Latest from Alliance
Passive ‘donor-pleaser’ or ‘resource activist’? The role that fundraisers can play in creating a fairer funding system
ADD International recently finalised its fourth strategic partnership; bringing the total amount of unrestricted funding for Mtiririko; our new strategy to channel power and resources to disability justice activists, to just under £4 million. When I first joined ADD two years ago, this seemed like an impossible feat. So how did we get here? With the odds against us, I believe the success is a result of an intentional shift away from traditional fundraising practices, …
Facing the inner crisis in philanthropy
Philanthropy has a blind spot. According to Otto Scharmer (Theory U), it concerns our ‘inner place – the source from which we operate when we act, communicate, perceive, or think.’ This blind spot drives a strong sense of inauthenticity that Barry Knight calls out in his blog post, ‘Let’s stop burying our heads in the sand – starting with Gaza’. We wax lyrical about decolonization, but we remain silent and paralyzed on issues like Gaza. …
As fascism spreads, philanthropy urgently needs to support digital justice
Anti-rights and fascist parties and politics continue to take hold across Europe, with a rise in violence against already marginalised communities. We see anti-rights movements creating an environment in which simply promoting human rights is perceived as polarising, extreme or criminalised. Key mechanisms of human rights protection are being discredited. Non-profits are under threat. Reports expose the institutional failings to slow this trend down with a rise all over Europe of racist, anti-queer and xenophobic …
Philanthropy is failing young people because it doesn’t get tech
Young people today are caught in the crossfire of powerful societal forces driven by technology. Infusing their daily lives, its impact is complex – internet access offers many benefits in terms of access to vital information, services and opportunities, but it also brings a dizzying array of risks and dangers. Young people spend hours each day online, and on smartphones. In the EU 97 percent of young people used the internet daily in 2023, compared …
How philanthropy is empowering women in the Global South to tackle climate and reproductive health challenges
In the face of a rapidly changing climate, the intersection between reproductive health and environmental sustainability has become increasingly apparent. …
Rhetoric vs. reality of progressive trends in global philanthropy
The trust-based philanthropy movement is becoming ever more prominent in the discourse about charitable sector funding practices. The Bridgespan Group …
How WINGS’ G20 advocacy speaks to governments
As the world continues to face the polycrisis – war, conflict, climate crisis, inequality, inequity and much more – all …
Funding democracy: By taxes or by philanthropy?
If my children inherit from me here in Switzerland it will be tax-free. If I buy myself an expensive SUV, …
‘Meu tempo é agora’: Funding trans rights in times of de-democratisation
At the Global Trans Conference in Munich in July, trans and gender-diverse movements addressed their essential roles in fighting democratic …
Why we leave outcome measurement in the hands of our grantee partners
Funders naturally want proof of outcome to mitigate the potential risk of ‘wasted’ funding. But how are results best defined …
From baby steps to bold strides: A journey to embracing climate change
Almost five years ago, a handful of UK funders, with the support of the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF), launched …
Lessons from IIED’s engagement with philanthropy at the G20
During Brazil’s G20 presidency, the tragic floods in Rio Grande do Sul have become a symbol of the bold action urgently needed …
On the journey to equitable philanthropy
In the 1960s, ‘the Negro Problem’ was a key agenda topic for a board meeting at the Ford Foundation. This …