2nd Summer Academy on Philanthropy

The INSP’s 2nd Summer Academy on Philanthropy was held from 26–29 August in Bologna, Italy, in conjunction with the EFC and Masters in International Studies in Philanthropy at the University of Bologna. The Academy was attended by 33 participants, mostly from Europe but also from the US, most of whom were programme officers and executive directors. As with the 1st Academy last year in London, more applications were received than could be accepted.

The aim of the academy was to present tools for strategic management and effective philanthropy in foundations, in order to contribute to the professional development of philanthropy practitioners, facilitate partnership and cooperation among foundations, and promote understanding of the role of foundations in Europe and the world.

Sessions focused on areas such as articulating and translating visions into specific missions, planning and designing projects, managing stakeholder expectations, project implementation and project evaluation. Participants also worked in groups to apply the insights they had gained from sessions to real case studies of operating and grantmaking foundations.