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Foundations
Climate of change for leading foundations
In June, at a gathering of the Woburn Place group of foundation leaders, we heard very persuasive evidence from Stephanie Pfiel of Client Earth and Kené Umeasiegbu, Head of Environment at Tesco, about the urgency …
Three reflections after a year spent with funders
I’ve spent a lot of time this year listening to funders; on the phone; at roundtables and during the three retreats we’ve held this year on Wasan Island as part of the SIX Funders Node. …
Foundations can, and must, do more to tackle climate change
Last October, the world’s leading climate scientists issued a final warning: we are running out of time to prevent disastrous global warming. A year on, their message has made its mark in the UK and …
Communication is the strategy
Communications strategy: what is it exactly in the context of a grant-making foundation? How can we use communications to achieve our goals? And, why is communication important anyway? As the Head of Communications for Oak …
Private philanthropy and public legitimacy
What makes a private foundation ‘legitimate’? And what role does public scrutiny play in answering this question? My reflection was piqued by two recent thought pieces on private philanthropy and public legitimacy. The first, from …
Ian Potter Foundation and Myer Foundation partner to conserve freshwater in Australia
Joint funding, of The Ian Potter Foundation (IPF) and The Myer Foundation (TMF), is in the works to improve Australia’s land and water management through an independent source of water and catchment policy advice. The …
European foundations commit $13 million to tackle planet and climate crisis
Four of Europe’s leading foundations tackling climate change have committed $13 million (€11.6 million) of funding to advance work to protect the ‘global commons’ – the areas and ecosystems of our planet on which we …
Six business principles applicable to philanthropy
For most new philanthropists, making the transition from the corporate world to philanthropy can be intimidating. At first, it seems like they are opposing worlds with starkly contrasting objectives: one is motivated by profits while …
Assessing your grantee’s financial sustainability? Then please read this.
Recently several small organisations I’m involved in have been quizzed about their ‘financial sustainability’ by foundation donors. This term has always made me bristle, as it’s often used as a cudgel to beat small organisations, …
Grantmakers need to be flexible to better support small and local charities
Running a small charity can feel like a constant balancing act of competing demands and spinning plates. The investment and support of a funder can help, but we can also hinder. Too often our approach …
