Can Philanthropy
Save The World?
Every day, philanthropy works to close the gap between the world we have and the world we imagine. Where to direct limited resources. What to prioritize. What to let go. The tensions are real — and the trade-offs are never simple.
PSTW is a crisis-driven strategy game that puts you in the seat of a philanthropic leader. Six rounds. Three dimensions of world health. Hard choices with real consequences. Can your strategy save the world?
Play Solo
Experience the simulation on your own. Make every choice yourself and see how your world fares.
Host a Workshop
Run PSTW with your team, conference, or community. Facilitated, competitive, and unforgettable.
Want us to facilitate a workshop for you?
Contact partnerships@garycommunity.orgFrom Gary Community Ventures
The Power of Impermanence
What becomes possible when you have a deadline?
PSTW was born from this question. The same urgency that drives the game — limited resources, compounding crises, a world that won't wait — is the lived experience of philanthropic organizations choosing to embrace impermanence. Our team at Gary Community Ventures explored this tension in a short film and report that asks whether the pressure of a deadline might be philanthropy's greatest catalyst.
Watch the Film & Read the Report →How It Works
The game mirrors the real choices philanthropic organizations face every day — where to direct resources, what to prioritize, and what to let go.
Build Your Foundation
Name your world, create your foundation, and set your strategy. How much will you spend each year? Will you invest for returns or for impact?
Face Crises
Every round brings a new crisis. Allocate resources across direct service, systemic change, civic infrastructure, and the environment. Every choice has a trade-off.
See the Consequences
After 6 rounds, your decisions play out over 10 more years. Did you build something lasting, or just put out fires? The answer reveals itself.
The Real Question
Philanthropy exists in a world of tensions. Speed versus sustainability. Direct relief versus structural change. Financial returns versus mission alignment. These trade-offs are hard to see in spreadsheets and strategy documents. PSTW makes them felt.
Do you help people now?
Direct service saves lives today but the need keeps coming back
Do you fix the system?
Systemic change is slow and uncertain but can shift the conditions that create crises
Do you protect the future?
Environmental investment takes years but without it there is no world left to save