A Couple Who Asked: What if We Didn’t Call All the Shots?
case Study
A Couple Who Asked: What if We Didn’t Call All the Shots?
In 2018, Bill and Holly Marklyn approached Phīla Engaged Giving with a bold vision: to redistribute their wealth through a model that centered racial and gender equity and shifted decision-making power to members of impacted communities. As first-generation wealth holders who were not interested in creating a traditional philanthropic legacy, they were clear that they didn’t want to be the ones making the grant decisions. They needed a trusted partner to help them design and implement a fully participatory model from the ground up.
Photo Credit: Pataathla Sutterlict, courtesy of The Share Fund (left to right: Bill & Holly Marklyn, Tracy & Cedrick Prim of Keep Goin' Foundation)
A multi-generational family foundation who was looking to sunset
What We Did
The Marklyns were clear from the start: they didn’t want to replicate the top-down power dynamics of traditional philanthropy. They envisioned a model that would center racial and gender equity — and require them to step back from decision-making entirely. With Phīla’s guidance, they brought that vision to life.
Together, we helped clarify their values and co-designed The Share Fund, a flexible vehicle for giving that allowed for funding nonprofits, individuals, political campaigns, and for-profit businesses— all outside the constraints of a private foundation or conventional DAF. From there, we led an extensive community-informed recruitment process to assemble a diverse Design Group of BIPOC leaders across Washington state. The Marklyns were intentionally not involved in the selection process, signaling their trust and commitment to a power-shifting model.
Once the Design Group was formed, we facilitated the entire process: managing logistics, supporting relationship-building, and creating a structure that allowed for transparency, accountability, and full participation. We brought in an outside facilitator, helped shape early discussions on values, stipends, and conflict of interest, and supported the group in developing a grantmaking process that was low-barrier, trust-based, and community-led. The final result: 17 organizations selected for unrestricted general operating grants, along with an additional Opportunity Fund designed to support the well-being of each grantee’s team — all without a formal application process. Read more about participatory grantmaking and how The Share Fund has evolved by downloading the Share Fund Report.
The Outcome
The Share Fund’s first cycle redistributed $500,000 in a trust-based, participatory process that centered BIPOC leaders and grassroots efforts across Washington. The Marklyns found deep meaning in relinquishing control and building a model that reflected their values — one that could grow and adapt in future years. The process also became a national example of how family philanthropy can authentically center community and equity.
At Phīla, our commitment to creating effective, streamlined, and purpose-driven charitable solutions is not only a testament to our expertise but also a reflection of our dedication to ensuring our clients’ legacies leave a lasting, meaningful impact.
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What our clients are saying
“When it came time to work on our estate plan with our attorney, we realized we didn’t have enough information. We had ideas about where to give, but hadn’t decided on a long term charitable giving plan that really matched our values.
Because of Phila’s help, we were able to come to our lawyer prepared with a charitable giving plan we feel really good about. And so does our attorney!”

“Phīla helped us redefine our goals, bring structure to our ideas and interests, assisted us with researching charities, and introduced us to new ones that aligned with our focus.”

“The team at Phila was a huge help and I couldn’t have done these things myself. You helped to get the client’s goals in order so l could do my part. Our roles really overlap like a Venn diagram. Thank you!”

“My money will not be distributed for quite a while yet, but just to have it done and know that the money will go where I want is a huge relief. I’m so relieved. Thank you-you just did an outstanding job.”
