High-engagement philanthropy: the grantee's perspective

This paper explores high-engagement philanthropy from the often-overlooked perspective of grantees, contrasting it with traditional grantmaking. It investigates how early childhood education centers in Pennsylvania perceived grants where funders worked closely with them, offering both financial and technical assistance. The study found that grantees largely favored high-engagement approaches, believing they enhanced operational capacity and impact, despite criticisms that it merely rebrands traditional methods. This research contributes to the discourse by bringing grantee voices into the debate on effective philanthropic practices.