Author Archive:
Charles Keidan
Philanthropy has failed the people of Gaza
A decade ago, I visited the Gaza Strip. It was a few months after the end of Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s military attempt to contain the Palestinian group Hamas. Few private foundations had travelled to …
Sustainability is the driving force: Interview with Lavinia Jacobs
One of Switzerland’s leading foundations, the Jacobs Foundation has forged a reputation for its research-based and system-wide approach to the problems it decides to take on. Its chairperson Lavinia Jacobs talks to Charles Keidan about …
Funders must collaborate to ‘future proof’ philanthropy infrastructure, says new report
A report backed by leading funders of Europe’s philanthropy infrastructure has called on foundations and infrastructure bodies to work more effectively together to meet major challenges on the horizon. This is the key message of …
Changing the philanthropy system
Debates are raging about the standing of philanthropy in democratic societies. Today’s critics point to the ways in which philanthropy enables wealthy individuals and families to exercise (and enjoy) public influence off the back of …
Interview: Rob Reich
For Rob Reich, co-director of the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, the first question to ask about philanthropy is not how well is it doing, but what is it for? In an influential …
Interview: James Chen
James Chen is chair of Wahum Holdings in Nigeria and the Chen Yet-Sen Family Foundation, but he is probably best known as founder of the Clearly campaign to eradicate preventable poor vision globally. The areas …
Royal philanthropy needs to loosen up to do the most good
It will be clear to anyone reading this special feature that almost all our contributors – drawn from regions as diverse as the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Europe – see the philanthropic contribution of royals …
Philanthropy advisors get to grips with Generation Impact
The issue of ‘next-gen’ giving – the philanthropic passions and commitments of a new generation of wealth holders – is a hot topic in philanthropy. Not only can their resources potentially change society for the …
Inside Oak Foundation – an interview with Christopher Parker
Interview: Christopher Parker, Trustee of Oak Foundation Oak Foundation is probably not one of the first names which comes to mind when you think of major foundations, yet in terms of funding and influence, it …
Muslim philanthropy comes of age
Unlocking a huge untapped potential for giving There is general agreement that we don’t know as much as we’d like to know about Muslim philanthropy, a phenomenon broadly defined as giving ‘of any kind, which …