Leadership Forum on the Future of Social Investment in Latin America

Political instability, poor legislation and lack of a clear distinction between the roles of government and civil society are the main handicaps to the evolution of social investment in Latin America. This was one of the conclusions of a leadership forum on the topic, held in São Paulo, Brazil in September and sponsored by Institute for the Development of Social Investment (IDIS) and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).

There are cultural obstacles, too. ‘Latin America does not enjoy a grantmaking culture,’ said Jorge Villalobos (CEMEFI, Mexico), while Carolina Langan (Argentine Group of Foundations and Businesses) argued that private social investment in the region takes the form of ‘social assistance, influenced mostly by Christian charity’.