Philanthropy is Evolving — and You’re the CATALST.
The sector needs bold builders, creators, and visionaries like you. By joining the our talent network, you’re helping reimagine who leads — and how.
Why Join Now
Future Funders is in an active design phase — your voice shapes what comes next.
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Demonstrate demand for inclusive leadership pathways
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Help create access to board and executive opportunities
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Co-design tools and resources that support proximate leaders
What You’ll Gain
Signing up doesn’t just add your name to a list — it signals your participation in a movement that’s transforming philanthropy.
Access to trustee and executive opportunities as the pipeline grows.
Connection with peers, mentors, and champions.
Early access to leadership development resources as they are developed.
A community building spaces where proximate leaders thrive.
WHAT IS A PROXIMATE LEADER?
A proximate leader is someone whose lived and professional experiences are directly connected to the communities and issues they seek to address. Their expertise is embodied—rooted in firsthand understanding rather than detached observation. They bring tacit knowledge, cultural fluency, and relational intelligence that traditional credentials alone cannot provide.
In philanthropy, proximate leaders serve as bridges between systems and communities, ensuring that strategy and governance are not only informed by data but grounded in the wisdom of lived experience. Their presence expands how institutions see, decide, and act—transforming leadership from an exercise of authority into a practice of connection and care.
The Path Ahead
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Join
Sign up and add your voice to a growing network of proximate leaders.
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Engage
Contribute to shaping tools, spaces, and opportunities for pluralistic leadership.
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Match
Be considered for roles aligned with your expertise and goals.
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Lead
Step into decision-making spaces that transform philanthropy from within.
Join OUR NETWORK
Sign up to join the Future Funders Talent Pool
(After completing the form below you will be sent the full application)
Privacy Commitment
Your trust matters to us. Any information you share is voluntary, self-identified, and kept strictly confidential. We will never sell, trade, or share your personal data with third parties.
Future Funders is building a national database of proximate leaders ready to connect with transformative board and executive opportunities in philanthropy. Collecting this information helps us:
Connect you with relevant opportunities,
Design programs and tools that reflect real needs, and
Demonstrate to foundations the depth and diversity of proximate leadership.
We also welcome allies who want to stay engaged and support this movement. Together, we can usher in a new era where pluralistic leadership is not the exception, but the norm in philanthropy.