September 23, 2025
Hello PDC Community,
We’re back with another update from the Philanthropy Data Commons (PDC)!
Momentum is building and we are making steady progress toward realizing our vision of a more connected, transparent, and equitable philanthropic sector. Together with our partners, we are making strides with Exchange, the first application powered by the PDC, and continuing to lay the groundwork for a thriving shared data infrastructure.
Exchange: From Alpha to Early Engagement
Earlier this year, we launched Exchange Alpha (an initial version of the application), giving funders and changemakers a new way to connect, share grant application data, and align funding priorities.
Why Exchange Alpha:
- For changemakers 👥: Greater visibility to funders actively seeking proposals—without duplicating information across multiple systems.
- For funders💰: Streamlined discovery of high-impact organizations aligned with evolving priorities.
- For the sector 🌐: A step toward reducing inefficiencies and fostering collaboration.
Early adopters 🌱 are live and learning with us!
We’ve welcomed our first PDC participants including the MacArthur Foundation; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF); Carnegie Corporation of New York; Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation (ILCHF); and NTEN, who are actively informing feature priorities and the onboarding playbook.
Meaningful sector engagement is shaping the PDC
We hosted six targeted demo sessions with funders, changemakers, grants management vendors, PSOs, and data intermediaries – nearly 100 participants – surfacing shared needs around visibility, data reuse, and alignment.
New: Changemaker Direct
Guided by feedback from Exchange Alpha demos, we built Changemaker Direct – a way for nonprofits to proactively share data directly with the PDC, increasing their visibility and data ownership immediately.
Collaboration in Action: ILCHF pilot
In partnership with seven Illinois-serving food banks, ILCHF is piloting Exchange to surface urgent community nutrition needs. By sharing proposals and detailed budgets through the platform, the pilot enables other funders to quickly identify gaps and coordinate responses. 👉 Learn more in the Spotlight below.
Spotlight Story: ILCHF Collaborative Pilot
Cuts to SNAP and other services have left families across Illinois facing unprecedented nutritional challenges. To help address these gaps, the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation (ILCHF), in partnership with the PDC and seven Illinois-serving food banks, is piloting Exchange to surface urgent needs beyond what ILCHF alone can fund. By sharing proposals and detailed budgets from a coordinated funding request through Exchange, ILCHF is enabling other funders to quickly understand gaps and mobilize resources in response.
This effort is championed by Heather Alderman, President & CEO of ILCHF and a member of the PDC’s transitional advisory board. Heather brings deep experience in philanthropy, health equity, and nonprofit leadership, and her dual role offers both strategic guidance to the Commons and hands-on leadership in piloting Exchange.