Laura Bacon

About Laura Bacon

For more than 20 years, I’ve designed programs, built partnerships, and helped mission-driven teams thrive. My areas of expertise are trust- and care-based philanthropy, organizational development, strategic grant-making, and changemaker wellbeing. Right now, I am an advisor and consultant to funders, nonprofits, and social enterprises. I\'m the strategy lead and facilitator of the Funders + Wellbeing Group, a global network of foundations rethinking how philanthropy supports the people behind the work. I\'m also curating a wellbeing toolkit for changemakers, advising an innovative social enterprise for women, and supporting organizational development for an arts nonprofit. Previously, I led Luminate’s Partner Support program, designing a global strategy to support 300+ grantee organizations through coaching, learning, and resilience-building. We delivered 7500+ hours of advising, 250 stipends, and supported resilience and ecosystem building. Partners consistently said the support was as valuable as funding itself. Before that, I was a grantmaker at Luminate and Omidyar Network, and served as a White House Fellow launching a global initiative for underrepresented leaders in clean energy. Along the way, I’ve published articles and case studies on effective philanthropy, leadership, and gender equity, appearing in Foreign Policy, International Peacekeeping, Center for Effective Philanthropy, and more. My roots in service (from Peace Corps Niger to gender equity advising in Liberia) and academia (Harvard, Princeton) continue to shape how I work.

Experience

1. Independent Consultant to Philanthropic Foundations and Social Impact Nonprofits

   Independent Consultant

   Jan 2024 — Present

   I accompany inspiring leaders and organizations, supporting them to do their best work. My roles currently include: Strategy Lead & Facilitator, The Funders + Wellbeing Group (FWG), The Wellbeing ProjectFWG is a global learning community for foundations and grantmakers to together explore the link between inner wellbeing and sustainable social change, experiment with ways to put it into practice, and ultimately contribute to culture shift in the philanthropic ecosystem. I am responsible for the strategic design of the learning group, designing and leading all virtual and in-person sessions with members. Curator, Wellbeing Toolkit for Changemakers, Segal Family FoundationI am collaborating with the Segal Family Foundation to create a toolkit with >100 resources for African changemakers to support their wellbeing. Organizational Development Consultant, The Realness Institute (for African filmmakers)I support this nonprofit arts organization with board development, institutional strengthening, strategy consulting, and individualized coaching to the leader and team members. Advisor & Director, One HuddleOne Huddle, a social enterprise, is on a mission to provide expertise and a supportive community to those experiencing major life transitions and milestones. I work across a talented global team, designing, launching, leading, and advising on a new program.

Education

• Harvard Kennedy School

  MPP

• Harvard University

  B.A.