The Revolution Will Not Be Funded

The Revolution Will Not Be Funded examines how the non-profit sector and philanthropic foundations impact social justice movements. The collection of essays by activists and organizers critiques what they term the "Non-Profit Industrial Complex." Contributors analyze how foundation funding can redirect radical movements toward more moderate goals and make organizations dependent on wealthy donors. The book documents historical examples of how activism has been shaped by non-profit structures and grant requirements. The essays explore alternative models for organizing and funding social justice work outside traditional non-profit frameworks. Writers share strategies from their experiences leading grassroots organizations and building movement infrastructure. This collection raises fundamental questions about power, co-optation, and the relationship between social movements and institutional funding sources. The book challenges readers to reimagine how transformative change can be sustained and funded.

Readers highlight this book's critical analysis of how nonprofit funding can neutralize social movements and maintain systemic inequalities. Many reviewers note it opened their eyes to problems with the "nonprofit industrial complex." Readers appreciated: - Clear breakdown of how foundation funding impacts activism - Real examples from grassroots organizations - Practical alternatives to traditional nonprofit models - Multiple contributor perspectives Common criticisms: - Some essays are repetitive - Academic language makes parts less accessible - More solutions needed beyond criticism - Dated examples (published 2007) Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (90+ ratings) "Made me completely rethink my career in nonprofits" - Goodreads reviewer "Important critiques but heavy reading" - Amazon reviewer "Should be required for anyone working in social justice" - LibraryThing reviewer

The End of Policing by Alex S. Vitale This critique of police reform examines how non-profit organizations and liberal reforms maintain rather than challenge existing power structures.

Winner Takes All by Anand Giridharadas This investigation explores how philanthropists and corporate elites use charitable giving to preserve their power while claiming to change the world.

Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva This analysis reveals how foundations and the philanthropic sector perpetuate colonial dynamics and offers Indigenous perspectives on transforming these systems.

No Such Thing as a Free Gift by Linsey McGoey This examination of the Gates Foundation and modern philanthropy demonstrates how billionaire giving shapes global policy while reinforcing inequality.

The Self-Help Myth by Erica Kohl-Arenas This study of California's farm worker movement illustrates how foundation funding redirected radical organizing toward market-based solutions that maintained structural poverty.

🔸 INCITE! is a network of radical feminists of color who came together in 2000, organizing to end violence against women, gender non-conforming, and trans people of color through direct action and critical dialogue. 🔸 The term "non-profit industrial complex" (NPIC), central to the book's critique, was inspired by and builds upon other terms like "prison industrial complex" and "military industrial complex." 🔸 The book argues that the rise of non-profit organizations has led to the professionalization and depoliticization of social movements, as activists become more focused on grant writing and fundraising than grassroots organizing. 🔸 Many contributors to the book worked in non-profit organizations themselves, providing firsthand accounts of how foundation funding can reshape and sometimes compromise activist goals and strategies. 🔸 The book's title is a play on Gil Scott-Heron's famous poem "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" (1970), suggesting that true social change cannot be achieved through foundation-funded non-profits.