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Posted On: October 15th 2026, 02:28 pm
How can a funder's exit be responsible and help build a resilient civil society?
Our Co-CEO, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus and Eszter Filippinyi of @taicollaborative, explore this question in “Leaving with Care: Responsible Funder Exits.”
When a funder exits, the consequences can extend beyond the loss of funding. Organizations may lose staff, important programs may close, and communities can lose services. But a funder’s departure does not have to be an unavoidable crisis.
The authors highlight practical ways to make exits more responsible:
📌 Give organizations time to plan: Communicate decisions early, provide clear timelines, and give organizations space to ask questions and make informed decisions.
📌 Support a collective approach: Introduce organizations to potential funders, engage in field-level cooperation, and invest in coordinated fundraising and collaboration.
📌 Build a resilient civil society: Provide flexible, multiyear funding and support independent financial infrastructure while encouraging collaboration that preserves shared knowledge, relationships, and local leadership.
Responsible exits are not just about managing the end of a grant. As the authors put it, “The goal should be to protect the work and the people the organization exists to serve.”
Read more about some promising practices that can help organizations navigate funding transitions through the link in our bio.
Our Co-CEO, Cheri-Leigh Erasmus and Eszter Filippinyi of @taicollaborative, explore this question in “Leaving with Care: Responsible Funder Exits.”
When a funder exits, the consequences can extend beyond the loss of funding. Organizations may lose staff, important programs may close, and communities can lose services. But a funder’s departure does not have to be an unavoidable crisis.
The authors highlight practical ways to make exits more responsible:
📌 Give organizations time to plan: Communicate decisions early, provide clear timelines, and give organizations space to ask questions and make informed decisions.
📌 Support a collective approach: Introduce organizations to potential funders, engage in field-level cooperation, and invest in coordinated fundraising and collaboration.
📌 Build a resilient civil society: Provide flexible, multiyear funding and support independent financial infrastructure while encouraging collaboration that preserves shared knowledge, relationships, and local leadership.
Responsible exits are not just about managing the end of a grant. As the authors put it, “The goal should be to protect the work and the people the organization exists to serve.”
Read more about some promising practices that can help organizations navigate funding transitions through the link in our bio.
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