Philanthropy and Equality : A framework for sharing power and addressing inequalities

Across the Philea network, many philanthropic organisations are already engaging with issues of equality, power, justice and inclusion in thoughtful and meaningful ways. This framework builds on those efforts, offering a shared space for reflection, alignment and collective progress.Rather than presenting a single, definitive or prescriptive stance, the framework provides a broad and flexible lens on the relationship between philanthropy and equality. It highlights how inequality is deeply connected to power structures, climate justice, democratic practice, and how it is deeply entangled with philanthropy's history, funding models, operating practices and legitimacy. Though the framework focuses on equality, some elements within it centre the concept of equity.The framework invites philanthropic organisations at different stages of this journey to explore four key areas of practice: internal practices, relational approaches, redistribution of capital, and systems thinking.