While bringing together diverse stakeholders is a necessary step towards ending homelessness, it is not sufficient. Too often people convene to talk, learn best practices, and plan without making necessary changes in their own behavior. Too often they acknowledge that they know what should be done, but then fail to follow through because doing so may compromise immediate self-interests for...
Additional Systems Change Resources
May 26, 2017
Amanda Andere reflects on her past year as Funders Together CEO and the vision for the future of the organization and the collective work to prevent and end homelessness.
Feb 28, 2017
What started as as pilot program through funding from the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation, Secure Jobs thrived through a systems change approach facilitated through public-private partnerships.
Oct 07, 2016
Imagine yourself a single parent without a job, determined to lift your young family out of the misery of homelessness and into the security of stable housing. You need to work – and you want to work – but your first priority, understandably, is finding a place for your family to live.
Sep 28, 2016
Each year, the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty hosts a National Forum on the Human Right to Housing. This year’s Forum, held June 27, 2016, in Washington, D.C., focused on the intersection of criminal justice and housing policies and how they work together to perpetuate homelessness.
May 03, 2016
Members of Foundations for Youth Success (FYS) gathered in Minneapolis April 7th and 8th to learn about the inspiring work happening in the state to end youth homelessness. In this second post in our series, Casey Trupin of the Raikes Foundation reflects on how the convening strengthened his understanding of philanthropy's role in preventing and ending...
Apr 26, 2016
Members of Foundations for Youth Success (FYS) gathered in Minneapolis April 7th and 8th to learn about the inspiring work happening in the state to end youth homelessness. Angela D'Orazio of Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland came away from the convening inspired and armed with key takeaways to apply to her foundation's work to...
Mar 17, 2016
After nearly 15 years, the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) is slated to start dispersing funds to states. How can philanthropy support and ensure the success of the program?
Nov 24, 2015
What happens when cities start to declare homelessness as an "emergency"? Where do we go from here? Funders Together Board Member, David Wertheimer of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation explores how these declarations can aid the fight to end and prevent homelessness.
Jul 17, 2015
Funders Together Los Angeles hosted a panel discussion to examine traditional workforce models, the current role social enterprises play in employing LA’s homeless and formerly homeless communities, and new opportunities in the field.
May 22, 2015
What does systems change to end homelessness look like? What is the funder's role in creating effective systems?
May 22, 2015
What are the key takeaways?
May 18, 2015
As we've been learning about the many different crises that can catapult a family into homelessness, we've developed a version 2.0 response to family homelessness. What is it?
Mar 26, 2015
With support from Funders Together Houston, The Frees Foundation, and The Simmons Foundation, the Houston Police Department created a Homeless Outreach Team and documented their efforts in a documentary called The Shepherds in Blue.
Jan 12, 2015
Hint: stable housing, great schools, and strong communities are key pillars of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Pacific Northwest initiatives.
Nov 19, 2014
Exploring new opportunities to connect health services in housing for both individuals and families recovering from homelessness
Nov 11, 2014
Highlights from the 2014 gathering of public sector partners, key stakeholders, grantees, and experts to share and advance the collective effort to end chronic homelessness in Los Angeles.
Aug 07, 2014
Reflections on our 2014 Funders Institute
Mar 07, 2014
USICH has been instrumental in our efforts to rethink the systems that have allowed homelessness to persist.
Feb 27, 2014
This webinar provides an introduction to the systems approach and identifies ways in which philanthropy can be a catalyst for change in local communities.
Feb 07, 2014
Funders Together's new interactive map demonstrates the shortcomings of the TANF program in preventing family homelessness in the United States.
Jan 31, 2014
We are excited for 2014! Here's a look at what we're doing and how you can plug in.
Jan 22, 2014
With limited resources and increasing demand, we have to think about prevention.
Nov 25, 2013
Melville Charitable Trust spent a year examining and honing its grantmaking to prevent and end homelessness. Find out how they did it.
Nov 14, 2013
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation hosted over 80 local stakeholders for the third annual Chronic Homelessness Initiative Convening at the California Science Center in downtown Los Angeles.
Oct 24, 2013
Collaborative systems change like a glacier: It moves slowly, and its progress is sometimes hard to observe, but over time its enormous power completely and permanently transforms the landscape in ways that are dramatic and, at the outset, unimaginable.
May 29, 2013
In his forum, Rob Reich claims that, at their best, foundations foster pluralism and encourage discovery. But in my experience foundations can do much more.
Apr 01, 2013
Funders should consider these points in order to supporting the work of ending homelessness.
Feb 22, 2013
At this week’s NAEH 2013 Conference on Ending Family & Youth Homelessness, Funders Together hosted several events as part of our Networking Series: Where Catalytic Philanthropy Begins With Conversation.
Dec 12, 2012
Many homeless programs were developed to respond to emergencies, providing a safety net for people in crisis. The response from communities was compassionate and well meaning, but it was not a solution.
Dec 03, 2012
Homeless and housing programs are growing up. Thank goodness.
Nov 16, 2012
What does an end to homelessness look like? The city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada is on the road to finding out.
Nov 06, 2012
It isn’t every day that the work I do at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is called “audacious,” but when one of our partners described our collective efforts to end family homelessness in Washington State with precisely this word, I took it as a compliment.
Oct 30, 2012
Many systems touch at-risk and homeless families: foster care, child welfare, crisis response, mental health services, and schools, to name a few–but no one system will solve family homelessness alone.
Sep 18, 2012
I’m never quite sure what the reaction will be when I mention the concept of “public-private partnerships” to a colleague.
Aug 08, 2012
Changing the way we do business has the potential to improve outcomes for families who are homeless across each of our communities.
Jul 19, 2012
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius gave the keynote address at the National Conference on Ending Homelessness.
Jul 11, 2012
When we first became involved with homelessness, we noticed that the national focus and most of the local work was on ending chronic homelessness. While we applauded this effort, we wanted to see the 10-year community planning process include homeless families as well.
Jul 03, 2012
Homelessness is a complex issue but it is not an unsolvable problem. It can be ended and philanthropy has a vital role to play.
May 30, 2012
In January 2012, Mayor Kasim Reed launched an initiative to dramatically reduce street homelessness in Atlanta.
Mar 22, 2012
Last October, a group of 80 invited leaders from philanthropy, government, and the private sector gathered in Seattle to think about ways to fundamentally transform how we work with vulnerable children and their families.
Jan 18, 2012
A foundation's investment improved homeless services for all Chicago families.
Nov 16, 2011
We can end homelessness in America, but philanthropy must be willing to step forward and challenge the status quo.
Oct 20, 2011
Philanthropy needs to play a role in order for us to achieve the goals in Opening Doors.
Apr 14, 2011
Recently, a few of us from Funders Together to End Homelessness sat down with Rick Cohen, national correspondent for the Non-Profit Quarterly. The topic: Can philanthropy help to end homelessness?
Jun 22, 2010
Opening Doors is a landmark in the history of fighting homelessness.
