At the 2025 Annual Leaders’ Retreat, executive directors and senior child advocacy leaders reconnected and reflected on what human-centered leadership looks like in a shifting political landscape. Karina Jimenez Lewis of Annie E. Casey Foundation shared powerful reflections on how philanthropy must evolve to meet the moment. She spoke about trust, equity, and the responsibility funders carry when the stakes are high. Although Krista could not be with us in person, she later shared reflections that deepened the themes we explored at the retreat. Building on that conversation, Krista Scott, Senior Program Officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, shares her own journey and perspective. Her approach is shaped by lived experience, institutional insight, and a deep belief in care as a force for change.
Lived Experience as an Anchor for Philanthropic Leadership
Krista’s perspective is deeply informed by her experience as a biracial Black woman and her upbringing in what she describes as the “in between” spaces of class and proximity to wealth. She understood how resources and influence shape opportunity, while also experiencing the vulnerability that comes when a single unexpected bill can derail a family’s stability.
This lived duality shaped her approach to philanthropy. It enables her to move comfortably between the systems level view that funders hold, and the everyday realities experienced by the communities most affected by policy. For Krista, innovative philanthropy begins with the capacity to see both people and systems clearly and simultaneously.
Relationships as the Foundation for Innovation
When asked what philanthropy most needs at this moment, Krista began with relationships. She noted that scarcity mindsets, mistrust, and siloed communication still limit the field’s collective impact. Without strong relationships, even the most carefully designed strategies fall short.
“We can have a lot of big plans,” she reflected, “but without trusting relationships, it will not work.”
In her view, the sector cannot outspend powerful systems, but it can build trust, authenticity, and shared purpose. Krista’s emphasis aligns with themes raised earlier in the retreat, including the need for solidarity across states, roles, and institutions. Innovation, she noted, grows from relational strength, not procedural complexity.
Equity as an Internal Practice
Krista also highlighted the importance of practicing equity within philanthropic institutions. She described a recent rapid response grantmaking effort in which she chose to award many smaller grants rather than one large one. The decision strengthened nonprofit partners but also created additional work for colleagues in grants management, finance, and operations.
This experience highlighted an essential truth. Equity decisions affect entire institutional ecosystems. What feels fair and responsive externally may carry different implications internally.
“Power, when you have it, can be invisible,” she noted. Recognizing that invisibility and its consequences is, for Krista, a foundational element of equitable grantmaking.
Navigating Today’s System with Yesterday’s Structures
Krista was candid about the structural tensions that both funders and advocates confront. She observed that the field is working to create a more equitable future while still operating within systems shaped by older norms, metrics, and power dynamics.
“We are all working toward a different future with the power structures of yesterday,” she shared.
Although advocates and funders engage in different strategies, they often face similar cultural and political barriers. Krista also pointed out that each group holds knowledge the other does not always see. Advocates understand which organizations have strong community relationships. Funders observe which organizations are following through on their equity commitments internally. These insights remain partitioned without strong trust. Building greater openness, she argued, could transform this quiet knowledge into a shared strategy.
My Reflection
Krista’s reflections offered a powerful reminder that innovation in philanthropy is not defined by new models or major announcements. It begins with humility, awareness, and relationships. Innovation looks like examining one’s own power. It looks like centering trust in a sector that often defaults to caution. It looks like practicing equity internally and recognizing the ripple effects of every decision.
Her insights challenged me to see innovation less as a technical shift and more as a relational one. It requires funders to be honest about what they know, open about what they do not know, and willing to share power in ways that feel real. Krista’s perspective is both grounded and forward looking, offering a meaningful direction for a sector seeking clarity in uncertain times.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is a leading national philanthropy paving the way toward a future where health is no longer a privilege but a right. Through funding, convening, advocacy, evidence building, and impact investing, RWJF works side-by-side with communities, practitioners, and institutions to get health equity, faster and together.