Between the 11th and 13th of September, over 140 people from 12 countries gathered together to discuss recent trends in philanthropy, the obstacles and challenges, and the future of the sector in the Arab world.

The rooms were full of philanthropic foundations, non-profit leaders, advisors and others who are shaping philanthropy in the Arab region and are willing to collaborate, share insights, connect and learn from one another. This engagement shows the need for such events.

I was lucky enough to attend all three days, as well as speak on what matters most to me and my company Auura. This included topics of transparency and how to leverage data to increase the impact per dollar.

Over the three days, I learned a lot from hearing brilliant minds share their thoughts. I’d love to share my insights and conclusions:

• “Not enough donations” is not a problem in Arab philanthropy. $200 Billion – $1 Trillion USD is being donated each year. Despite this, we don’t know where a large percentage of this money goes or what the results or impact are of this spending. Building the right infrastructure to understand the outcome of donations is a must to ensure our philanthropy is effective and efficient, and to act upon it appropriately. Transparency plays a crucial role here in understanding the dynamics, knowing what is being funded, and if we are heading in the right direction.

• Trust-based philanthropy, unrestricted funding, general funding… you name it, is crucial for non-profits, especially small/mid organisations that cannot sustain themselves and do not have other sources of income. You may ask why? We sometimes forget how important it is for non-profits to invest in their operations, strategy, and capacity. This allows them to be innovative and navigate any challenges they face, whilst still focussing on what matters most. You can learn more about it in this TED talk.

• A lack of data is still an issue for many funders, despite being in the “Big data” era. Until today, there has been no space or platform for funders and non-profits to gain knowledge of the most relevant organizations in the sector, and what the impact of their contributions may be. A lot of other organizations and companies, like Auura, are trying to make data accessible for everyone to maximize the impact of donations.

• Non-profits should be rewarded for creating the greatest impact. They should not have to be compliant with minor, non-impact focussed requirements from funders, which can be time-consuming, resource-expensive, and require the organisation to shift its focus away from creating a bigger impact.

• Smaller non-profits, especially those without a history of accomplishments, often have a harder time raising funds. These non-profits are usually local, grassroots, and part of the served community that understands their beneficiaries the best. They should be given more attention, and be evaluated in a different way.

There were many more topics discussed over the three days, but I believe these bullet points are the fundamentals that must be tackled and solved today.

Rani Halloun is the CEO and co-founder at Auura. Auura’s mission is to assist grantmakers and funders in discovering the most relevant non-profits that align seamlessly with their goals and mission.

To learn more about Auura or explore collaboration opportunities, feel free to connect with Rani directly at:

Email:  rani@myauura.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranihalloun/

Website: https://myauura.com