Explore every episode of the podcast Giving Thought
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Next Gen Philanthropy, with Sharna Goldseker & Michael Moody
17 Aug 2021
00:56:32
In this episode we talk to Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody about their book Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors are Revolutionizing Giving, which is now available in an updated and expanded 2nd edition. Including:
In what ways are Next Gen donors genuinely different from previous generations?
Do Next Gen donors give to significantly different causes than their parents’ generation, or simply give to the same causes but in different ways?
Are Next Gen donors more likely to adopt non-traditional vehicles for their giving? If so, what does this tell us about the limitations of current non-profit models?
Do Next Gen donors tend to seek advice on their giving (either at the outset, or on an ongoing basis)? If so, who do they turn to?
Whilst almost all Next Gen donors agree that they “want to see the impact of their giving”, what they mean by “impact” varies considerably- some looking for rigorous metrics and outcome measure, others for human interaction or compelling stories. How can nonprofits cater effectively to these differing notions of impact?
Are Next Gen donors more likely to take a holistic view of philanthropy, in relation to how wealth is created, how it is invested etc? What does this mean in practical terms?
What are the key differences between inherited and earned wealth and how do they influence approaches to philanthropy?
What role does philanthropy play in the planning of wealth transfer within families? (E.g. is philanthropy seen as a tool for engaging the younger generation in the family’s financial affairs? What sorts of roles are Next Gens playing with regard to their family’s giving?)
Are Next Gen donors more likely to want to blur the boundaries between philanthropy and political activity in order to pursue their aims?
Is the desire for more “hands-on” engagement from Next Gen donors an opportunity to tap into additional skills, or does it present a new challenge in terms of awkward power dynamics? (I.e. is there a danger of Next Gen donors assuming that their knowledge is “better/more important” than that of people working in nonprofits, simply because of the power dynamics that come with funding?)
Should we worry that the growing wave of scepticism, and even cynicism towards philanthropy, will have a negative impact on Next Gen donors’ willingness to give?
Philanthropy, Domestic Violence & Partnering with the Public Sector, with Stelio Stefanou
03 Aug 2021
00:47:44
In this episode we talk to Stelio Stefanou OBE, philanthropist and Founder of the For Baby’s Sake Trust (FBST) - a charity which focuses on working with parents to address the impact of domestic violence on the early years development of children. In a wide-ranging conversation, we discussed:
Is “philanthropist” a helpful or unhelpful word?
How does a business background shape approaches to philanthropy?
Why is it important to recognise that success in business doesn’t automatically equate to expertise about social issues or the work of charities?
Why is an evidence base so crucial to the work of FBST? How has the organisation worked with academics to build that evidence base?
How important is it that philanthropy looks beyond addressing symptoms and tries to address underlying causes?
Are there challenges to combining advocacy with direct provision of services, or do the two naturally go hand-in-hand?
How has the pandemic affected the work of FBST?
What, if anything, is the USP of philanthropy in relation to the public or private sector?
Does the ability of philanthropy to work over a longer time horizon make it better suited to supporting early interventions?
Do you see yourself as having any responsibility to encourage other wealthy people to give, or is giving entirely down to personal choice?
Should philanthropists see themselves as having any responsibility to encourage other wealthy people to give, or is giving entirely down to personal choice?
Is there a danger that the growing wave of scepticism, and even cynicism towards philanthropy, will have a negative impact on people’s willingness to give?
Des fear of “failure” hold some wealthy people back from engaging in philanthropy? How should we understand failure in philanthropy (and how is this different to failure in the public or private sector?)
In this episode we talk to Nell Edgington, President of non-profit consultancy Social Velocity, about her new book “Reinventing Social Change: Embrace Abundance to Create a Healthier and More Equitable World”. We discuss:
What is the book about, who should read it and what should they do as a result?
Why does a scarcity mind-set affect so many donors and funders? Is this particular to philanthropy?
Why is the “overhead myth” so prevalent, and why is it so problematic?
Are there signs that funders are changing their behaviour during the current crisis? (Moving to unrestricted funding, trust-based grantmaking etc.) Is this likely to lead to longer-term changes?
What misconceptions are there about what makes for a sustainable non-profit, and why do these misunderstandings persist?
How many donors are willing to give away power as well as money? (And will the current crisis put even more focus on approaches such as participatory grantmaking?)
Do we need to redefine what counts as success and failure in philanthropy?
How should we rate philanthropy’s response to the current crisis?
What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision?
Why has the idea that non-profits need to be “more business-like” become so widespread? What is wrong with it?
Should we seek to measure impact better? What challenges might this bring in terms of distorting activity or creating power imbalances?
How can donors and funders use philanthropy to challenge or transform the very systems in which wealth has been created?
Jeremy Heimans on Philanthropy, Civil Society & "New Power"
25 Apr 2018
00:32:24
Episode 24 of the Giving Thought podcast is our first ever interview! And it is a cracker. Rhod speaks to Jeremy Heimans, co-author of bestselling book "New Power".
We discussed Jeremy and his co-author Henry Timms' thesis on why the nature of power has changed in the 21st Century and what this might mean for philanthropy and civil society.
We covered a whole range of issues including:
-the challenges of giving away power
-the benefits and downsides of decentralisation
-whether giving control to the crowd could marginalise unpopular causes
-Changing organisational culture to embrace technology
-Whether New Power provides a use case for blockchain
-Is New Power an opportunity or a threat for existing philathropic organisations?
Involuntary Philanthropy
10 Apr 2018
00:28:39
In this episode, Rhod looks at whether philanthropic giving is always a choice on the part of the donor, or whether it can sometimes be compelled. Topics covered include:
-Compelled by your peers: We look at the part peer pressure plays in philanthropy, both at a micro level (i.e. the effect that "being watched" has on prompting giving) and a macro level (i.e. the notion of a social contract). We also consider a bit of history (including a scathing attack on the culture of giving in Victorian England).
-Compelled by a higher authority: We consider the role governments have played a role in shaping philanthropy through charity law: from the 1601 Statute of Charitable Uses to the emergence of "GONGOs" in modern China. We look at the idea of "percentage philanthropy", and whether it should be seen as philanthropy at all, or merely a form of tax. We also touch on obligations to give in various major religions and what role these play in driving philanthropy.
-Compelled by your own mind: We explore unusual cases of "pathological generosity", where people with brain damage find themselves compelled to give to such a degree that it can adversely affect them and their families.
In episode 22, we explore whether philanthropy is progressive: i.e. is it a means for moving society forwards or a tool for defending the status quo? Including:
The case for: On what grounds can we claim that philanthropy is progressive? We look at cause areas associated with progressive ideals, and the rich history of philanthropic support for campaigning. And could the very process of philanthropy also be seen as a tool for social progress?
The case against: We ask whether conservation and heritage causes are, by definition, not progressive. We also consider the long traditional of opposition to progressive causes being supported by philanthropy; and highlight evidence that wealthier people are more likely to hold conservative political views. We also ask whether philanthropy itself undermines progress by adding to inequality and power imbalance in our society.
Remedies: What can we do to ensure philanthropy is progressive? Should this actually be a goal, or should we simply accept that philanthropy reflects the balance of views of donors? Are there ways in which we can change the mechanics of philanthropy in order to make it more democratic and thus more reflective of the views of wider society?
In episode 21, we look at "New Money vs. Old Money", and what the difference between inherited and created wealth means for philanthropy. Topics covered include:
- Attitudes to Wealth: We explore historical and contemporary evidence to see what differences there might be in the attitudes towards wealth of those who have made or inherited money. We look at the crucial distinction between stewardship and ownership, the role of social status, and the recognition of the element of luck and the existence of a social contract.
-Future Money & Precommitment: We look at economic evidence about the power of making pledges or commitments to give at a later date, and how these best work. We highlight practical examples or pledges, such as the Giving Pledge, or the 1-1-1 corporate giving model. We also touch on the curious story of the gambling philanthropist, Baron Hirsch.
-Cryptophilanthropy? We consider whether the money being made by early adopter of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin could be harnessed for philanthropy. Does this represent a totally new form of wealth, with its own characteristics? And could this present challenges for charities trying to tap into it? What wider lessons might we learn for future fundraising?
- Meyvis, T., Bennett, A. & Oppenheimer, D. (2011). "Precommitment to Charity" in Oppenheimer, D. ed. (2016) The Science of Giving: Experimental Approaches to the Study of Charity, Routledge.
Philanthropy, Death & Taxes (Part 2: Taxes)
27 Feb 2018
00:27:41
In this week's episode (no. 20) - the second of our "Death & Taxes" two-parter, we look at the link between tax and philanthropy. Topics covered include:
Importance and Controversy: Why does tax relief on donations matter to understanding the role of philanthropy, and why has it proved controversial over the years? We touch on the current US situation in light of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and look at previous political attempts to meddle with tax breaks on donations, such as Gladstone's one-man crusade in the late C19th and George Osborne's ill-fated 2012 Budget.
Justifying Philanthropic Tax Breaks: We explore three possible theoretical justifications, based on the work of Stanford academic Rob Reich, and conclude that only one works. We then see whether any of these has been used in practice, and compare the deliberate introduction of the US Charitable Deduction with the accidental introduction of donation incentives in the UK.
Do Philanthropic Tax Breaks Work? We look at whether tax incentives on donations are actually effective. We see that there is evidence they are correlated with greater generosity, but room for debate about how they are structured and at what level they are offered. We consider the difference between credit and deduction systems. We also look at recent findings from the University of Birmingham that Gift Aid might not be that effective as an incentive, and ask what this might mean for policymaking.
-Principles of Philanthropy Policymaking lecture (SLIDES) and (NOTES)
-Unversity of Birmingham paper on price elasticity (working paper and blog)
Philanthropy, Death & Taxes (Part 1)
13 Feb 2018
00:26:14
In episode 19, the first of a two-parter on "Philanthropy, Death and Taxes", Rhod looks at the influence of mortality on giving. Topics covered include:
-The History of Death & Philanthropy: how has mortality shaped modern philanthropy? We look at the pheonomenon of competitive eulogies in Tudor England, and the impact of the 1736 Statute odf Mortmain on creating a pluralist charity sector. We also consider the problems that can result from the "dead hand of the donor".
-Giving while living vs. Waiting til you are gone: We look at the shifting balance between legacy giving and giving during one's lifetime. Have recent years seen a shift towards the latter, with a growing number of spend-down foundations, the establishment of the Giving Pledge and the rise of a breed of young billionaires from Silicon Valley?
-The Future of Death: Life Extension, Digital Emulation & Wills on the Blockchain: We consider some of the ways in which new technology might solve traditional problems for philanthropy when it comes to death, but also the new challenges it might bring.
In episode 18 of the podcast, Rhod takes a look at the relationship between philanthropy and technology. Including:
Supporting technology: How has philanthropy has supported the development of new technologies over the years? We look at the rich history of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Department of Natural Sciences and the growth of the open source movement. We also consider the blurred lines between long-term tech investment and philanthropy, and the “moonshot” approach of Silicon Valley figures like Elon Musk.
Harnessing Technology: How have philanthropic organisations used new technologies to further their missions? We consider some current examples of “Tech for Good”, and take a brief detour into the history of Victorian chimney sweeps to see how similar approaches have been used in the past.
Challenging Technology: New technologies may have negative as well as positive impacts, and charitable organisations are often required to play a part in addressing these problems. What new social and environmental challenges might disruptive technologies pose in the future, that charities will be called upon to help solve? What role can philanthropy play now in helping to avoid some of the potential downsides of new technology?
In episode 17, Rhod will be asking whether philanthropy is rational,and what lessons we should take from our answer to this question. Topics covered include:
-The micro/macro philanthropy paradox: Philanthropy is both about individual voluntary acts of generosity and about the large scale redsitribution of private assets for public good. But while the former is largely irrational, the latter needs to be rational. What can policymakers and philanthropists do about this?
-Rationalising philanthropy: There have been efforts to rationalise philanthropy in the past, such as the "scientific philanthropy" movement of the Victorian era. There is also a growing focus on the role data can play in helping donors make more informed decisions. Bringing these together, the Effective Altruism proposes a scientific approach to philanthropy based on data- but is it truly objective?
-Social Impact prediction markets: could new technologies like blockchain make it easier to measure and record social impact data accurately? And could token incentives be used to create prediction markets for social impact in the future.
In episode 16, "2018 Predictions", Rhod gives some thoughts on the challenges and opportunities facing charities, donors and civil society organisations around the globe over the coming year.
Guesses Predictions include:
-A renewed focus on tax relief for donations,
-An increasingly difficult environment for advocacy,
-A divergence of opinion over impact measurement
-Greater use of non-traditional models for philanthropy
-More focus on data, in terms of balancing privacy concerns with the need for open data
-Using machine learning to determine trends in social data
-Even more interest in addressing the ethical challenges of AI and other technologies
-More donations of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies from those who have made large amounts through increases in value.
In episode 15 of the Giving Thought podcast, “Hollywood philanthropy”, Rhod and Adam (in his last appearance) look at the relationship between philanthropy and celebrity. Topics covered include:
Where are the great movies about philanthropy? The history of philanthropy is full of colourful characters and inspiring stories, yet there have been very few if any movies about the great philanthropists. Why is this? Could the new ‘Golden Age of Television” heralded by Netflix, Amazon Prime et al change this?
The film biz and philanthropy: Who are the great film star philanthropists? Does the modern tendency to highlight charitable activity through PR risk undermining credibility? Can films themselves be used to further philanthropic aims?
Is celebrity support a double-edged sword? For charities, having a big name star on board can be a real blessing if they are genuine and committed, but what if that person turns out to be a poor ambassador. Recent scandals over the historical misconduct of many celebrities have also and highlighted the long-term risks that can come with partnering with celebrities. What does this mean for charities looking to use star power?
History & Philanthropy, with Professor Sir David Cannadine
09 Mar 2021
00:55:14
In this episode we talk to Professor Sir David Cannadine about history, philanthropy and his forthcoming book on the history of the Ford Foundation. Among David’s many public roles he is Dodge Professor of History at Princeton University, President of the British Academy, Chair of Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery and a Trustee of the Wolfson Foundation; and in a wide ranging conversation we discuss:
Involvement in philanthropy:
What insights has involvement with many charities, foundations and public institutions given about the strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities of philanthropy?
What value has historical insight brought to these practical roles?
There is currently a lot of controversy over the commemoration of historical figures, including many philanthropic donors, as well as the sources of historical wealth. Why is it important for philanthropic organisations to engage with potentially problematic elements of their history, and how can they navigate some of the challenges this may bring?
Studying the History of Philanthropy:
Do academic historians think in terms of charity or philanthropy as a standalone thematic area of study, or are they more likely to think of it in the context of a particular period or a wider theme (e.g. welfare)?
If it is thought of as a thematic area in its own right, is it one that has been sufficiently well-studied?
Is the study of the history of philanthropy (even in the UK) too US-focussed; dominated by the great industrial donors of the Gilded Age? Does this lead us to under-appreciate the UK’s own history of philanthropy?
Does “archival inequality” mean that we end up focusing more on institutions and big name donors when we study history (as they tend to leave more records), at the expense of the huge numbers of ‘everyday’ donors whose giving may well go unseen? Does this skew our view of the development of philanthropy?
The History of the Ford Foundation:
Why is it worth studying the role of an institution like the Ford Foundation?
Is the history of the Ford Foundation merely the history of a single institution or does it bring to light wider truths about philanthropy?
The history of the Ford Foundation contains many fascinating characters (e.g. McGeorge Bundy or Paul Ylvisaker). Is the role of these “philanthropoids” (i.e. people who work in foundations, rather than donors) an under-researched area of the history of philanthropy?
The question of the relationship between foundations and social movements (especially in the context of racial justice) is once again a major area of debate. What, if anything, can we learn from the Ford Foundation’s experiences in this area, which have seemingly won both praise and criticism?
In episode 14, Rhod and Adam take a look at the field of behavioural economics and how it affects philanthropy. Topics covered include:
Classical Economics and charity: classical economics assumes we are all rational and self-interested, so it cannot explain behaviour that is apparently irrational and purely altruistic. Hence new explanatory mechanisms have arisen- in particular the “warm glow” theory which posits that all altruism is in fact “impure” because donors actually get a benefit from their giving. Subsequent neurological experiments have also backed this idea up. So what does this mean for efforts to encourage philanthropy?
Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink: Richard Thaler recently received the Nobel Prize for Economics for his work on so-called “nudge theory”. This proposes that small changes in the way information is presented or choices offered can have a significant effect on outcomes at a macro level. Can we harness this insight to drive more charitable giving? What kind of nudges could we use?
Fast & Slow Thinking: Another economist Daniel Kahneman, won the Nobel Prize for his theory of “System 1 and System 2 thinking” which distinguishes between the roles that deliberative (“slow”) thought and less-deliberative thought based on heuristics (“fast thought”) play in our decision making. What lessons could this offer for philanthropy? Are there tensions between the desire to make giving more strategic and evidence that appealing to “fast thinking” may be more effective in eliciting donations?
In episode 13, Rhod and Adam ask whether we could ever see the end of charities? Topics covered include:
- Achieving the mission: Is the best possible end result for a charity to make itself redundant by solving the social or environmental problem it was founded to address? And does this ever happen in practice? We look at the importance role that criticisms of there being "too many charities" have played in the history of philanthropy, and ask whether evolution is more likely than dissolution for most organisations.
-Direct cash transfers: The long-term trend in philanthropy has been towards ever-greater intermediation and professionalisation; but in recent years we have seen new technology-driven models that might take us back to a model of direct person-to-person philanthropy. Where could this model bring advantages, and could it even disrupt the whole marketplace for philanthropy?
-Blockchain & DAOs: Blockchain technology could bring many benefits and challenges for philanthropy. One intriguing possibility is that governance structures themsleves could be decentralised, so that people can come form networks to work together but without the need for a centralised structure. What could this mean for the notion of a charitable organisation and the options for us all to take social action?
Who doesn’t love a bit of healthy competition? In this episode, Rhod and Adam ask which country is the most generous in the world. Topics covered include;
2017 World Giving Index: Every year CAF publishes the world’s most comprehensive analysis of charitable activity. This year’s index reveals a global fall in giving with the exception of Africa which is witnessing a remarkable rise.
The potential of middle class giving in emerging economies: A new campaign by CAF called Groundwork for Growing Giving reveals the staggering potential ($319bn annually) of growing middle classes in the developing world to supercharge global charitable giving over the next generation.
Is giving related to the size of the state?: We explore whether the evidence supports the idea that charitable giving can only thrive in small state / low tax environments.
In this episode, Rhod and Adam look at the relationship between place and philanthropy. Topics covered include:
-Does charity still begin at home?: Has the relationship between place and philanthropy become weaker over time, and what if anything can we do to reverse this downward trend? Can philanthropy be used to boost civic identity and pride, or does it rely on people having an existing sense of place?
-The Dark Side of Civic Philanthropy: When does philanthropic action within a local area start to become a problem? We consider examples like Detroit, where philanthropic funders stepped in to cover vital services when the city went bankrupt, and what these highlight about the potential risks.
-A new sense of place?: What does 'place' actually mean to each of us? In a highly connected, mobile world, do traditional notions of geographic locality have any relevance when it comes to philanthropy? Should we instead be thinking of new dispersed communities of interest or identity, such as diaspora communities? Or has technology actually made us think more locally than ever?
In this episode, Rhod and Adam explore the question of "bad money" and the challenges this poses for philanthropy and charities. Topics covered include:
-Dubious donations: what should charitable organisations do when they are offered donations from sources whose ethics or morals are run counter to their own? In cases where no law has been broken, who decides on what is "good" or not? Can saying no to donations actually bring risks beyond the obvious financial loss?
-Money laundering and Terrorism Financing: Some money is from sources that are obviously bad, so what can charities and donors do to avoid being used by those with criminal intentions? Could efforts to address these challenges be causing disproportionate problems for legitimate organisations? And could they even be making the problems they seek to address worse in some cases?
-Charities and ethical investment: We look at how charities invest their own money. Although ethical investment is now a mainstream thing, it is still not the default in the charity world- why not? Is the responsibility of charity trustees merely to maximise investment returns to spend on their own cause, or do they have wider responsibilities?
In episode 9 of the Giving Thought podcast, Rhod and Adam look at some of the psychological motivations that drive philanthropy, including:
Social Status: Is a desire for enhanced social status part of the “warm glow” that people get from giving? How has the relationship between philanthropy and social status played out through history? Does highly visible giving place greater expectations on the donor, as well as bringing improved social status? And what impact will social media have on the way we feel about promoting our own giving?
Proximity: We look at the “proximity effect” - the idea that actual physical proximity and contact with the symptoms of social problems is an important determining factor in people’s willingness to give. Does increasing physical distance between rich and poor communities undermine the philanthropic instinct? And will new technologies like conversational interfaces and augmented/virtual reality distance us even further from the world around us and thus make us less likely to give?
Victim Blaming: Does our perception of whether the victims of social and environmental disasters can be held as partly to blame for their own misfortune affect our willingness to give We look at the difference between responses to “man made” and “natural” disasters, and what this tells us about how charities should talk about their work.
In episode 8 of the Giving Thought podcast, Rhod and Adam look at the long and complicated relationship between philanthropy and education, including:
Charitable status of UK public schools: we look at the ongoing controversy over the charitable status of fee-paying schools in the UK. What is the history behind the definition of “educational purposes” in charity law? How do we interpret “public benefit” for public schools?
The US Charter School movement: we explore the role that philanthropy has played in the growth of the charter school model in the US, and why this has raised questions about philanthropic legitimacy. We look at the controversial intervention of donors like Mark Zuckerberg in the New Jersey school system, and what we can learn from it.
Universities: we look at the rich history of the relationship between philanthropy and universities. We consider the role that giving played in opening up higher education to the masses, and the current landscape of giving to universities in the US and UK, in which mega-donations are becoming the norm.
In episode 7 of the Giving Thought podcast Rhod and Adam take a look at the origins of philanthropy, including:
Altruism and Evolution: why does the existence of altruistic behaviour continue to present a significant challenge for evolutionary theory? Can this add to our understanding of philanthropy, and if so how?
A Brief History of Western Philanthropy: we attempt to cover the 450 or so years since the birth of modern philanthropy in roughly 3 minutes. Including: the Reformation and its role in the emergence of secular forms of giving, the development of associational philanthropy and the charitable organisation, the use of social research and the role of philanthropy in shaping state provision of welfare.
Non-western philanthropic traditions: we look at some of the other traditions of giving around the world, and ask whether efforts to develop a philanthropic culture should do more to build on these existing forms of generosity and altruism.
Episode 6 of the Giving Thought podcast looks at the issue of transparency of civil society organisations and philanthropy. Rhod and Adam take a tour through the following topics:
The case for transparency: it has long been said that philanthropy needs to become more transparent in order to identify gaps, duplications drive efficiency, identify trends and increase accountability. Furthermore, advances in technology mean that philanthropy ‘Big Data’ could present powerful new opportunities for strategic giving. In addition, it has been recognised that when the powerful and the wealthy use their philanthropy to exert influence anonymously it can lead to a democratic deficit.
In defence of anonymity: philanthropy is often a very personal and emotional act and in some cultures and religions, donors are expected to give without taking credit. In other words, to give transparently may undermine the emotional rewards of giving. There are also situations where transparency could put philanthropy - and beneficiaries in particular - at risk. A trend for restricting foreign funding to advocacy and human rights groups could mean that calls for transparency by some governments are being used to flush out and silence critical voices in society. Finally, some wealthy philanthropists believe that the only way to fund grass roots movements which are challenging the current system is to do so anonymously in order to break the link between donor (necessarily a beneficiary of the system) and charity.
Blockchain and radical transparency: By ensuring that all transactions of cryptocurrencies or other non-fungible assets are recorded on a public ledger which is distributed across a shared global network, blockchain technology could create a transparency so total that it revolutionises the very concept. Such could be the impact of blockchain on philanthropy, it might mean an end to regulation, intermediary organisations or even the notion of charities themselves as we currently understand them.
Episode 5 of the Giving Thought podcast looks at the role of business when it comes to doing social good, and what this means for philanthropy in general. Rhod and Adam take a tour through the following topics:
Why should businesses do good? We ask what theoretical grounding there is for expecting companies to show social responsibility or perform philanthropic acts is. Is there a social contract that places responsibilities on companies just as it does on individuals, or does it always come down to self-interest in some form or another? And is that merely the pragmatic self-interest of wanting good PR or employee satisfaction, or can it be a more enlightened self-interest that recognises the longer-term value of a healthy civil society?
We also look at the emergence of new business models that combine social purpose and commercial focus. We ask whether the idea of combining a commercial purpose with a social one is actually far older than we often think, and whether we could learn something from the business philanthropists of the past.
The impact of the SDGs: We look at the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and ask whether the prominence of businesses in plans to meet these goals could result in philanthropy getting sidelined.
Beyond Integrity: we take a look at a report CAF published last year in collaboration with the LSE, highlighting cases where companies have taken action to defend the basic freedoms of civil society, often at apparent odds with their own commercial self-interest. We explore whether these cases represent a wider trend, or whether they are best understood as examples of best practice that other companies should aspire to.
In this episode we look at the relationship between sport, philanthropy and civil society through history and up to the present day. Including:
Sportspeople as donors
Big name examples of sportspeople who give generously: David Beckham, Roger Federer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi
What drives this high-profile giving? Altruism, or brand-management/PR?
Lance Armstrong and the potential risks of making philanthropy over-reliant on the individual
Does the fact that many sportspeople’s careers end relatively early leave them searching for purpose, and can philanthropy fill that gap?
Can philanthropy be partly motivate by a desire to create positive narrative about wealth accrued through sport?
Is sport one area where people from poor backgrounds can become rich, and what does this mean for their approach to philanthropy?
Sportspeople as campaigners
Are some sportspeople perceived as campaigners simply by virtue of who they are?
When have sportspeople campaigned for change within their sport and when have they taken on wider social issues?
After many notable examples of campaigning by sportspeople in the 1960s and 70s, why did we see a decline in the 1980s and 1990s?
Are we seeing a resurgence in campaigning by sportspeople, with figures like Colin Kapaernick, Megan Rapinoe and Marcus Rashford coming to the fore?
How do sports fans perceive campaigning by sportspeople?
Sports and Fundraising
The long history of sporting charity fundraising events and the role of charity matches in the evolution of professional football
Sportspeople fundraising: from the traditional of testimonial matches to raise money for players’ retirements to sportspeople taking on charity fundraising challenges in other sports
Has the pandemic hit sports fundraising particularly hard, and what does this mean for charities that rely on running events etc?
Sports clubs and civil society
What is the history of the relationship between sports clubs and voluntary associations?
How did the development of sporting associations helped to foster civic engagement skills and ideals of mutual aid?
What is the role of modern sports clubs as corporate donors?
Is owning sports club a form of philanthropy…?
What role do clubs play in acting as community anchors and giving people a sense of shared identity? How can this inform social action?
Episode 4 of the Giving Thought podcast attempts to assess whether philanthropy supports or undermines democracy and whether that question even makes sense. Rhodri and Adam cover the following themes:
Philanthropy is anti-democratic: We highlight recent examples of the long-standing controversy over the anti-democratic nature of philanthropy (e.g. Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, George Soros and the Koch brothers). But we ask: is being undemocratic in fact a strength to be celebrated? We look at various arguments and examples, including the historical role of philanthropy in promoting unpopular causes, the story of Julius Rosenwald and the current US foundation movement to oppose Trump administration.
Philanthropic power enhances democracy: Exploring the value of pluralism and civic freedom in enhancing minority voices in democracy. Does philanthropy take the blame for the effect of inequality?
The eye of the beholder: The use of aid and philanthropy as a soft power tool to spread democracy (Eastern Europe after the cold war and the Arab Spring)
In this episode, we tackle the thorny subject of inequality and ask; is trying to address inequality with philanthropy possible, advisable or even legitimate and if so, how should it be done?.
As always, we have broken the issue into three segments:
Can philanthropy challenge inequality? How can philanthropy overcome the paradox of addressing inequality with the proceeds of an unequal system.
Focus on Egypt: Can philanthropy act as a pressure gauge for social dissent? History has shown us that a lack of representation of social dissent can fuel unrest.
Automation, the future of work and universal basic income: As machines and algorithms increasingly replace human workers, a very small number of people will own the means and proceeds of production. What will this mean for inequality and philanthropy?
Below are links to blog posts and publications on issues discussed in the podcast:
In our first episode, we will be looking at the interplay between philanthropy, charity and politics. Given recent political events around the world and the trend for civil society activism to singled out for special scrutiny for its political influence this seems timely.
We have decided to look at this issue from three interesting angles;
Scrapping the Johnson amendment: What if President Trump follows through on his pledge to "destroy" the Johnson amendment which restricts the political lobbying of non profits and religious organisations?
The emerging legal environment for Chinese civil society: New laws have made life much easier for donors and charities to operate ... as long as you agree with the government.
Fake News: The proliferation of false stories targeted at specific audiences online raises problems for charities in getting their message across but also new needs for them to address.
Does philanthropy have a vital role to play in combating the widely-publicised threat of “fake news”?
Mutual Aid, Charity & Philanthropy
09 Feb 2021
00:39:20
In this episode we explore mutual aid: what is it, why is there so much interest in it right now and how does it relate to charity and philanthropy? Including:
Defining the distinction between mutual aid and charity
William Beveridge’s thoughts on mutual aid
Peter Kropotkin and mutual aid as a fundamental element of human nature
How does mutual aid relate to notions of solidarity and class identity?
Why has mutual aid historically been so important for marginalised groups such as immigrant communities?
Medieval mutual aid: the guilds
Why did mutual aid become so prominent in the 19th century?
What were the Friendly Societies, why were they important and why are they no longer around?
How does mutual aid fit in with the post-WWII development of the voluntary sector?
Why has mutual aid become so prominent as an idea during the pandemic?
Is this a reflection of the unique circumstances of the pandemic or will it herald any longer-term changes in civil society?
Does the enthusiasm for mutual aid networks demonstrate an unmet appetite for greater participation in addressing social causes?
Is there a dark side to mutual aid? Can solidarity become exclusionary?
Will the growth of mutual aid come at the cost of more traditional charitable giving and volunteering?
Do mutual aid networks build social capital? If so, is it merely “bonding” social capital or also “bridging”?
What is the role of technology in making mutual aid networks possible?
What can we learn from other cultures of giving around the world in which mutual aid is much more prominent?
In this episode we take a look at the philanthropic giving of MacKenzie Scott (former wife of Jeff Bezos), who has garnered a great deal of attention and praise for the scale, pace and approach of her philanthropy. We ask: what are the key aspects of received wisdom about giving that she is rejecting? And will this lead to wider changes in how big money philanthropy works in future? Including:
-Rejecting the myth of the "self-made billionaire", in favour of recognition that luck, privilege & reliance on wider society are always factors in wealth creation.
-Rejecting the Carnegian idea that "it's harder to give money away intelligently than earn it", and that if you're willing to cede power & give unrestricted grants it's actually eminently possible.
-Rejecting the idea that philanthropy needs to be done slowly, or that it should aim towards perpetuity.
-Rejecting the idea that grants need to be restricted or short-term.
-Rejecting the idea that the donor has all the answers or should set the agenda
-Rejecting the idea that being "strategic" means being top-down or technocratic.
-Rejecting the idea that we need to maintain distance between donor and grantee, or avoid human connection in philanthropy.
-Rejecting the idea that philanthropy by itself can ever be a solution to inequality.
-Rejecting the idea that philanthropy needs to be secretive or opaque.
In this episode we unpick the complex relationship between philanthropy and democracy. Does philanthropy undermine democracy, or strengthen it? Do we need to make philanthropy itself more democratic? And if so, how?
Including:
Does philanthropy automatically introduce a “plutocratic bias” into public discourse and policy?
Is lack of transparency a particular issue? Does the trend towards using structures like LLCs exacerbate this problem?
Does the ability of individuals at any level of wealth to associate within civil society lead to the dangers of “faction” - with minority groups able to exert an undue negative influence on the democratic system? How does this relate to digitally-enabled conspiracy groups like QAnon?
Does perpetuity in philanthropy result in intergenerational injustice as a result of the “dead hand of the donor”?
What role does philanthropy play in giving voice and power to marginalised groups and thus overcoming “the tyranny of the majority” in a democracy?
How does civil society campaigning and advocacy strengthen democracy?
What role can philanthropy play in the countering disinformation and online extremism that has tarnished the public sphere?
Can philanthropic support for public interest journalism bolster democracy?
Can big money philanthropy be justified on the grounds of its ability to drive innovation & “discovery”?
What role does philanthropy play in enabling a “battle of Ideas”, and is this to the benefit or detriment of democracy?
Is voluntary action a “nursery school of democracy”, as many have argued?
Do we need to democratise philanthropy itself? Does this need to be with respect to donors or recipients, or both? What models are there for doing so?
In this episode, at the end of a tumultuous and unpredictable year, we attempt (wisely or not!) to give some predictions for what 2021 might bring...
ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
Impact of Pandemic & Brexit: more demand, charity finances hit, less giving?
Charity closures/mergers?
Reimagining resilience?
Political Division
Ongoing division
Ongoing politicisation of charity/culture wars
Closing space for civil society
Foreign funding restrictions
Nationalism/Globalism/Localism
Will the pandemic make us think for locally, nationally or globally?
Will we see more moves towards devolution?
Philanthrolocalism
The Post-Pandemic workplace
How will changes made through necessity during the pandemic affecting the charity workplace longer term?
Will we see more orgs thinking through the optimum balance offline and online for their work as we become more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of both (e.g. efficiency and ability to reach wider geographic area vs value of offline serendipity, human connection)
Will there continue to be more adoption of remote/mixed working? Will we see orgs change how they think about the purpose of the office? Will this begin a geographic rebalancing of the charity sector workforce?
The Expanding landscape for doing good
Further expansion of space for “doing good” as we see more networked movements, informal P2P giving, mutual aid groups, corporates with purpose etc.
What is the USP of charities in this context?
Rebalancing of corporate/charity relationships as companies lay claim to purpose?
Continuing rise of networked movements
Continuing interest in Mutual Aid?
The participation premium- what can charities learn?
Cross cutting issues
Will the focus on racial justice/equality decline across wider society as we move further away from this year’s momentum around BLM?
Can civil society take a lead in maintaining that momentum?
Will we see the focus on climate renewed?
Will these issues increasingly be seen not as “cause areas”, but as cross-cutting concerns that all CSOs need to take into account?
What does this mean in practice- e.g. re investment approaches, leadership in civil society, composition of the non-profit workforce etc?
Post-pandemic Philanthropic funding trends
Unrestricted/core cost/trust based grantmaking. Will the trend continue?
More collaboration
Push for centralisation
Continuing pushback on impact measurement
More participatory approaches
New areas of funding focus:
social movements
infrastructure
digital
foresight
Journalism
Philanthropy Under Fire
Ongoing critiques:
Tainted donations (expect more examples)
Anti-democratic nature of big philanthropy
Philanthropy part of the problem re inequality
New critiques: Pace, perpetuity (e.g. US DAF legislation)
Philanthropy & conspiracy theories
Mass Giving
What is happening to giving? Long term decline or not? Giving pulled forward in response to the pandemic, or increased overall?
Will we see more big philanthropy focussed on encouraging mass giving?
Disintermediation & Platform Philanthropy
Acceleration of existing growth of online giving due to pandemic will put more emphasis on platforms, leading to:
more focus on responsibilities of those platforms (Neutrality of platforms/advisers under greater scrutiny
Further moving away from donors giving to orgs towards P2P giving/crowdfunding
Use of payment apps (Venmo/CashApp) to give direct to individuals
More commercial platforms offering giving functionality
Awareness of Platform dependency Risks
CSOs will become more aware that platforms are not digital public space
Examples of platform dependency risks:
Terms of Service changes
Censorship
Engagement of civil society in tech issues
Will the enforced pivot to digital during the pandemic lead to wider awareness of, and engagement in, technology issues?
Growing interest in civil society alternatives to commercial digital infrastructure?
Continuing pushback on tech ethics framing?
AI trends
Further development of giving via conversational AI interfaces (and growing awareness of opportunities & challenges)?
More examples of use of AI for process automation, e.g. in grantmaking?
Immersive Tech
More supporter led fundraising using short-form video content (TikTok-style)?
VAR becomes more popular; more examples of it being used for fundraising?
Further forays into gaming and E-sports for fundraising?
Cryptocurrency & blockchain
Renewal of interest in crypto-philanthropy?
More examples of practical/ ethical challenges (e.g. anonymous donations from problematic sources, volatility of crypto-assets).
Cybersecurity & RegTech challenges
Ransomware/cyber attacks on charities increase (linked to increase in remote working?)
Islamic Giving in a Digital World, with Iqbal Nasim
08 Dec 2020
00:55:15
In this episode we talk to Iqbal Nasim, CEO of the National Zakat Foundation, about Islamic giving and using technology to transform the way Zakat works. Including:
What is Zakat and how does it fit within Islamic teaching?
What does Islamic teaching say about how Zakat is to be given? (i.e. are there specific causes, should it be anonymous etc?)
Is Zakat the primary focus of giving for most Muslims, or do many give in other ways too?
What is Sadaqa, and how does it relate to Zakat?
Does most Zakat from Muslims in the UK go to international causes? Why, then, did NZF decide to focus on distributing Zakat in the UK?
How much Zakat goes to individuals and how much to organisations (charities, NGOs etc?) How does this reflect Islamic teaching?
How is Zakat viewed by givers and recipients- is it seen as a gift made through charity or a payment made as a requirement of justice?
Is there any stigma to being a recipient of Zakat?
What responsibilities are there as a digital platform towards those giving and receiving zakat? Should you aim to be a neutral intermediary, or do you have to take a more active role in informing donors, assessing recipients etc?
Disintermediation through technology brings benefits in terms of allowing more direct connection between giver and receiver, but it may also bring challenges- e.g. in individual crowdfunding there are growing concerns we are seeing biases and old-fashioned distinctions between the “deserving” and “undeserving” poor emerge. Are there similar challenges when it comes to zakat? How can they be mitigated?
Does the focus on giving to individuals make it harder to address issues at a more systemic level? (i.e. because you can’t fund campaigning or advocacy for larger-scale change)
There is a lot of interest in the wider world of philanthropy (particularly in an international development context) in tapping into Zakat as a potential new source of funding for existing causes, or aligning it with the SDGs etc. Is this feasible, or does it misunderstand what Zakat is and the motivations behind it?
Distributed Leadership, Movement Building & Mass Giving, with Asha Curran
24 Nov 2020
01:03:17
In this episode we talk to Asha Curran, CEO of Giving Tuesday - ahead of this year’s event on Tuesday 2nd December -about distributed leadership, movement building and the importance of mass giving. Including:
Decentralisation & Social Movements
What is the key appeal of networked movements? Do people believe they are more effective (particularly when it comes to huge global challenges that might require radical solutions, like the climate crisis and racial inequality/injustice) or is it more about their ability to democratize participation and offer more active modes of engagement?
How can traditional nonprofits embrace some of the benefits of networked or decentralized approaches? Does this require a major change of structure, or just mindset?
Distributed leadership, new power and leaderlessness
GT is a combination of elements with formal structure and many informal elements - how do these different parts of the movement interact?
How much centralised input is there in shaping/setting parameters for the formal elements?
Are there necessary limits on the freedom of informal elements? (E.g. parameters/red lines on what can be associated with GT brand, even informally) How are these set and policed?
How do you manage power dynamics within a decentralised movement to prevent the emergence of hidden cliques/elites, and to ensure that everyone’s voice can be heard equally?
Mass giving
Can mass giving movements like GT help to counter concerns about the potentially anti-democratic impact of big money philanthropy?
As GT has developed into a global movement, how has this informed your understanding of what we should think of as “giving”?
Can GT help us to develop a better global perspective & understand differences and similarities between cultures of giving around the world?
Do different countries around the world place more emphasis on non-financial giving in their approaches to GT? Has this had an impact on thinking in the US?
What is the idea behind the Starling Collective? How does this fit with the wider work of Giving Tuesday?
Platforms, philanthropy & civil society
Is there an important role for movements like GT in ensuring that as more giving shifts to the online world, we have platforms and infrastructure that is driven by civil society values rather than ceding control of online giving to commercial platforms (who may wish to offer giving functionality as an add-on for users)?
What responsibilities do giving platforms have towards those giving and receiving through them? Are they ever neutral intermediaries, or do they need to accept a more active role in informing donors, assessing recipients etc?
Data
What is the Giving Tuesday Data Collaborative? How did it come about?
What have you learned about giving trends in the US (and elsewhere) so far through the GTDC?
Can we use data to drive more giving/better giving? If so, how?
Philanthropy from Aristotle to Zuckerberg, with Paul Vallely
10 Nov 2020
01:12:09
In this episode we talk to Paul Vallely, author of Philanthropy: From Aristotle to Zuckerberg about his new book and what we can learn from history that can help inform our understanding of modern philanthropy and our thinking about where it should go in the future. Including:
What value does a historical perspective bring?
Would people working in philanthropy/civil society would benefit from more historical perspective?
What is the fundamental distinction between the Greco-Roman tradition of philanthropy and that which emerged from the Abrahamic religions, and why it is still important in understanding philanthropy today?
What does history tell us about the relationship between charity and justice: i.e. do they exist in opposition, or is charity a means of delivering justice? How is this debate is reflected in the history of philanthropy, and why does it remain relevant today?
How have views on the nature of poverty shaped philanthropy? I.e. Is poverty seen as a moral failing on the part of the individual, or a structural flaw in society? Are poverty & inequality “problems to be solved” or merely part of the natural order that accords some wealth and some poverty- and what does this mean for the role of charity? As we see controversy once again about “Victorian attitudes” towards the “deserving and undeserving poor”, are these issues that we need to grapple with in thinking about philanthropy?
What can we learn from history about the question of “tainted donations”, and the extent to which the way in which wealth has been created determines the legitimacy of trying to do good through giving it away?
What is the distinction the book draws between “strategic” & “reciprocal” philanthropy?
It is clearly almost impossible to understand the history of philanthropy without understanding some theology, as religion and charity were inextricably entwined for a long time. But what role does religion play in driving and shaping modern philanthropy?
The freedom that philanthropy and civil society have to run counter to the status quo or the policies and public opinion of a particular time has been a key part of driving historic social change. How do we preserve this freedom, whilst also answering concerns that unchecked philanthropic power could end up being anti-democratic?
What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision?
The book speaks approvingly of celebrity activists (making the point that they are in some ways following the template set by the original “philanthropist” John Howard). What role can this kind of philanthropy play? Why is it often viewed somewhat cynically?
Modern Grantmaking, with Gemma Bull & Tom Steinberg
13 Jul 2021
01:01:47
In this episode Rhod sat down with Gemma Bull and Tom Steinberg, authors of new book "Modern Grantmaking: A Guide for Funders Who Believe Better is Possible". In a wide-ranging conversation, we discussed:
Humility & Funder Ego
Why is humility such a key part of Modern Grantmaking?
Is part of the problem that traditionally our idea of what it means to be “good at grantmaking” has revolved around attributing genius to funders and grantmakers in terms of their choices/program design, rather than on the extent to which they nurture grantees?
Do we need to redefine what counts as success and failure in grantmaking?
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Does grantmaking have a diversity problem?
Are funders more effective when they reflect more closely the people and communities they serve? In what ways can they achieve this?
Do some grantmaking practices exclude people from already-marginalised communities? (E.g. focus on the written-word, invitation-based grantmaking etc.)
Privilege & Power
Is traditional grantmaking paternalistic, and too often about decisions being made about communities rather than by them?
The book emphasises that modern grantmakers should see themselves as serving the people and communities they fund– what does this mean in practice?
Why is it so important for grantmakers to check their privilege, and what does this mean in practice?
How do you navigate power dynamics within a grantmaking org- e.g. between trustees and grantmakers, or between philanthropic donors and the staff of a foundation?
Participation & Movements
There is a growing amount of focus on participatory approaches to grantmaking at the moment as part of the solution to the criticisms being levelled at philanthropy. How much of the rhetoric is reflected in reality?
Would all grantmaking be participatory in an ideal world? Or are there limits to participatory approaches? i.e. are there some situations in which it is better for expert funders to set aims and design programs? Or are there cause areas in which participatory approaches are not suitable for other reasons?
Would it help if more funders supported grassroots organisations and movements?
Funding practices
Are there signs that funders are changing their behaviour during the current crisis? (Moving to unrestricted funding, trust-based grantmaking etc.) Is this likely to lead to longer-term changes?
Risk and Innovation
Many have argued that a key function of philanthropic funding is to drive society forward by taking risks and funding things that the state and market cannot – but how much current philanthropic grantmaking do you think meets this criterion?
Is there a danger that “being innovative” becomes an end in itself, and results in continual chasing after shiny new things, rather than funding things that are already known to work?
Evidence and Impact
The book argues that modern grantmaking requires more of a focus on evidence-based decisions- what kinds of evidence should grantmakers be considering?
Do we need to ensure that different kinds of evidence and expertise are considered equally, in order to avoid perpetuating inequalities?
What role can data play in making grantmaking more effective and equitable?
DVD Extra: Louise Pulford from SIX poses some questions to Rhod
27 Oct 2020
00:19:46
In this bonus DVD extra mini-episode, Louise Pulford - CEO of the Social Innovation Exchange (SIX) - turns the table on our host, Rhod Davies, and asks him for his thoughts on key trends affecting philanthropy now and post-pandemic.
The Current and Future State of Philanthropy, with Louise Pulford, Josiane Smith & Dame Julia Unwin
27 Oct 2020
01:19:09
In this episode, we talk to Louise Pulford, Josiane Smith and Dame Julia Unwin about the findings from a new global horizon scan by the Social Innovation Exchange (SIX), looking at the challenges and opportunities facing philanthropy post-Covid. In a wide-ranging conversation we discussed:
How many trends in philanthropic funding we are seeing during the pandemic will lead to longer-term changes? How can we be more intentional about pursuing those we want to see?
How has the pandemic accelerated or altered existing debates about philanthropy?
What can we learn from historical examples of how philanthropy has responded to crises? Or from places in the world where crisis response is part of the normal role for philanthropy?
To what extent is it true that “what we did before a crisis is who we are in a crisis”? i.e. is the response of different funders a reflection of their existing ethos and practice, or have some genuinely changed what they do?
How do funders balance the immediate short-term demands of a crisis with their role in supporting issues over the longer-term?
Has the pandemic affected relationships between philanthropic funders and government around the world? If so, for better or worse?
We are seeing the emergence of new organisational models within civil society, including many that look less like traditional hierarchies and more like networks. What opportunities and challenges might this bring?
We are also seeing new approaches such as participatory grantmaking, which seek to shift power as well as money towards recipients, gain traction? Will this be a big trend in coming years?
Do charities and funders need to be more transparent? If so, why and about what? Who does it benefit?
What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision?
What should we make of criticisms that since philanthropy is to some extent a product of structural inequality, it can never truly be part of the solution? Do some donors and funders recognise the challenges and are genuinely pursuing structural change?
Should cross-cutting issues such as the climate crisis or racial justice not be seen as “causes”, but as factors that all funders need to take into account in their work?
How can we ensure funders and CSOs are in a better position to address future crises?
New Restrictions on Philanthropy & Civil Society in India: the FCRA 2020, with Ingrid Srinath
13 Oct 2020
00:57:27
In this episode we talk to Ingrid Srinath, Director of the Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy at Ashoka University about philanthropy and civil society in India and the impact of new restrictions have come in as part of the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act 2020 (FCRA 2020). (Disclaimer: the views expressed are Ingrid’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of her employer, or of CAF).
We discussed:
The FCRA 2020
What is the FCRA 2020?
Why are CSOs in India concerned about the impact it will have?
How much existing funding will be affected by the new rules?
What is the rationale from government? Does this stand up to scrutiny?
Has the Covid-19 pandemic played any role in precipitating this move on the part of the Indian government?
What is the rationale for prohibiting onward granting? Why is this a particular cause for concern?
Will this particularly harm smaller organisations and less poplar causes?
As part of the new FCRA the Indian government has stipulated that no more than 20% of a foreign contribution can be spent on “administrative expenses”. How are these defined? What is the rationale for this?
Will this new limitation on administrative expenses make it harder to invest in infrastructure, digital capabilities, governance etc.?
The new law also requires CSOs in receipt of FCRA funds to do so in a dedicated bank account at a New Delhi branch of the State Bank of India- what is the rationale for this?
The wider context for Civil Society & Philanthropy in India
What is the overall makeup of the Indian civil society sector, in terms of formalised vs informal orgs, large vs small, different cause areas etc.?
What is the attitude of the Indian government towards civil society in general? What is the attitude towards CSO advocacy and campaigning?
How has the Covid pandemic affected Indian civil society?
What is the infrastructure for civil society in India like? Are there gaps, and if so where?
What is the history and current context for philanthropy in India? E.g. how much HNWI giving is there? How much mass market giving? What role does corporate philanthropy play? What role do foundations play?
What kind of domestic causes receive philanthropic funding in India?
What is the attitude of the Indian government towards philanthropy?
What is the attitude of the Indian public towards philanthropy?
What kind of philanthropic responses to the covid-19 crisis have we seen in India?
Do recent critiques of philanthropy in the US and elsewhere resonate in the Indian context? (E.g. re that philanthropy exacerbates inequality, that it is anti-democratic, that some source of wealth are “tainted” etc.).
Digital Civil Society: Challenges & Opportunties, with Lucy Bernholz
29 Sep 2020
01:15:11
In this episode we talk to Lucy Bernholz, Director of the Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy & Civil Society (Stanford PACS) about how technology is reshaping civil society and the challenges and opportunities this will bring. Including:
Digital civil society
Is there any meaningful distinction between “civil society” and “digital civil society” now?
Has the current period of enforced digitisation as a consequence of the COVID pandemic led to more CSOs engaging with tech and tech issues?
What dangers are there for CSOs in assuming that platforms are objective or neutral public spaces? Are these problems likely to be exacerbated by the enforced pivot to digital for so many orgs as a result of COVID?
Are funders (e.g. foundations) getting to grips with the challenges and opportunities of the fourth industrial revolution?
Influencing the wider development & implementation of tech
Can nonprofits play a meaningful role in ensuring that tech is designed and implemented ethically?
Does the focus on “ethical” approaches to tech risk diverting attention from the need for more traditional mechanisms of legislation and regulation?
Are the inherent power imbalances between CSOs and tech companies too great for the latter to influence the former, or can asymmetric methods be used to overcome them?
What role can foundations and funders play in helping nonprofits engage with technological change?
Trust & Accountability
DO CSOs face new challenges to their authenticity in a digital world (deepfakes, astroturfing etc)?
Will perverse incentives within the online attention economy present a particular challenge for CSOs when it comes to maintaining trust?
Do we need to make philanthropy more democratic, or accountable to the people and communities it is supposed to serve? If so, how?
Social movements & new forms of organising
If digital tools enable people to form groups easily and organise in different ways, does this make traditional nonprofits less relevant as people look to networked models of social change?
What is the major appeal of networked movements? Do people believe they are more effective, or is it more about their ability to democratize participation and offer more active modes of engagement?
How can traditional nonprofits embrace some of the benefits of networked or decentralized approaches? Does this require a major change of structure, or just mindset?
Do the affordances of technology genuinely overcome the known weaknesses of structureless, leaderless or non-hierarchical organisational models, or will we simply end up rediscovering some of these weaknesses in the digital context?
Data & Automation
Could CSOs take a lead on modelling ethical approaches to the collection, storage and usage of data? Or is this too far out of their hands?
Is AI is a big deal for nonprofits? If so, why?
As the internet shifts from being something we access via specific interfaces to a universal digital substrate all around us (via the growth of IoT, edge computing etc), what new opportunities and challenges might this create for CSOs?
Predictions and Foresight in civil society:
What role can historical insight play in shaping our thinking about the future of civil society?
How can we get more foresight and futures thinking embedded in civil society? What role could foundations and funders play?
Should CSOs be seen as a valuable source of potential knowledge and insight to guide wider attempts by governments and others to identify future trends and scenarios?
In this episode we talk to Regan Ralph, President and CEO of the Fund for Global Human Rights, about her experience of funding right-based movements around the world and what she has learned about the challenges and opportunities of funding social movements through philanthropy. Including:
What does philanthropic funding for social movements look like? i.e. what are the various elements of an overall movement that can be funded- e.g. grassroots organising/movement building, policy work, advocacy, legal challenges etc?
How can a funder determine where best to allocate their resources in order to support a movement most effectively?
Are traditional nonprofits and funders too often a reflection of existing systems and power structures to push for the kind of radical solutions we need to deal with huge global challenges like the climate crisis and racial inequality/injustice? Is that why more people seem to be looking towards social movements?
Can we find forms of philanthropy that are genuinely able to support fundamental reform to the very systems in which wealth has been created? What are some of the hallmarks of this type of philanthropy?
How big a risk is there that foundations and other funders co-opt social movements by deliberately introducing grant stipulations etc aimed to direct the focus of the movement away from controversial areas or soften their tactics?
Is there also a danger that even well-intentioned funders inadvertently skew the direction of movements by virtue of the choices they make about what to fund and what not to fund? How can we avoid this risk?
Does a desire for “measurable impact” from funders limit their willingness to fund social change movements, because the success of their work may not be easy to attribute or quantify?
Can funding from donors/foundations confer legitimacy on movements as well as financial resources? Is this useful for the movements?
Can funders play an important role by taking a “helicopter view” and helping to share knowledge and insight between social movements that might otherwise never come into contact? How do they ensure they do this within becoming directive?
Why is core-cost and multi-year funding so important when supporting movements? Are we seeing more funders recognise this and adapt the way they fund?
There is a lot of focus in global philanthropy and civil society at the moment on “shifting power”- from funders to recipients, from the global north to the global south etc. Why is this so important, and how do you ensure through your work that power is transferred at the same time as financial resources?
Are there limits to empowering the grassroots? I.e. are there situations in which it is better for expert funders and organisations to set aims and design programs to deliver outcomes that are in the best interests of communities? Or is it always better to empower people to seek their own solutions, even when those solutions might be less “effective”?
We are seeing particular focus right now on the idea of “leaderless” movements, with decentralised or non-hierarchical structures (e.g. XR, #MeToo etc). Are there particular challenges for traditional funders in engaging with such movements?
In this episode we chat to Rob Cope, Director of Remember A Charity, about charitable legacy gifts and legacy fundraising: what they are, what role they play in the overall charity landscape and how they have changed during the COVID pandemic. Including
How big a part of the landscape for charitable giving in the UK are legacies? How has this changed over time?
If legacies have been a growth area in recent years (as many figures suggest), why is this? Is there greater awareness, more fundraising, or are people simply more likely to leave wills?
What particular role do legacies play in the overall funding mix for charities? (i.e. what is their unique value?)
Why do people leave legacies? How to fundraisers tap into some of the complex psychological drivers?
How do legacy gifts relate to other forms of giving at an individual level? (i.e. do most legacy gifts come from people who already give in other ways, or do they come instead of other gifts?)
Does discomfort when it comes to talking about death present an ongoing barrier to legacy fundraising?
Does uncertainty about the legal status of legacy gifts (and a number of high-profile cases of legal challenge) present a risk?
How has the COVID crisis affect the charitable legacy market?
Has increases awareness of mortality resulted in more will-making (and consequently more legacy gifts?)
Have there been issues with existing legacy gifts during the crisis? (Either in terms of sustaining them, or finalising them in some cases).
What effect has the impact of the pandemic on normal end-of-life processes such as funerals had on legacy giving? (E.g. has it resulted in more in-memory gifts from those who have been unable to commemorate the loss of loved ones properly?)
How has new legacy fundraising been affected by lockdown measures and restrictions on physical interaction?
Have fundraisers had to be more sensitive to the challenges of discussing legacy gifts at a time when many older people have felt particularly nervous or afraid as a result of the pandemic?
What impact might the short and medium term economic downturn caused by the pandemic have on the legacy market?
European Philanthropy during & after COVID Part 4 - Carola Carazzone
31 Jul 2020
00:48:59
In this episode - the fourth in our mini-series on “European philanthropy during and after COVID” – we speak to Carola Carazzone, Secretary General of Assifero, about philanthropy in Italy and beyond. Including
What is the history and current context for philanthropy in Italy?
How does this differ from the cultures, histories and legal/policy environments for philanthropy in other places across Europe?
Are there commonalties? I.e. is it meaningful to talk about “European philanthropy”?
What is the balance between local, regional, national and international approaches in Italian philanthropic funding?
What is the attitude of the Italian government towards philanthropy?
What kind of philanthropic responses to the covid-19 crisis have we seen in Italy? What challenges have they faced?
What is the role of infrastructure bodies in helping civil society organisations and funders navigate and adapt to a rapidly-changing environment?
Has the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to coordinate responses effectively increased awareness of the value of infrastructure?
What elements of infrastructure are required for a healthy culture of philanthropy and a vibrant civil society?
Do we need to make a renewed case for the value of infrastructure and the need to ensure it is properly funded?
European Philanthropy during & after COVID Part 3 - Julie Broome
28 Jul 2020
00:53:23
In this episode - the third in our mini-series on “European philanthropy during and after COVID” – we talk to Julie Broome, Director of the Ariadne network about philanthropic funding for social change and rights issues now and in the future. Including:
What is social change funding? What are its particular features?
Is it limited to a niche subset of funders, or something that all can do to some extent?
What is the history and current landscape for social change and rights-focussed philanthropy across Europe?
How do the cultures, histories and legal/policy environments for philanthropy vary across Europe? How does this affect the work of social change funders?
What kind of responses have we seen from social change funders across Europe to the challenges posed by covid-19?
Has Covid-19 (and government responses to it) exacerbated existing rights issues?
Will we see new rights issues emerge as the political imperatives of the pandemic lead to governments either accidentally or deliberating introducing new measures (e.g. on data collection and usage) that could further close the space for civil society in the future?
What is the role of infrastructure and support organisations in helping civil society organisations and funders navigate and adapt to a rapidly-changing environment?
Has the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to coordinate responses effectively increased awareness of the value of infrastructure?
What elements of infrastructure are required for a healthy culture of philanthropy and a vibrant civil society?
Do we need to make a renewed case for the value of infrastructure and the need to ensure it is properly funded?
Major challenges like the climate crisis, global inequality or the impact of technological development raise difficult questions about whether a pragmatic approach of working with existing systems can ever be enough; or whether we need to embrace more radical, transformative change efforts. How do social change and rights funders approach this thorny problem?
We are seeing particular focus right now on the idea of social change movements, many of which have decentralised or non-hierarchical governance models (e.g. XR, #MeToo etc). Are there challenges for traditional funders in engaging with such movements? How can social change funders with experience in this area help others to navigate the challenges?
Why is core-cost funding so important when supporting social change movements?
European Philanthropy during and after COVID Part 2: James Magowan
17 Jul 2020
00:42:02
In this episode - the second in our mini-series on “European philanthropy during and after COVID” – we talk to James Magowan from The European Community Foundation Initiative about the unique role of Community Foundations (CF) in the pandemic response and beyond. Including
What is ECFI and what does it do?
What is the history and current landscape for CFs across Europe?
How do the cultures, histories and legal/policy environments for philanthropy vary across Europe? How does this affect the make-up of CFs in different places?
Does this present any challenges in terms of positioning CFs as a coherent “movement”?
Are there commonalties? I.e. is it meaningful to talk about “European philanthropy”?
What kind of philanthropic responses have we seen across Europe to the challenges posed by covid-19? What role have CFs played?
Has the focus on CFs during the pandemic been too transactional (i.e. focused on their role as distributors of funding), and does this risk undermining their other roles as community anchors and advocates?
What is the role of infrastructure bodies in helping civil society organisations and funders navigate and adapt to a rapidly-changing environment?
What elements of infrastructure are required for a healthy culture of philanthropy and a vibrant civil society?
Should CFs be considered as “infrastructure”?
Has the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to coordinate responses effectively increased awareness of the value of infrastructure?
Do we need to make a renewed case for the value of infrastructure and the need to ensure it is properly funded?
European Philanthropy during & after COVID Part 1: Max von Abendroth & Rosa Gallego
14 Jul 2020
01:01:55
This episode kicks off a mini-series on European philanthropy during and after COVID-19 pandemic, exploring how philanthropic funders have responded to the crisis and how it might affect philanthropy longer term. Our first conversation is with Max von Abendroth, Director of DAFNE, and Rosa Gallego, Director of International Relations at the Spanish Association of Foundations. In a wide-ranging chat we covered many fascinating topics including:
The rich and varied history of philanthropy across Europe and how this has shaped the cultures of philanthropy and the legal and regulatory environments we see today.
Are there more similarities or differences between philanthropy in different parts of Europe? To what extent does it make sense to talk about “European philanthropy”?
How much philanthropy takes place at a local, national or international level in Europe?
What has the philanthropic response across Europe to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic been like?
What particular role have community foundations played?
What are funders doing to address the stark inequalities that have been laid bare by the pandemic?
Are funders and CSOs collaborating more as a result of the crisis? How can we build on this longer term?
Will the short-term shift towards funding core costs result in longer-term changes?
How can philanthropic funders make better use of data?
Are new laws and restrictions imposed by governments to address the public health challenges of the pandemic resulting in a furthering shrinking of civic space in some countries? How concerned should we be?
Has the crisis highlighted the importance of philanthropic infrastructure?
What are the elements of a healthy ecosystem of philanthropy infrastructure?
Should philanthropy support organisations merely reflect the views and interests of their members, or can they play a leadership role and provide constructive challenge?
How do we ensure that infrastructure is sustainable over the longer term?
Philanthropy, Racial Justice & Funding Grassroots Organizing, with Lori Bezahler
29 Jun 2021
00:55:10
In this episode we're joined by Lori Bezahler, President of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, to discuss the role of philanthropy in supporting racial justice and funding grassroots organizing or social movements. Including:
Racial Justice
Is racial injustice such a big/cross-cutting issues that it should not be seen as a cause area, but rather as something that is the responsibility of ALL philanthropic funders and nonprofits?
What does this mean in practice re racial justice issues? (E.g. supporting more grantees led by BIPOC leaders, promoting more BIPOC employees into positions of authority within foundations, acknowledging where philanthropic assets have been created in ways that exacerbated racial injustice, paying reparations etc?)
Should we be optimistic that the current recognition of the need to apply a racial justice lens across philanthropy will be maintained?
The “Movement Moment”
Is the current enthusiasm for social movements reflective of a frustration people have that traditional nonprofits have failed to move the needle on issues such as the climate crisis or racial justice?
Is the fact that participation is inherent to the approach of social movements part of their appeal, as it gives people a greater sense of agency over problems that can seem insurmountable?
Are traditional nonprofits and funders too often a reflection of existing systems and power structures to push for the kind of radical solutions we need to deal with huge global, structural challenges?
Does the ability of social movements to be more overtly political, or to employ more challenging tactics (e.g. protest, direct action), give them an advantage over civil society organisations (CSOs) that might be more constrained by legal/regulatory requirements?
Can movements that have grown to huge scale very quickly find that they are lacking some of the elements of organisations infrastructure that they might need if they are to be sustainable over the longer-term? If so, can traditional CSOs and nonprofits work with them to provide some of that infrastructure? Does this happen in practice?
Funding movements
How can a funder determine where best to allocate their resources in order to support a movement most effectively?
How big a risk is there that foundations and other funders co-opt social movements by deliberately introducing grant stipulations etc. aimed to direct the focus of the movement away from controversial areas or soften their tactics?
Can funding from donors/foundations confer legitimacy on movements as well as financial resources? Is this useful for the movements?
Can funders use their power positively on behalf of the movements they fund?
Why is core-cost and multi-year funding so important when supporting movements? Are we seeing more funders recognise this and adapt the way they fund?
Spending Down
The Hazen Foundation took the bold decision in 2019 to spend down its remaining endowment over 5 years. What was the rationale for doing this at this point, after nearly 100 years of operating?
What is the foundation aiming to fund over the coming years to ensure the foundation leaves a strong legacy?
Should more foundations should consider spending down?
Mission Related Investment
Why did the Hazen Foundation decide to take a fully mission-related investment approach? What does this mean in practice?
Does this involve going beyond screening to look for active opportunities to invest in activities that further the foundation’s mission?
How are trade-offs between financial return and social impact assessed?
Developing the UK's culture of philanthropy, with Matthew Bowcock & Cath Dovey
30 Jun 2020
00:49:30
In this episode we talk to Matthew Bowcock and Cath Dovey, founders of the Beacon Collaborative, about developing the UK’s culture of philanthropy both pre- and post-Covid. Including
What is the Beacon Collaborative?
What was the UK culture of philanthropy like pre-Covid?
How does this perhaps differ from the culture in other countries (e.g. the US?)
What do we know about the barriers that prevent more wealthy people giving?
What has the response from wealthy philanthropists to the Covid-19 crisis been like?
How have attitudes to collaboration among philanthropists and funders changed as a result of the current context?
How do we balance the emphasis on centralisation/coordination of philanthropy necessitated by the crisis with the choice and freedom that is likely to motivate donors over the longer term?
Why are many donors moving from restricted to unrestricted funding right now? Is this going to herald a longer-term shift?
Should we expect anything in philanthropy to change fundamentally as a result of what we are going through? If so, what?
Are we likely to see a more positive or more negative narrative about philanthropy post-Covid?
Using film to tell charity stories, with Simon Burton
16 Jun 2020
00:45:15
In this episode we talk to Simon Burton, founder and CEO of the Charity Film Awards, about how charities can use film to portray and amplify their work. Including:
-What is the aim of the Charity Film Awards and how did it come about?
-In what interesting ways have charity entrants to the competition been using video?
-Why is storytelling important for charities?
-Positive vs negative representations of charities and the people they serve: do upbeat messages work? Or are tragic images still the norm?
-Is it possible for organisations with limited resources to use video effectively as a tool?
-Will we see more charities engaging with video as a result of the enforced digital transformation brought about by Covid-19?
-Have any charities used short-form video and platforms like TikTok effectively?
-Are any charities using virtual and augmented reality or 360 video?
-How did the CFA turn itself into a virtual event in such a short space of time?
-Will we see virtual events becoming more the norm after the coronavirus situation is over?
-Are charities well-represented in mainstream screen media?
-Are there any good TV programmes, films about charities or philanthropy? If not, why not?