our approach
By making unresticted grants and providing capacity building support Pennywise invests in small grassroots organizations that are reimagining use of resources, reducing waste and breaking destructive cycles. Together we cultivate creative partnerships and work to fill resource gaps while creating sustainable and replicable models.
Pennywise focuses on where issues intersect and works to build and strengthen relationships between all stakeholders.
our priorities
One of the reasons we built Pennywise was because we were frustrated by traditional patterns of giving in the nonprofit sector. Too often, even with the best intentions, a one time infusion of financial support gets a project going but that project falters when the money runs out. We think there are better approaches. Pennywise prioritizes programming that has self-sufficiency and sustainability, for both the work and its beneficiaries, at the heart of its design. We envision our grants as investments that will be leveraged to create impacts that grow and last over time.
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Here are some of the ways we think that happens
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GIVING FOR FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
We view giving as investing. We support projects that help break cycles of poverty and create opportunities that further financial security. This includes direct financial programming, like micro-lending in underserved communities, as well as longer term strategies such as increasing access to education, breaking down monetary barriers in public systems and bridging race, gender and wealth gaps.
Recent Project |Appropriate Technology Collaborative: Mayan Power & Light
We view giving as investing. We support projects that help break cycles of poverty and create opportunities that further financial security. This includes direct financial programming, like micro-lending in underserved communities, as well as longer term strategies such as increasing access to education, breaking down monetary barriers in public systems and bridging race, gender and wealth gaps.
Recent Project |Appropriate Technology Collaborative: Mayan Power & Light
GIVING FOR WASTE REDUCTION
We prioritize projects that reduce waste-physical and/or economic. We are particularly excited about initiatives that gather products or materials that would otherwise be disposed of as garbage and recreate, refurbish or redistribute them so that they can fill an identified need.
Recent Project | Liter of Light
We prioritize projects that reduce waste-physical and/or economic. We are particularly excited about initiatives that gather products or materials that would otherwise be disposed of as garbage and recreate, refurbish or redistribute them so that they can fill an identified need.
Recent Project | Liter of Light
BOTTOM LINE SAVINGS
We believe programs that increase efficiency and decrease costs have the best chance of effectuating lasting change. We support programming that achieves goals while also creating financial savings for project partners, governments and communities.
Recent Project | STEPS to end Domestic Violence
We believe programs that increase efficiency and decrease costs have the best chance of effectuating lasting change. We support programming that achieves goals while also creating financial savings for project partners, governments and communities.
Recent Project | STEPS to end Domestic Violence
COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
We have a special interest in public/private partnerships because we recognize that governments are often uniquely situated to institutionalize interventions and bring them to larger scales.
Recent Project | Agua Para La Vida
We have a special interest in public/private partnerships because we recognize that governments are often uniquely situated to institutionalize interventions and bring them to larger scales.
Recent Project | Agua Para La Vida
MORE WITH LESS
We stand for the premise that small actors and actions can leverage resources to make big differences.
Recent Project | Alight 365
We stand for the premise that small actors and actions can leverage resources to make big differences.
Recent Project | Alight 365