Siegel Family Endowment Releases Framework for Inquiry-Driven Philanthropy, Calls for Advancing 'The Science of Questions'

Better Questions, Better Insights introduces inquiry-driven philanthropy as a practical framework for helping funders generate deeper learning, share power, and drive more transformative impact

NEW YORK, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Siegel Family Endowment released Better Questions, Better Insights: How Philanthropy Can Harness the Science of Questions for Deeper Impact, a new whitepaper introducing a framework for how philanthropy might center questions rather than solutions across grantmaking. The paper defines "inquiry-driven philanthropy" as an approach to grantmaking rooted in an iterative process of asking questions, testing hypotheses, and further refining questions.  

At a time when artificial intelligence can produce responses in seconds and institutions have access to more information than ever before, the paper makes the case that the challenge of many social impact organizations is not a lack of data. It is a lack of disciplined inquiry: the ability to ask questions that unlock breakthrough solutions, align more closely with community priorities, and adapt to rapidly-changing systems. 

The approach takes inspiration from the scientific method, and was developed over more than a decade of grantmaking. It provides a comprehensive look at how Siegel uses questions as tools for navigating complexity, testing assumptions, learning alongside partners, and sharing knowledge back into the broader field.

"Questions are not soft. They are infrastructure for knowledge." said Katy Knight, President and Executive Director of Siegel Family Endowment. "At a moment when information is abundant but insight is harder to come by, funders have an opportunity and a responsibility to be more intentional about inquiry. Better questions can help us make better decisions, build stronger partnerships, and generate learning that advance the fields in which we work."

Better Questions, Better Insights offers practical guidance for applying inquiry across the grantmaking lifecycle, from strategy development and sourcing to proposal design, grantee engagement, learning, synthesis, and public sharing, with accompanying resources tailored to different roles within foundations. It also offers differentiated guides for various foundation staff roles, including program officers, evaluation staff, senior leadership, communications teams, and board members.

The release of the paper marks the first step in a broader effort by Siegel Family Endowment to build the infrastructure for inquiry-driven philanthropy. The foundation will continue sharing case studies, tools, and learning resources designed to help funders experiment with question-centered practices in ways that fit their own institutional contexts. 

"We don't have all the answers—which is exactly why we focus on questions," said Laura Maher, Chief of Staff at Siegel Family Endowment. "This whitepaper shares what we've learned from years of experimenting with inquiry-driven grantmaking: some of it worked brilliantly, some of it didn't, and we're documenting both. Our hope is that foundations and nonprofits will take what's useful, adapt what isn't, and share back what they learn so the field can build together." 

The whitepaper and additional resources can be downloaded here.

About Siegel Family Endowment
Siegel Family Endowment employs an inquiry-driven approach to grantmaking, informed by the scientific method and grounded in the belief that philanthropy is uniquely positioned to address complex societal challenges. Rapid technological change has reshaped how we live, work, and learn, transforming the global economy and redefining access to opportunity—from schools and workplaces to our built environment. To meet these shifts, we support technology that serves the public interest, including the tools, skills, and systems people need to engage with and shape a rapidly evolving world. Siegel Family Endowment was founded in 2011 by David Siegel, co-founder and co-chairman of financial sciences company Two Sigma.

SOURCE Siegel Family Endowment