Collective Philanthropy: The Strength of Giving Together (2017)

on the role of grantmaking in social change PLUS

A giving circle is an example of collective philanthropy where donors pool their financial capital to support a non-profit organisation. While giving circles have existed for decades, they are funding a fresh expression as individuals rediscover the advantages of giving together. Our previous study on giving circles reviewed 35 circles, which we classified as either indigenous or affiliated to networks outside the region, in eight Asian countries. These giving circles demonstrate a wide variety of styles and models. Some circles are informal and volunteer managed; others are more structured and use professional staff. While all giving circles encourage their members to do more than make a donation, some utilise the skills and networks of their members to provide consulting expertise for the non-profits they support. In this new study we list 66 known indigenous and transplanted giving circles in 10 Asian countries. We surveyed the members of 38 of these giving circles to understand how membership influences an individual’s knowledge of, and attitude towards, their community, social issues, nonprofits and philanthropy. The survey also explored how joining a giving circle changes the amount given and the ways in which people choose to give. A number of non-profits were asked about their experience of being supported by giving circles and how this contrasted with the support they received from more traditional donors.

Alliance, 2018

The article introduces the author's working paper comprising 23 case studies that explore how businesses in Asia are experimenting with innovative ways to provide financial, intellectual and human capital in support of high-potential nonprofits and social businesses.

Philanthropy as an Emerging Contributor to Development Cooperation, 2014

Philanthropy resists easy definition and categorization. That has made it difficult to track its contribution to specific development goals. But it need not impede philanthropy’s ascent into deep engagement with others in international development cooperation. Philanthropy, no matter where it originates, is driven by the imperative to meet human needs, alleviate suffering, and tackle the systemic challenges that prevent human development and progress. On one end of the spectrum it can be pathbreaking, supporting innovation, field building, first movers and fast movers - and at the other, it provides patient capital for long-term challenges that require painstaking efforts that go beyond political winds and shorter-term business interests. Philanthropy needs to leverage the larger resources and expertise of official development cooperation actors. And governments and the UN system need to leverage the insights, innovations and more nimble approaches of philanthropy and those organizations who the sector supports. Philanthropy reaches across borders and silos to create a better and safer world for all. The power of joining the forces of official development cooperation and philanthropy in the service of the new international, universal development goals will make a substantial difference. But this will require new mindsets, partnerships and forms of collaboration amongst the UN system, governments and the philanthropic sector alike. The challenge is worth surmounting for the leverage and greater impact it will bring.

2018

This study looks at an emerging trend in which wealthy families, individuals, and corporations in Asia set up foundations to institutionalise their giving. This giving is motivated by a myriad of factors beyond prestige and status, including the desire to give back to society, religion, family and personal values, the desire to drive change, personal experience, and/or affiliations. This study finds that philanthropic foundations in Asia can be characterised by their operational model, governance structure, and philanthropic focus. In emerging economies in Asia like Myanmar and China, these foundations tend to give nationally and operate their own programmes. On the other hand, foundations in developed economies like Singapore and Hong Kong tend to give both regionally and nationally via grants to civil society organisations that operate programmes, as opposed to running programmes themselves. Further, families tend to retain significant control of foundations in Singapore and Hong Kong, while programme funding serves as the preferred funding mode. This study also discusses the various challenges and opportunities faced by the nascent philanthropic sector in Asia that can address some of the developmental and structural gaps left by the public, private, and people sectors.