Unorthodox Philanthropy (UP) believes great opportunities should drive our funding decisions, not a predefined agenda. We seek to foster a system that enables promising ideas and people to flow upwards toward capital, rather than allocating funding downwards from specific issues or causes. We tend to be contrarians, believing that the opportunities with the greatest potential exist where others aren't looking. Otherwise, we are sector- and geography-agnostic.
We source opportunities through a variety of methods, including a diverse network of scouts that are creative thinkers, connectors, and agitators in their fields. We actively recruit people and networks that can help us identify individuals and initiatives with breakthrough potential, with an emphasis on outreach to communities that may not typically engage with private philanthropy.
UP is sponsored by the Lampert Family Foundation and works closely with the Global Development Incubator to source, vet, and support our awardees.
We are always looking to grow our networks; if you or someone you know would like to join our unique community or has an idea that fits our criteria, please contact us.