Philanthropy and the social economy: Blueprint 2015 is the annual forecast for the philanthropy industry, written by leading scholar Lucy Bernholz. Recently released by GrantCraft, a service of Foundation Center, the report provides a global perspective on how digital data and infrastructure are being used for socially positive purposes.

Bernholz also presents evidence that, beyond the realm of traditional non-profits and foundations in the US, global civil society is also made up of increasingly diverse types of organization that are making investments in the social good and using digital tools to do it.

Many of the ideas and trends highlighted in Blueprint have already informed initiatives worldwide. For instance, the key role of digital technology in the ‘sharing economy’ is reflected in the work of IssueLab (also a service of Foundation Center) to gather, index and freely share the collective knowledge of the social sector. And earlier this year, Berlin-based betterplace lab – a contributing partner in this year’s Blueprint – launched Lab Around the World to explore digital social innovation in 14 vastly different countries.

Blueprint is complemented by a wealth of related content available at the GrantCraft website, including blog posts, key takeaways, and online discussions.

For more information
www.grantcraft.org/blueprint15
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