Author Archive:
Bruce Sievers
The ‘new’ pluralism and the common good
There are two competing impulses at work in giving. The relationship between them forms a crucial part of modern philanthropy. To fulfil its potential the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ ‘New Pluralists’ initiative should be mindful of …
Has philanthropy forgotten about ‘the common good’?
Efforts to create a sense of social solidarity are thwarted by the drive to pursue individual interests at the expense of collective ends In an era of unprecedented wealth, technological advancement, and global interdependence, we …
The crisis of civic media
For more than a decade ominous clouds have been gathering on the horizon of civil society. A series of recent developments has drawn those clouds into a storm that threatens everything in its path – civil society’s …
The holy grail of ‘impact’
‘With money tight, top philanthropists insist on more bang for the buck’ reads a recent headline in Barron’s business magazine.[1] These days, to read Barron’s and many other business publications, one would think that at …
Followers or leaders?
The informative exchange between Joel Fleishman and Bill Schambra highlights two important issues in current philanthropic practice that are not explicitly addressed by either writer. First, despite Joel’s claim that foundations have notably exercised leadership …
Forget feel-good philanthropy
Among the many interesting points that can be debated about the merits and demerits of ‘philanthrocapitalism’, the question of how giving makes the donor feel is not one of them. Thus, I believe Matthew Bishop …
The ethics of receiving
Among the many difficult ethical questions that arise in modern philanthropy, one seems to appear with increasing frequency, the issue of ‘tainted money’. This actually has to do with a very old quandary in the …
Philanthropy and hubris
The arrival of new sources of funding is always welcome news to anyone concerned with the application of private wealth to the benefit of society. The influx of vast new wealth into the non-profit sector …
The accountability conundrum
Perhaps the most frequently used word in discussions of the non-profit sector today is ‘accountability’. It features in the titles of conferences, articles in the press about non-profit issues, academic journals, and governmental hearings. Why …
Questions reporters should have asked about the Buffett donation
Warren Buffett’s recent announcement of his intention to give most of his fortune (some $30 billion) to the Gates Foundation generated a spate of laudatory press coverage. While few would disagree that Mr Buffett’s donation …
