As we experience change at an exponential rate, with new technologies omnipresent and democracy faltering on unsettled ground, how can philanthropy support the 1.5 billion unbanked people worldwide who are being left behind? In increasingly cashless … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Must Be at the Table to Imagine a Resilient, Inclusive Economy in the Age of AI
Development
How Kellogg and Partner Philanthropies Are Funding in Haiti, a Country Beset by Crisis
How the Segal Family Foundation Funds Globally, Acts Locally
Despite all the growth in global giving, U.S.-based foundations have historically funded close to home. Fewer than a quarter engaged in international grantmaking over the past few decades. And while the ideas of locally led development and proximate … [Read more...] about How the Segal Family Foundation Funds Globally, Acts Locally
After More Than $1 Billion in Funding, MacArthur’s Big Bets Are Winding Down. What Happens Now?
When Julia Stasch took over at the MacArthur Foundation in 2014, she inherited a sprawling beast of a funder that had 18 programs on its website, plus various special projects and research networks. She needed to narrow its focus, and to do so, … [Read more...] about After More Than $1 Billion in Funding, MacArthur’s Big Bets Are Winding Down. What Happens Now?
Where is MacKenzie Scott’s Global Giving Headed? Here’s What the Latest Data Tells Us
Numbers always tell a story. For MacKenzie Scott’s global giving, the Yield Giving database reveals a sustained level of giving and consistent issue priorities. The giving trends that emerged when the database launched last year remained constant … [Read more...] about Where is MacKenzie Scott’s Global Giving Headed? Here’s What the Latest Data Tells Us
From Anti-Apartheid to Land Back, Deborah Santana Reflects on Years of Social Justice Giving
You might know Deborah Santana as the former wife of legendary musician Carlos Santana; the two were married from the early 1970s until 2007 and managed his band together for years. But that connection offers only a glimpse into the life of Deborah … [Read more...] about From Anti-Apartheid to Land Back, Deborah Santana Reflects on Years of Social Justice Giving
“Central to a Just Economy.” How a Collaborative Fund is Supporting Labor Rights in Brazil
Erosion of labor rights, attacks on unionization, and the rise of the informal economy — whose workers have little to no protections — have put workers in an increasingly precarious position here in the U.S., but globally, as well. Even so, labor is … [Read more...] about “Central to a Just Economy.” How a Collaborative Fund is Supporting Labor Rights in Brazil
How Philanthropic Funds Helped Mobilize Over $1 Billion in Investments for Sustainable Development
When the MacArthur Foundation launched the Catalytic Capital Consortium — or C3 — in 2019, it built upon the foundation’s four decades of work in impact investing and ambitions to support and expand the idea of how patient, flexible and risk-tolerant … [Read more...] about How Philanthropic Funds Helped Mobilize Over $1 Billion in Investments for Sustainable Development
With Housing a Growing Global Concern, Habitat for Humanity Targets Informal Settlements
Habitat for Humanity is probably best known for its U.S. volunteer force, which has been building and improving housing since the 1970s, but today, it ranks among the top 10 largest charities headquartered in the U.S., with an ever-growing scope. In … [Read more...] about With Housing a Growing Global Concern, Habitat for Humanity Targets Informal Settlements
Eyes on the Prize: A Two-Time Winner’s Insights on Navigating Prize Philanthropy
By and large, philanthropy has tended to start by identifying problems and then finding partners to execute potential solutions. But the reverse approach — rewarding proven success as a path to problem-solving — seems to be on the rise. Shining a … [Read more...] about Eyes on the Prize: A Two-Time Winner’s Insights on Navigating Prize Philanthropy
This Year at the UNGA, Philanthropies Unite Behind Democracy and Locally Led Development
The U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, were a top focus at the U.N. General Assembly’s 78th Session this year. The SDG summit, which is mandated to occur every four years at the beginning of UNGA proceedings, came at an important time. … [Read more...] about This Year at the UNGA, Philanthropies Unite Behind Democracy and Locally Led Development
This Bespoke Funding Intermediary Focuses Donors on a Dozen Highly Vetted Global Grantees
Larry Gilson, founder and current board chair of the funding intermediary Focusing Philanthropy, sat at a round conference table in the group’s bright office and pointed to a big, glossy photo on the wall. It showed nine people standing in a village … [Read more...] about This Bespoke Funding Intermediary Focuses Donors on a Dozen Highly Vetted Global Grantees
How the India Philanthropy Alliance Engages a Growing Donor Base
The Indian population in the U.S. has soared in recent decades, along with the wealth it can bring to bear. In fact, Indians in the United States have the highest per capita income of any ethnic group, per 2019 Pew Research Center data. These numbers … [Read more...] about How the India Philanthropy Alliance Engages a Growing Donor Base
Beyond Borders: A Regional Look at MacKenzie Scott’s Global Giving
From the beginning, MacKenzie Scott’s global giving has carried through on a number of themes: addressing inequity, supporting women and girls and creating a greener world. The latest tranche emphasized Scott’s desire to keep solutions “of and by” … [Read more...] about Beyond Borders: A Regional Look at MacKenzie Scott’s Global Giving
Research Is Critical for Effective Aid. So Why Aren’t Researchers from the Global South Getting Funded?
Humanitarian research is critical to delivering effective aid to affected people, and that makes it a key tool and consideration for philanthropists around the globe. However, it has historically been dominated by research institutions and … [Read more...] about Research Is Critical for Effective Aid. So Why Aren’t Researchers from the Global South Getting Funded?
Why Philanthropists Should Shoot for the Moon
Philanthropists may well be the catalyst to solving the world’s most pressing issues. But to succeed, those who dedicate their time and capital to addressing those challenges should do three things: embrace failure, be prepared to take risks and … [Read more...] about Why Philanthropists Should Shoot for the Moon
With Big Backing From MacKenzie Scott and More, Co-Impact Targets Global Gender Inequality
Co-Impact has set its sights on improving health, education and economic outcomes for hundreds of millions across the Global South, and forever changing the way the world sees women at all levels of society. But progress means beating back bias so … [Read more...] about With Big Backing From MacKenzie Scott and More, Co-Impact Targets Global Gender Inequality
A Matter of Trust: With a Big Boost from MacKenzie Scott, GiveDirectly is on the Rise
If there’s one hallmark of MacKenzie Scott’s giving, it’s the idea of trust. Her support is typically made with no strings attached, and empowers organizations on the receiving end to use their best judgment on how and when the funds are used.So it … [Read more...] about A Matter of Trust: With a Big Boost from MacKenzie Scott, GiveDirectly is on the Rise
MacKenzie Scott Is Funding to Empower People Globally. Here’s What We Know About Her Priorities
Organizations serving marginalized people around the world have long been dreaming of a quiet knock of inquiry from MacKenzie Scott’s team of advisors. Now, while a certain air of mystery remains around the whos and whys of receiving funding from … [Read more...] about MacKenzie Scott Is Funding to Empower People Globally. Here’s What We Know About Her Priorities
MacKenzie Scott’s Far-Reaching Giving Continues to Grow. What Impact Is She Having?
One of the philanthropic sector’s real weaknesses over the years has been a tendency to go long on the strategy and short on the execution. That is, spending far too much time and resources spelling out intricate goals and theories of change, only to … [Read more...] about MacKenzie Scott’s Far-Reaching Giving Continues to Grow. What Impact Is She Having?
Global Gender Equity Requires Access to the Online Economy. Who’s Backing Digital Financial Inclusion?
Many forces perpetuate the global economic gender gap and hold women back from economic progress, despite the fact that women’s entrepreneurship is growing around the world. The World Bank estimates that there are more than 6 million women-owned … [Read more...] about Global Gender Equity Requires Access to the Online Economy. Who’s Backing Digital Financial Inclusion?
Philanthropy Made a Flurry of Commitments During the UN Meeting. Here’s Where the Money is Headed
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York is always a busy time for global funders, who, by and large, align their giving with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, set by the global community in 2015. But the response around the … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Made a Flurry of Commitments During the UN Meeting. Here’s Where the Money is Headed
Does Global Philanthropy Have a Colonialism Problem?
Amid the pageantry surrounding Queen Elizabeth II’s death, fierce debates have been rekindled about the global legacy of colonialism. The U.N. General Assembly is also convening this week, where key philanthropic figures of the U.S.-led liberal … [Read more...] about Does Global Philanthropy Have a Colonialism Problem?
Inside the Howard G. Buffett Foundation’s Big Bet on Rwanda
I’m standing on a college campus that is being built from scratch on 3,200 acres of farmland in central Rwanda, an African country of 13 million that’s about the size of Vermont. The dormitories and a large outdoor dining hall are already finished, … [Read more...] about Inside the Howard G. Buffett Foundation’s Big Bet on Rwanda
Why Open Philanthropy’s Backing This Evidence-Based Solution for Safe Water
Three in 10 people in the world lack access to safe drinking water, but children are particularly vulnerable to the consequences. Nearly 1,000 children die each day from preventable water and sanitation-related diseases like diarrhea — a condition … [Read more...] about Why Open Philanthropy’s Backing This Evidence-Based Solution for Safe Water
Philanthropy Can Seed Agroecology
If you’ve ever flown over California’s Central Valley or the Midwest, you might have noticed expansive quilt-like patches of agricultural landscape. Indeed, over the past century, we’ve come to expect that farmland is organized into tidy, uniform … [Read more...] about Philanthropy Can Seed Agroecology
With a Flurry of Gifts, MacKenzie Scott And Dan Jewett Make a Statement in Brazil
MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett’s most recent funding announcement centers on the idea that helping any of us helps us all — which raises interesting questions about the ideas of “us” and global interconnectedness. For one, as the couple’s historic … [Read more...] about With a Flurry of Gifts, MacKenzie Scott And Dan Jewett Make a Statement in Brazil
This Funder Collaborative Is Taking on Sovereign Debt, a Growing Problem in the Global South
Sovereign debt, also known as public or national debt, is money a government owes to lenders outside the country. It’s an important financing tool that governments can use to promote growth and development in their countries, and according to the … [Read more...] about This Funder Collaborative Is Taking on Sovereign Debt, a Growing Problem in the Global South
Round Four: Here’s What You Need to Know About MacKenzie Scott’s Latest List of Gifts
Note: This article was originally published on March 24, 2022.It’s hard to believe that the last time MacKenzie Scott announced the name of a grantee was back in June of 2021, almost nine months ago. She has continued to dominate the philanthropic … [Read more...] about Round Four: Here’s What You Need to Know About MacKenzie Scott’s Latest List of Gifts
To Progress On Food and Hunger, Funders Need to Redefine “Evidence” and Decolonize Research
“Evidence” isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you think about food systems. But the question of evidence comes up in most conversations about food systems transformation. On the one hand, people ask questions like: Do we have enough … [Read more...] about To Progress On Food and Hunger, Funders Need to Redefine “Evidence” and Decolonize Research
