Preparing for the launch of the latest edition of our Environmental Funding by European Foundations publication, I mentioned the topic to my eldest son who said that this was the most important thing he had heard me work on since I started my new job at the EFC. For many reasons, he may very well be right. After all, he will be 20 when we reach the deadline of the SDGs and of the 2030 …

When pursuing deep social impact, an important part of the journey is creating space to reflect on what you have done, where you are currently, and where you would like to go. The reflection process doesn’t always come with a roadmap, which means it can be challenging yet rewarding. Through our evaluation work with donors, we know measuring the results of philanthropic efforts can be difficult. We often say one of the most important goals is to …

Donations are widely regarded as the core product of charitable foundations. This is how they see themselves, and how the outside world sees them. Most laws and regulations about philanthropy relate to donations, and media coverage of institutional philanthropy almost invariably assumes that they are the norm. Even highly progressive foundations that regard cheque writing not as an end in itself, but as a means to achieve a strategy, often have financial donations as the …

The sole constant of the past year has been uncertainty, impacting the plans and priorities of people, businesses, and charities worldwide. For those of us in philanthropy, it has been a time not just to take action, but also to reflect on our purpose, goals and impact in a new world. As Chief Executive of a family foundation, I’ve found that amid the instability, it has been crucial to consider the unique role that we …