It feels, right now, as if the only real certainty is uncertainty. But this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to think about the future. Once we abandon the idea of rigid predictions and focus instead on identifying key existing trends and drawing upon weak signals at the edges of current practice, it is possible to extrapolate to a wide range of possible futures. And it is vital that we do so, as 2022 sees philanthropy …

As we approach the end of 2021 and the two-year anniversary of the first Covid-19 lockdowns, it’s difficult not to recognize the dramatic changes the philanthropy community has undergone. In a short period, we have seen charities around the world meet the moment with determination and resilience. As a leader of an international philanthropic organization, one of the most optimistic changes I have personally witnessed is the increased collaboration and mobilization among what were once …

Philanthropic foundations are at a critical crossroads, facing greater scrutiny and questions in relation to how they are addressing racial injustice. But philanthropy does not function in isolation from historical, social or political influences. What has not been as evident is a reckoning with the philanthropic history of the formation and wealth of many foundations or a deeper conversation as to the source of the inequality of many communities within the UK.  Two key elements …

The Foundation Practice Rating has launched! Following the July 2021 article in Alliance, the initiative to research and rate UK grant-making foundations on their accountability, transparency and diversity is now in the field. The Foundation Practice Rating research is being undertaken by Giving Evidence who have reviewed about 100 UK trusts and foundations. Here are some of the themes that are emerging from the research so far: Diversity plans: the good and bad news The …