You're currently viewing:
Civil society, nonprofits & NGOs
Reimagining politics: The need is urgent
Many people in Europe are under-represented by their supposedly representative institutions. We have to rebuild a political culture that serves all of us The mention of ‘political funding’ often provokes a blend of curiosity and …
Peer dialogue: In pursuit of trust
Why is it essential that philanthropists and other actors help breathe new life into faltering democratic systems and institutions? Daniel Sachs, founder and CEO of P Capital Partners, vice chair of the board of Open …
Electoral bonds, red herrings and muddy waters
Electoral bonds are a symptom of a more general confusion in the relationship between philanthropy and politics in India On 29 January 2018, the government of India announced the Electoral Bonds Scheme. The government said …
When science philanthropy turns political
Sometimes, philanthropy needs to counter the position of political leaders – even where the issue is not on the face of it political Between 2019 and 2022, Brazil saw a rise in anti-science sentiment led …
The advocacy question: Why philanthropy should use its voice for good
The First Nations referendum in Australia has highlighted how philanthropy increasingly acknowledges that engaging with advocacy is vital to achieving truly meaningful social change. Even if at first you don’t succeed… On 14 October 2023, …
Philanthropy, policy, politics: three p’s in a pod
Philanthropy’s political engagement need not be ‘party political’, but to achieve its ends, it should work with both policy and politics In 2005, Maytree received the Paul Ylvisaker Award for public policy engagement from the …
Political innovation: Prevention is better than cure
Ensuring the body-politic remains healthy, rather than treating it when it is sick, should be the aim of philanthropy Popular narratives in contemporary philanthropy concentrate on solving complicated social problems while changing the systems that …
The business of anti-democracies
While mainstream funders might shy away from an overtly political stance in their philanthropy, those who seek to undermine democratic principles often have no such scruples Anti-democracy movements have been at work for much longer …
Post Capitalist Philanthropy: Healing wealth in the time of collapse
Reviewed by Vanessa Thomas, Black Feminist Fund Post Capitalist Philanthropy by Alnoor Ladha and Lynn Murphy is a beautiful offering, at a time, when we all navigate a world on fire, in both literal and …
Non-partisan but not impartial: The example of Robert Bosch Stiftung
Philanthropy can provide the financial support and convening clout to ensure that civil society interests are properly represented in the policy sphere Civil society interests are important in policy-making processes and are often under-represented because …
