On a quest to democratize philanthropy – a $500 billion dollar a year industry with a questionable track record of success, Keely Badger has spent the last decade working with foundations and donors to move money across an array of human rights issues, addressing the root causes of socio-economic barriers impacting underserved communities. Her work aims to spotlight the ethics and impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, access and belonging initiatives for organizations large and small.

As an early adopter and advocate of a new philanthropic approach called Flow Funding, Keely has led participatory grantmaking programs in the arts, education, independent media, feminomics and climate justice sectors through direct consultation and collaboration with community leaders and creative visionaries since 2014. Instead of working with money in a linear manner, where philanthropists perpetuate reactionary “yes” or “no” responses to grant requests, Keely works with organizations on mission and vision-setting, programs and operations development, that encourages the dynamic flow of financial and social capital spontaneously through the hands of new funders in an effort to democratize philanthropy. In this new culture of giving, everyday community leaders become changemakers in philanthropy.

Marion Rockefeller Weber initiated the first Flow Fund circle in 1991. Today, a handful of organizations and philanthropic leaders are working to model this new approach by moving money, meaningfully.