MACKENZIE SCOTT/YIELD GIVING

The de facto patron saint of philanthropy is here for reasons we all know: fast, plentiful, large, unrestricted grants with NO strings attached. Yield entering the world of philanthropy was like a wild unicorn entering the trussed up world of dressage, decimating traditional technical rigidities with an rainbow moonwalk around the arena.

Do we wish Yield Giving would share more decision-making power or make longer-term grants? Yes, of course, but even with most grantmaking done through their ‘quiet research’ process Yield is head, shoulders, knees, and toes (hooves?) above most philanthropy out there, and proving again & again that doing philanthropy the way nonprofits need it is not rocket science. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, every funder can be more like Yield—just get the money out the door without requiring onerous due diligence, performances, or reports.

Add in MacKenzie Scott’s own advocacy for philanthropy with humility, trust, and respect for nonprofits and we couldn’t agree more with your choice for #1 unicorn funder!

IMAGO DEI FUND

In addition to providing multi-year, unrestricted funding (with wellbeing add-on support for most grantees 🥰), when many foundations ducked down their heads, Imago Dei, spoke up about staying true to their grantees’ needs and increased their payout, from an already brilliant 20%, by an additional 5% for 2025.

We also love that they invited grantee input in their last strategic planning process, fund direct cash assistance, and regularly use their voice and connections to invite other funders to move with courage and solidarity.

Bravo, Imago Dei Fund. Keep up the amazing work, you incredible unicorns, you!

SEGAL FAMILY FOUNDATION

There’s something magical about the Segal Foundation that elevates their participatory-grantmaking model of multi-year, general operating support funding. As one voter put it, with Segal Foundation “…it is more than just unrestricted funding, it is giving hope to the ones doing commendable work on the ground, trusting that they can deliver and they are being cheered on and supported.”

From their easily accessible Funder Directory to most of their team being in and from the East African communities they support. It seems like Segal keeps on asking themselves, ‘in which other aspect of our work can we share our power?’

We can’t wait to see what extraordinary things come next!