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Nothing ventured nothing gained
The word ‘risk’ derives from the Latin root ‘risicare’ – to dare. Foundations are often in the enviable position of being able to dare, yet many are too risk averse, only willing to fund the …
Pledging longer, fewer and deeper bets
Lance Fors’ background is in the commercial and venture capital world. He founded a biotechnology company, Third Wave Technologies, and eventually sold it. Since then he has focused on social change and entrepreneurship, acting as …
Risk management for development
Development in the 21st century will have little resemblance to its 20th-century antecedent. It must change dramatically or it won’t succeed. Why? Because it has to take into account a series of global threats that …
Taking risks for peace
Brian Currin is a veteran of peace processes in South Africa, Northern Ireland and the Basque country. Needless to say, much of the work is highly politically sensitive, with entrenched hatreds aggravated by acts of …
Philanthropy’s tugboat
Pears Foundation is a family foundation rooted in Jewish values. A number of areas in which we work require us to take risks. Our aim of promoting positive identity and citizenship, and building respect between …
Interview – Richard Branson
In order to combat climate change, increasing interest is being shown in ‘geoengineering’ approaches. Broadly speaking, these divide into two main categories: the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and solar radiation management to …
The value of calculated risk
Private foundations are investing increasing amounts in efforts to tackle the causes and consequences of extreme poverty in low-income countries, but we are still extremely small players compared to government donor agencies and the international …
A generational opportunity fast slipping away
‘It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity.’ Dag Hammarskjöld 2011 marked a watershed moment for democracy and development around the world. There were radical challenges to sclerotic …
What do others want from foundations?
Partnering with UNDP Najat Rochdi There is no development without risk-taking. If it was not risky, 60 years of working for development would have been much more successful than they have been. So what kind …
Risky business: the survey
A session on ‘Risky Business’ at the European Foundation Centre (EFC) conference this month will explore the relationship between risk and creativity. In preparation for the session, Selim Iltus and Barry Knight surveyed EFC member …