NCRP Honors Jan Masaoka and Jon Pratt with its
Pablo Eisenberg Memorial Prize for Philanthropy Criticism
WASHINGTON, DC – The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) recognizes two visionary leaders whose decades of fearless critique and advocacy have helped shape both the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. The Philanthropy Project’s Jon Pratt and Jan Masaoka have long challenged status quo thinking and practices in philanthropy, urging funders to act with greater accountability—especially in the face of growing authoritarian threats.
NCRP is honoring Masaoka and Pratt with its 2nd Pablo Eisenberg Memorial Prize for Philanthropy Criticism. Masaoka, former Executive Director of the California Association of Nonprofits, has long been one of the nonprofit sector’s clearest and most courageous truth-tellers. From exposing the harmful myths around overhead to challenging funders to provide more general operating support, Masaoka has never shied away from asking hard questions—and demanding better answers. Pratt, former Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and a respected voice in the sector, has taken similar risks in publicly challenging the philanthropic status quo. For decades, Pratt has been a consistent advocate for transparency, accountability and equity in philanthropic practice—often pushing boundaries others wouldn’t dare cross.
“NCRP chose Jan Masaoka and Jon Pratt because they have worked to hold philanthropy to a higher standard for decades,” said Aaron Dorfman, President & CEO of NCRP. “They are bold critics of the sector, delivering with love a message to funders that nonprofits and the communities they serve need to be at the center of any strategy — an approach that Pablo Eisenberg also employed.”
Eisenberg, along with Thomas R. Asher and Jim Abernathy, helped create NCRP in 1976 – nearly fifty years ago – as an outgrowth of the Donee Group, which looked to represent the interests of grantees and small funders before the Congress’ 1973 Filer Commission on Private and Public Needs. He served as the organization’s founding chair and continuously sat on the board of directors for 37 years.
Masaoka and Pratt of The Philanthropy Project are one of five awardees that will be honored October 29 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the 2025 IMPACT Awards. The Inaugural winner of the Pablo Eisenberg Prize for Philanthropy Criticism was Nonprofit AF’s Vu Le in 2023.
“Jan Masaoka and Jon Pratt are the embodiment of the Pablo Eisenberg legacy – holding philanthropy accountable and calling for appropriate regulation for their tax-favored wealth,” said NCRP Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer Russell Roybal.
Click here to read more about Jan Masaoka and Jon Pratt at The Philanthropy Project and why they were chosen for the Pablo Eisenberg Prize for Philanthropy Criticism.
ABOUT THE 2025 IMPACT AWARDS
Since 2013, NCRP has awarded 34 IMPACT Awards to grantmakers in recognition of support, leadership and partnership with grassroots organizations and community leaders around critical issues. In 2023, we added a fifth, The Pablo Eisenberg Memorial Prize for Philanthropy Criticism, in honor of NCRP’s founding board chair.
The IMPACT Awards ceremony takes place at the CHANGE Unity Summit. Click here for more information on the 2025 Unity Summit.
ABOUT NCRP
The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) has served as philanthropy’s critical friend and independent watchdog since 1976. We partner with foundations, nonprofits and social movements to ensure that the philanthropic sector is accountable to communities with the least wealth, opportunity and power.
For nearly 50 years, NCRP’s storytelling, advocacy and research efforts have fostered transparency and accountability within the sector, and helped funders fulfill their moral and practical duty to build, share and wield power to serve the public.
