We examine the role of mediators in locally embedding the community foundation model of philanthropy to enable its global diffusion. We hold that mediators, as trusted agents within elite networks, promote and legitimate institutional innovation by tailoring the model to satisfy local requirements. They thereby limit resistance while creating future potentialities. Our novel addition to the community foundation literature stems from research on the transatlantic diffusion of the community foundation template from the United States to the United Kingdom focused on an in-depth case study of one of Europe’s largest community foundation, that serving Tyne & Wear and Northumberland in North East England. Our findings suggest that success in embedding the community foundation model depends on rendering it fit-for-context and fit-for-purpose. Mediators operating at both the macro and micro level matter because they have the cultural, social, and symbolic capital needed to win acceptance for initially alien philanthropic principles, practices, and structures.

我们研究了调解人在本地嵌入慈善事业的社区基础模型以实现其全球传播中的作用。我们认为，调解员作为精英网络中可信赖的代理人，可以通过调整模型以满足本地需求来促进和合法化机构创新。因此，它们在创造未来潜力的同时限制了抵抗力。我们对社区基金会文献的新颖补充来自对社区基金会模板从美国到英国的跨大西洋传播的研究，重点是对欧洲最大的社区基金会之一的深入案例研究，该基金会为Tyne＆Wear和诺森伯兰郡在英格兰东北部。我们的研究结果表明，成功嵌入社区基础模型取决于使其适合上下文和适合目的。在宏观和微观层面上运作的调解员都很重要，因为他们拥有赢得最初的外来慈善原则，实践和结构所需要的文化，社会和象征性资本。