Perspective Shift:
- The meta-crisis requires meta-philanthropy. Fragmented problems (climate, polarization, inequality) are actually interlocked failures of perception and system design. They can’t be solved with isolated grants. Philanthropy must evolve into a meta-strategy that integrates culture, consciousness, systems, and feedback.
- Philanthropy isn’t peripheral — it’s central to civilization’s future. Most people see philanthropy as auxiliary — a compassionate extra to patch systemic failures. In reality, philanthropy is a primary steering mechanism for society, especially in an era when both governments and markets are structurally incapable of long-term vision.
- The biggest leverage point for systems change isn’t nonprofits — it’s funders. Philanthropic foundations are often seen as passive supporters of nonprofit work. But the real transformational fulcrum lies upstream — in how funders shape strategies, demand outcomes, and bridge knowledge with action. Philanthropy isn’t just writing checks — it’s writing the future.
- Empowerment philanthropy corrected for strategic blind spots — but now it has its own. Strategic philanthropy brought rigor but lacked cultural sensitivity. Empowerment philanthropy brought equity but often lacks coherence and inclusivity of ideas. Integrative philanthropy arises not by rejecting either, but by transcending and including both.
- Legacy is no longer about buildings — it’s about steering civilization. In an age of collapse and breakthrough, the most meaningful legacy isn’t a wing named after you — it’s knowing your capital helped move the arc of history toward wholeness. Today’s visionary funders are tomorrow’s Medicis.
What if the future of civilization rests in the hands of those who know how — and where — to give?
In this visionary episode of IAM Insider, Josh Leonard joins Robb Smith to unveil his new developmental map of philanthropy, created using the Context AI platform (now available to all core members of Integal Life). Together they explore how philanthropic institutions — uniquely positioned between government, business, and civil society — have the potential to become the most powerful levers for long-term systems transformation.
Josh introduces the concept of integrative philanthropy, the emerging next stage in the evolution of giving, which transcends both the technocratic rigor of strategic philanthropy and the equity-driven activism of empowerment philanthropy. He walks us through a multilayered quadrant map that reveals how each aspect of the philanthropic ecosystem — from leadership vision to funding models to cultural values — is evolving across developmental stages, and where the pain points are that signal readiness for transformation.
As global systems teeter under the weight of the metacrisis, Robb and Josh argue that philanthropy is perhaps the only institution in society with the freedom, foresight, and capital to steward truly long-range change. But it requires a new level of strategic intelligence, developmental awareness, and epistemic humility — all of which are built into the integrative approach.
Whether you’re a funder, nonprofit leader, systems thinker, or cultural futurist, this episode offers an urgent call to action — and a profoundly hopeful map for how we might evolve the way we support what matters most.
Context Visualization
This developmental systems mapping project illuminates philanthropy’s evolution toward a more sophisticated understanding of social change and transformation. This map attempts to demonstrate how the field has moved through three distinct paradigms: Strategic Philanthropy, which brought professional rigor and outcome-focused methodologies to the sector; Empowerment Philanthropy, which centered community wisdom and recognized the importance of addressing systemic power imbalances; and now the emergence of Integrative Philanthropy, which builds upon these foundations while introducing a holistic and developmental understanding of how complex systems actually evolve and transform.
This evolution comes at a critical moment when philanthropy faces the increasingly complex and interconnected challenges of the polycrisis – from climate change to systemic inequality to democratic decline – that resist both strategic reductionism and mono-causal explanations. While Strategic Philanthropy’s emphasis on measurable outcomes and evidence-based practice brought essential discipline to the field, its linear and deterministic approaches proved inadequate for addressing complex systemic challenges. Similarly, while Empowerment Philanthropy rightfully recognized the need for systemic change, its tendency to reduce all social problems to single root causes (particularly power dynamics and structural racism) limited its effectiveness in catalyzing genuine transformation.
Note: These Context Maps are in many cases works in progress, and may be updated over time.
About Josh Leonard
Josh Leonard is a seasoned social impact organizational leader with more than two decades of real-world experience developing strategy, culture, programs, and leaders through an integral lens. He brings 10+ years of executive leadership with the YMCA and the Institute for Cultural Evolution to bear on the emerging challenges organizations face today in grappling with the complexity of the 21st century. Josh is a developmental leader who is adept at facilitating growth in individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve their goals for impact.
About Robb Smith
Robb Smith is a leading thinker on the Transformation Age and the global Integral movement. He is the creator of the augmented leadership platform Context, co-founder and CEO of Integral Life and founder of the Institute of Applied Metatheory.