Benjamin Soskis
Research Associate
The Urban Institute
Benjamin Soskis is a scholar of civil society and philanthropy, and the co-editor of the HistPhil blog.
Stories by This Author
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OpinionCivil Society Is Under Attack. What Is It, Anyway?
Defending civil society from Trump administration threats isn’t possible without a clear understanding of what it actually means. -
Opinion
How Elon Musk’s Election Antics Harm Philanthropy
Musk’s interference in the presidential race represents the obliteration of philanthropy’s political red line and is a signal flare for the field. -
Opinion
Campus Protests, Donor Secrecy, and a Moment for Reform
The right’s politicized calls to “follow the money” speak to a very real need for donor transparency and nonprofit oversight. -
Opinion
How ‘Yes, and’ Philanthropy Could Unite the Charitable World’s Opposing Forces
An innovative giving approach aims to maximize good while indulging donor choice. Could it settle the debate over philanthropic pluralism? -
Opinion
Jeff Bezos Says Giving Is Hard. That Trope Goes Back to Andrew Carnegie
When invoked too zealously, it can deflect attention from what grantee leaders often find most difficult about philanthropy: a lack of urgency, a failure to deliver resources expeditiously, and the imposition of burdensome restrictions. -
Opinion
Why We Need to Keep an Eye on the Gates Foundation’s Board Expansion
The addition of three outsiders to the family fund is an important first step, but we need to keep our eye on how the new trustees deal with demands for a power shift and greater feedback from the people the philanthropy serves. -
Opinion
A Legacy of Sackler: Let’s Reconsider Philanthropic Naming Rights
A court settlement with the family whose fortune was made in opioids set a new precedent, one that should influence how nonprofits think about plastering the names of their benefactors on buildings and programs. -
Opinion
Philanthropy’s Failed Covid Test
While large sums have been given, the wealthiest are still richer than before the pandemic hit. And grant makers have been reluctant to say they will permanently lift restrictions on grants. What’s more, when it comes to vaccines, the world’s neediest are still waiting. -
Opinion
Optimism Has Long Been Fuel for Philanthropy. It Still Should Be, if It’s the Right Kind
As the Biden administration takes off and vaccinations begin to slow the deadly Covid virus, this could be the moment to wed a conviction that things will get better with a chastened self-examination from those who have already been doing well. -
Opinion
In Twin Crises, Philanthropy’s Test Is All About Power
As foundations figure out how to respond to the pandemic and racial inequality, they will be graded not just by how much they give but also how much they give up their resources and decision-making authority.
