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Opinions
Inaction at Least Developed Countries summit hurting global development
World leaders and policymakers have a remarkable capacity to emulate progress without actually achieving anything. Earlier this month, leaders of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), parliamentarians, UN officials and representatives of civil society descended on Istanbul …
A problem shared – an opportunity for foundations
As money becomes squeezed, foundations are increasingly viewing their knowledge as an untapped resource. A real opportunity for impact lies in knowledge of what doesn’t work. Admitting mistakes is difficult, but there is much to …
Defining social justice philanthropy: spearing the sausage?
Like spearing a tricky sausage on a plate or, more poetically, catching a butterfly on the wing without damaging it, attempting to define a field of grantmaking is notoriously difficult. Define it too narrowly and …
A message to all foundation associations
When thinking about what associations of foundations could achieve, perhaps our first step should be to reflect on what it is that philanthropy does. Foundations work towards achieving change, whether it is addressing the root …
Advisers’ perspectives – Philanthropy advice – a role for charities?
It didn’t take long for me to get the message. I was discussing philanthropic trends at a recent event, and the suggestion that NGOs should be playing an active role at the heart of philanthropy …
Advisers’ perspectives – Missing – the power of peer networks
Alliance’s September 2010 issue on philanthropy advisers lays out the case for the formalization and growth of the services they offer. Articles by Melissa Berman, Felicitas von Peter and Olga Alexeeva tell of new structures …
Investors’ perspectives – Impact investing: hybrid models needed
While the spectrum of capital available for impact investing has grown significantly over the past two decades, and explosive growth has taken place in the kinds of institution involved in the sector, the field is …
Raising the bar for philanthropy
I’m not a historian, but I know a few hundred years ago, you could just ‘hang out your shingle’ and be a doctor, or a lawyer, or … Well, the quality and standards of healthcare …
Advisers’ perspectives – Should philanthropy advice be a regulated field?
Should philanthropy advice be a regulated field? If so, should it be externally regulated or self-regulated? What would the qualifications be for joining the profession? What are the key ethical issues involved in setting standards? …
Investors’ perspectives – Moving beyond the creation myths
An important step in bridging the gap between the philanthropic capital market and the social capital market took place at the recent SoCap10 conference. Both sides met, as if they were trade delegations from a …