New Frontiers of Philanthropy


Book Description

The resources of both governments and traditional philanthropy are either barely growing or in decline, yet the problems of poverty, ill-health, and environmental degradation balloon daily. It is therefore increasingly clear that we urgently need new models for financing and promoting social and environmental objectives. Fortunately, a significant revolution appears to be underway on the frontiers of philanthropy and social investing, tapping not only philanthropy, but also private investment capital, and providing at least a partial response to this dilemma. This book examines the new actors and new tools that form the heart of this revolution, and shows how they are reshaping the way we go about supporting solutions to social and environmental problems throughout the world. With contributions from leading experts in the field, New Frontiers of Philanthropy provides a comprehensive analysis of the many new institutions that have surfaced on this new frontier of philanthropy and social investment; the new tools and instruments these institutions are bringing to bear; the challenges that these actors and tools still encounter; and the steps that are needed to maximize their impact. The result is a powerful and accessible guide to developments that are already bringing significant new resources into efforts to solve the world's problems of poverty, ill-health, and environmental degradation; unleashing new energies and new sources of ingenuity for social and environmental problem-solving; and generating new hope in an otherwise dismal scenario of lagging resources and resolve. Investors, philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, business executives, government officials, and students the world over will find much to build on in these pages.




New Frontiers of Philanthropy


Book Description

This volume presents the first comprehensive and authoritative account of the new actors and tools revolutionizing global philanthropy and social investment at the present time. At a time of declining government resources and limited charitable capability, this development represents one of the most hopeful signs for gaining meaningful traction on the globe's escalating problems of poverty, environmental degradation, and despair.




Leverage for Good


Book Description

This volume presents the first comprehensive and authoritative account of the new actors and tools revolutionizing global philanthropy and social investment at the present time. At a time of declining government resources and limited charitable capability, this development represents one of the most hopeful signs for gaining meaningful traction on the globe's escalating problems of poverty, environmental degradation, and despair.




The Philanthropy Reader


Book Description

Philanthropy is both timeless and timely. Ancient Romans, Medieval aristocrats, and Victorian industrialists engaged in philanthropy, as do modern-day Chinese billionaires, South African activists, and Brazilian nuns. Today, philanthropic practice is evolving faster than ever before, with donors giving their time, talents, and social capital in creative new ways and in combination with their financial resources. These developments are generating complex new debates and adding new twists to enduring questions, from "why be philanthropic?" to "what does it mean to do philanthropy ‘better’?" Addressing such questions requires greater understanding of the contested purpose and diverse practice of philanthropy. With an international and interdisciplinary focus, The Philanthropy Reader serves as a one-stop resource that brings together essential and engaging extracts from key texts and major thinkers, and frames these in a way that captures the historical development, core concepts, perennial debates, global reach, and recent trends of this field. The book includes almost 100 seminal and illuminating writings about philanthropy, equipping readers with the guiding material they need to better grasp such a crucial yet complex and evolving topic. Additional readings and discussion questions also accompany the text as online supplements. This text will be essential reading for students on philanthropy courses worldwide, and will also be of interest to anyone active in the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors — from donors and grantmakers, to advisers and fundraisers.




My Philanthropy


Book Description

George Soros is one of the world's leading philanthropists. Over the past 30 years, he has provided more than 7 billion to his network of foundations, known collectively as the Open Society Institute, for projects around the world and in the United States. In this e-book, Soros writes in detail for the first time about his vision for philanthropy. "I have always been leery of philanthropy," he writes, "Philanthropy is supposed to be devoted to the benefit of others, but many philanthropists are primarily concerned with their own benefit." Soros engages in philanthropy not out of a desire for praise or to impose his vision upon the world but out of a strong sense of moral duty: "My success in the financial markets has given me a greater degree of independence than most other people enjoy. This allows me to take a stand on controversial issues. In fact, my exceptional position obliges me to do so." Soros is celebrated for his brilliant financial and economic insights and his investment strategies. But his contribution to philanthropy and the impact of his generosity is equally impressive. This text reveals the thinking and practice that drives a lesser known aspect of this remarkable man's life, his goals for society and his philosophy.




The Routledge Companion to Philanthropy


Book Description

Philanthropy – the use of private resources for public purposes – is undergoing a transformation, both in practice and as an emerging field of study. Expectations of what philanthropy can achieve have risen significantly in recent years, reflecting a substantial, but uneven, increase in global wealth and the rolling back of state services in anticipation that philanthropy will fill the void. In addition to this, experiments with entrepreneurial and venture philanthropy are producing novel intersections of the public, non-profit and private spheres, accompanied by new kinds of partnerships and hybrid organisational forms. The Routledge Companion to Philanthropy examines these changes and other challenges that philanthropists and philanthropic organisations face. With contributions from an international team of leading contemporary thinkers on philanthropy, this Companion provides an introduction to, and critical exploration of, philanthropy; discussing current theories, research and the diverse professional practices within the field from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The Routledge Companion to Philanthropy is a rich and valuable resource for students, researchers, practitioners and policymakers working in or interested in philanthropy.




Diversity and Philanthropy


Book Description

A "one size fits all" strategy is not effective when it comes to philanthropy and fundraising in today's diversified environment. This book enables nonprofit leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers of nonprofit organizations to better reach diverse populations and incorporate perspectives that increase success by surveying the cultural context for philanthropic action. Diversity and Philanthropy: Expanding the Circle of Giving is a concise, accessible, and research-backed resource that explains the traditions of philanthropy—an invaluable tool given the proliferation of global nongovernmental organizations that affect every aspect of society in every country. Author Lilya Wagner has worked across the globe as fundraising and nonprofit organizations proliferated in the last 25 years. This book is an outgrowth of her extensive research as well as an accumulation of her professional interactions in the field and real-world knowledge. The book begins with an overview of culture and its influence on generosity and then examines the global increase of attention on diversity in giving. Chapters address specific cultural and ethnic groups; the traditions of their countries of origin; what influences their giving in North America; and characteristics that are inherent in culture, such as religion and attitudes about family. The book concludes with an insightful discussion of how to be a culturally proficient professional. An extensive listing of resources—including research on various aspects and angles of the topic, and surveys on giving both in North America and globally—makes it easy for those who want to pursue related topics in more detail.




Routledge Handbook of Social and Sustainable Finance


Book Description

Routledge Handbook of Social and Sustainable Finance brings together an international cast of leading authorities to map out and display the disparate voices, traditions and professional communities engaged in social finance activity. With a clear societal or environmental mission, foundations, individual and group investors, as well as public bodies around the world have become increasingly eager to finance and support innovative forms of doing business. Together, founders and established businesses alike are embracing new sustainable business models with a distinct stakeholder approach to tackle social or environmental problems in what they see as a failed economic system in crisis. As a result, the topic of social and sustainable finance is at the forefront of financial economic thought. This Handbook is divided up into three parts. The first, "The Landscape of Social and Sustainable Finance and Investments", comprises of chapters from a multitude of perspectives in an effort to grasp the entirety of the landscape. The second, "Challenges, Suggestions, Critiques and Debates", focuses on areas ranging from sociological underpinnings to critical takes on markets, and the identification of specialized business models. Amongst ethical considerations, topics include the scaling of impact, an analysis of sustainability as risk prevention and comparative analyses of various methods of justification and measurement. In the third and final section, "Markets and Institutions", contributions range from various perspectives on sustainable banking to environmental marketplaces, and finally on to practical cases and country specific observations. This volume is essential reading for both academics and students in economics and finance. It is also of interest to those who study environmental economics, microeconomics and banking.







Rebalancing Public Partnership


Book Description

In the US, as in many other Western economies, federal and state government is working to become more involved with the nonprofit sector; a sector in which many of the organizations are singularly ill-prepared and strategically unaligned to fulfill the new role that is being asked of them. Based on his original research, John Brothers brings together leading thought leaders from the United States and around the world by exploring the prevailing attitudes and perceptions of the nonprofit sector towards government and vice versa and provides advice and direction to help both sides of the equation towards effective collaborative working. The main themes cover the nature and implications of regulatory reform on the sector and how non-government organizations should reengineer their practices. There are also chapters on some of the hot button areas of government contracting and political advocacy. The text includes best-practice examples, case studies as well as tools and templates from across the sectors. Both sides of this emerging partnership need fast-track education on each other’s capabilities, constraints and working practice. Dr Brothers’ contributors provide some very valuable perspectives and insights that should inform and direct this process.