In the ever-changing landscape of philanthropy, philanthropists find themselves grappling with a confluence of challenges. Escalating global issues, shifting norms and attitudes, the growing specter of economic inequity, and ongoing debates about the power and legitimacy of the philanthropic sector collectively demand a reevaluation of traditional approaches. In response, philanthropists are called upon to reimagine their engagement strategies across various dimensions—with their internal talent, organizational processes, systems and structures, collaborators, and impacted communities and individuals.

To meet this pressing need for new organizational design and management models, funders continue to ask how to best leverage their resources to fulfill their missions more effectively. The time is ripe for funders to review and crystallize not only what they seek to accomplish, but also the kind of change they need to make in order to bring about desired results. The Philanthropy Framework and the Operating Archetypes enable them to do just that.

RPA’s Philanthropy Framework Before diving into the Operating Archetypes, it’s essential to understand the foundation from which they flow: the Philanthropy Framework. This instrument was developed by RPA to provide emerging and established philanthropic organizations with a structure to align resources for maximum impact. The Framework comprises three main elements: the charter, social compact, and operating model, which define how a philanthropy makes decisions, engages with others in the ecosystem and the broader society, and utilizes its capabilities and resources. In other words, each element shapes a philanthropic organization’s identity, purpose, and strategy. Let’s break them down.

  • Charter: A charter defines an organization’s scope, form of governance, and decision-making protocols. It establishes the guiding principles that inform the organization’s philanthropic efforts and serves as a reference point for trustees, board members, and staff.
  • Social Compact: The social compact is the implicit or explicit agreement between the organization and society regarding the value the organization aims to create. The compact outlines the expectations and responsibilities of philanthropy in its pursuit of social impact, including the considerations of accountability, legitimacy, and transparency.
  • Operating Model: The operating model addresses the resources, structures, and systems needed to implement the organization’s strategy. It involves the management of financial and nonfinancial resources, as well as the processes and structures necessary to achieve the organization’s mission, vision, and goals.

Operating Archetypes

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors published Operating Archetypes: Philanthropy’s New Analytical Tool for Strategic Clarity as a next-level analytical framework designed to support more thoughtful, effective, equitable philanthropy by helping funders better understand and articulate their distinct position in the philanthropy ecosystem. Based on extensive, multiyear global research, RPA has distilled eight Operating Archetypes.

Read the full PDF from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.