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Opinions


Who’s for the 5 per cent club?

Jeremy Leggett 1 December 2014

At the UN climate summit in New York in September, key nations took steps forward in relation to global warming. Many major corporations went well beyond greenwash. People took to the streets in hundreds of …

Five ways for private philanthropists to achieve greater impact

Silvia Bastante de Unverhau 1 September 2014

For the last ten years UBS has been advising ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals and families all around the world on how to realize their philanthropic aspirations. Philanthropy is increasing – many are calling …

Why we need a fair price for social value

Uli Grabenwarter 1 September 2014

Impact investing has come a long way towards being a recognized investment option. Although no uniform impact metrics standard has emerged yet (and possibly never will), there is increasing consensus that pre-defined social impact objectives …

Time for a total-sector perspective on impact investing

Maximilian Martin 1 September 2014

Can the longer-term, holistically minded capital that impact investors provide create wider impact in catalytic industries that affect millions of people, and in countries whose success in modernizing could have regional or global implications? We …

Should consultants be thought leaders?

Cynthia Gibson and Nell Edgington 1 June 2014

From strategic and business planning to marketing and fundraising, there seems to be no shortage of consultants ready to help non-profits meet all kinds of needs. But should they be thought leaders too? Because they …

Why so little funding for people with disabilities?

Catherine Townsend 1 June 2014

Look around and most likely you know a friend, family member or neighbour who has a disability. Yet in many parts of the world, people with disabilities are chained to a tree for years on …

Grantmaking for social change?

Dawn Austwick 15 April 2014

I’m going to lay my cards on the table: I believe that grantmaking can help achieve social change. But I also agree with so many of the excellent contributions to this edition of Alliance: it …

What difference will the merger make?

Leila Hessini 15 March 2014

On 5 March, Global Fund for Women and the International Museum of Women (IMOW) merged, as reported in the Alliance blog. The merged organization will be called Global Fund for Women, and will bring together …

Foundation accountability: an operational necessity?

Anthony Tomei 1 March 2014

‘It’s a truism that foundations lack accountability – unlike (democratic) governments and companies, which are at least in theory accountable to voters and shareholders.’ (Alliance editorial, September 2011) Caroline Hartnell goes on to say that …

Foundation transparency: why it matters

Fran Perrin 1 March 2014

A huge amount of work has gone into making international aid flows more open, resulting in the International Aid Transparency Initiative. The work was led by the UK, yet domestic grants made by UK foundations …