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Opinions
Fix the plumbing
Alliance will be changing to having a greater mix of columnists with the next issue so this will be my last piece under the old regime. Given that it is the last piece, it seems …
Investors’ Perspectives – Taking risks
Is taking a risk with an impact investment different from taking a risk with a traditional investment? At Bank underground station, in the heart of London’s financial district, there are several billboards advertising a variety …
Do matching grants really work?
Many foundations and non-profits run campaigns to increase public awareness of a particular issue and to motivate donations. Recently, some foundations have also begun thinking of their donations as a catalyst enabling a non-profit to …
Obama mania: managing expectations
Ever since it became clear that Barack Obama would be the next president of the United States, there has been an unprecedented euphoria among civil society and philanthropy practitioners. Not since these practitioners began to …
Investors’ Perspectives – Making sustainable investing work
Social investing. Ethical investments. Sustainable and responsible investing (SRI). These are a variety of terms in the current financial landscape that all mean similar things: investors who are looking for more meaningful investments. But is …
Does ad content affect consumer demand?
Exposure to advertising is pervasive in most countries, with companies and other advertisers paying significant sums in the hope of influencing consumer decisions. In fact, there is little research that quantifies the effect of the …
Payout – once again (2)
My article in the last issue of Alliance was primarily targeted at making the case for perpetuity as one legitimate model for organized philanthropy. Having a robust number of models is important if you agree …
Back to our financial future: the up side of down markets
Though we are experiencing the worst capital market crisis since the 1930s, the current reality is not wholly without its positive attributes. As we look to our economic future, we already see a renewal of …
Investors’ perspectives – A time for community bonds
At a time when social investments and philanthropy are trying to find their way amid the global recession, one financial instrument available combines the two: community bonds. Community bonds allow people to support a charitable …
Paying families to send children to school
Increasing school attendance rates is the main goal of most education programmes. However, it is not at all clear how best to get families to send their children to school. In countries where incomes are …