiences, they help others build on hard-won lessons instead of starting over.
From Initiating to Building in Learning Mindsets
Read Sequioa's Story
Sequoia's Advice
Start with your leaders. Learning culture follows leadership behavior.
From Building to Embedding in Reflection & Adaptation
Read Laude's StoryLaudes’ Advice
Treat recurring tensions as data. They're often pointing to something important.
From Initiating to Thriving in Curating Evidence
Read Co-Impact's StoryCo-Impact's Advice
Integrate learning into existing rhythms. Don't create parallel systems.
From Initiating to Building in Shared Definitions of Learning
Read Rockefeller's StoryRockefeller's Advice
You don't need perfect agreement. Start with a shared vocabulary.
From Building to Embedding in Clarifying Decision-Making
Read Their StoryFoundation for Healthy St. Pete's Advice
Keep it playful. People do their best thinking when conversations feel safe and energizing.
Origin & Evidence
By the Field, For the Field
The Learning Philanthropy Framework wasn't created in isolation. It emerged from a multi-year process of listening, research, and co-design with five founding philanthropies who saw the same gap and decided to do something about it.
How It Was Built
Literature Review
There existed a striking gap — while learning organization research is rich and well-developed, none of it was built for the unique realities of philanthropic funders.
Interviews
Interviews with learning leaders across the philanthropic sector — surfacing unmet needs, and hard-won insights that shaped every dimension of the LPF.
Co-Design Retreat
Five founding philanthropies came together for an in-person co-design retreat to test, refine, and bring the framework to life through their own experiences.
Pilot Cohort
Five founding philanthropies pressure-tested the framework and self-assessment tool, leading to insights that shaped the final version and Facilitator’s Playbook. Read their stories here.
Funded & Built With:
Book a Discovery Call
The Learning Philanthropy Framework was developed by Convive Collective through years of field research, practitioner interviews, and co-design with five founding philanthropies. If you'd like to explore how it could work for your organization, book a free discovery call.
Unlock Peer Learning
Join a Cohort and Build Your Learning Strategy Together
A cohort is a small group of philanthropic foundations that go through the Learning Philanthropy Framework together — with facilitated sessions, peer learning, and support from our team. Applications for the next cohort are now open.