Philanthropisms

Reporter Teddy Schleifer discusses the challenges of reporting on big money philanthropy. Topics include the importance of independent media outlets, balancing individual stories vs systemic issues, Mackenzie Scott's emergence as a major philanthropist, Melinda Gates' distancing from Bill Gates' philanthropy, Elon Musk's potential philanthropy, Zuckerberg's philanthropy in light of Facebook's evolution, and lesser-known Silicon Valley donors. The impact of crypto wealth and the differences between cryptophilanthropy and traditional philanthropy are also explored

Send us a textIn this episode we talk to Cassie Robinson, a leading philanthropy thinker, connector and innovator, and formerly Deputy Director of Funding Strategy at the National Lottery Community Fund. We discuss the current state of philanthropy, how it needs to change, and what those working in the field can do to transform it. Including:-What are the best and worst things about working in institutional philanthropy and being a "philanthropoid"?-How much power do philanthropoids have to shape the institutions they work in?- If you were going to design a foundation from scratch, what would it look like?-For those looking to make an impact on the big challenges facing us today, is philanthropy the best option or are there more effective alternative routes?-Are the dividing lines between "nonprofit" and other approaches increasingly artificial?-Should we be thinking less about institutions and more about networks when it comes to the future for philanthropy?-What can philanthropy learn from fungi...?-Is there sometimes a risk that in giving away power, it gets lost rather than transferred? Do we therefore also need to think about how funders use their power more effectively?-What role can art and fiction play in helping to develop "social imagination"? What can philanthropy do to harness this and encourage better foresight and thinking about the future?-Does institutional philanthropy take enough risks?Related Links:Cassie's personal websiteCassie on MediumMore on Joseph Rowntree Foundation's work on social imaginationRhod's Medium blog "Language Barriers: why the ways in which we talk about philanthropy & civil society are holding us back"Rhod's previous conversation with Cassie for the CAF Giving Thought podcast

Send us a textIn this episode we talk to Mihaela Giurgiu, a philanthropy expert from Romania who works as a mapping, research and peer-learning expert for the European Community Foundation Initiative and as an international network consultant for The Funding Initiative. Including:What is the history and current context for civil society in Romania and across Central and Eastern Europe more broadly?What is the general attitude of governments in CE Europe towards civil society and philanthropy?What is the balance between local, regional, national and international approaches in philanthropic funding across CE Europe?What kind of domestic causes receive philanthropic funding in Romania and other CE European countries?What is the attitude of the public towards philanthropy in CE European countries? Do recent critiques of philanthropy in the US and UK resonate in the CE European context? Or do they feel less relevant?Why have community foundations played such an important role in developing civil society and philanthropy in countries where the State previously crowded them out?Does the diversity of forms and approaches shown by community foundations sometimes make it difficult to position them as part of a coherent movement?Do community foundations tend to get forgotten in wider discussions about foundation philanthropy? If so, why?What is the role of infrastructure bodies in helping civil society organisations and funders navigate and adapt to a rapidly-changing environment?Has the Covid-19 pandemic increased awareness of the value of infrastructure? Will this result in more sustainable long-term funding?What role can giving circles play in developing a culture of philanthropy?Related Links:The European Community Foundation Initiative (ECFI)The Funding NetworkPhilanthropy Europe Association (Philea)CAF Giving Thought podcast with James Magowan from ECFIRhod's recent Alliance Magazine piece "What's Ahead? Predictions for philanthropy in 2022 and beyond"

Send us a textIn this episode we take a look at the growing prevalence of "platform philanthropy" (i.e. giving and organising via online platforms) and the opportunities and challenges this presents. Including:The rise of the platform economy & the current state of platform philanthropyAre we seeing a shift from dedicated platforms for giving, towards commercial organisations adding giving functionality to their existing platforms?How is the growing use of direct payment platforms like CashApp and Venmo affecting philanthropy?Who owns the the platforms we use for giving and what drives them?Are there risks to our growing dependence on platforms?How do platforms shape our choices when it comes to giving?What can the recent controversies over Spotify and the Joe Rogan podcast, and GoFundMe withholding donations to the Freedom Convoy, tell us about the responsibilities that platforms bear regarding the organisations they enable people to give to?Is platform technology bringing us full-circle back to the traditional model of person-to-person giving? What opportunities and what risks does this present?Why does the history of Victorian voting charities have to tell us about the potential risks of bias in crowdfunding and P2P giving?Will perverse incentives within the "attention economy" lead to new challenges for CSOs?Will platforms and the rise of Web3 lead to more emphasis on decentralised forms of organising in civil society?Can technology overcome the known weaknesses of decentralised models, or do we risking discovering old problems in new forms?Related Links:Philanthropisms podcast conversation with Lucy BernholzRhod's 2020 piece for Alliance, "The Ethics of Platform Philanthropy"Rhod's paper presented at the 2019 ARNOVA conference, "Networking Opportunities: Rediscovering decentralisation in philanthropy & civil society?""The Giving Apps: How Venmo and Cash App Upended a Century-Old Charity Model"Rhod's HistPhil article, "Networked Social Movements and the 'Tyranny of Structurelessness'"Rhod's 2019 Charity Digital News article "Before Diving Into 'Platform Philanthropy', Charities Need to Ask Some Big Ethical Questions"

Send us a textIn this episode, Rhod talks to author and historian Maribel Morey about her new book White Philanthropy: Carnegie Corporation's 'An American Dilemma' and the Making of a White World Order. Including:What is "An American Dilemma" and what role has it played in the history of thinking about race in the US?What are some of the contemporary and subsequent critiques of the report?Why do we need to re-evaluate the role of the Carnegie Corporation in shaping the development and eventual narrative of "An American Dilemma"?How does the origin of "An American Dilemma" fit into the wider global context of imperialism at the time?Is the role of the people who administer philanthropic wealth (the “philanthropoids”) too often underappreciated in historical study?Were Carnegie Corporation figures like Frederick Keppel and James Betram genuinely trying to interpret Andrew Carnegie’s wishes as they understood them, or were they using their roles as amanuenses to impose their own views?Can the Carnegie Corporation’s support for “An American Dilemma” be interpreted as a highly successful example of “upstream philanthropy” i.e. funding research or analysis that sets the parameters for public debate and policy formation?Can we learn lessons today about how philanthropy can influence long-term change?What can the example of Carnegie Corporation and "An American Dilemma" tell us about current debates over the tension between incrementalism and radicalism in philanthropy? Would it have been better in the long run if progressive foundations that pursued assimilationist approaches or which viewed racial equality as a process that involved Black Americans increasingly conforming to White norms had simply stayed away from race as an issue altogether?How widespread and acceptable among philanthropists and foundations of the first half of the C20th was the view that eugenics and forced population control were part of the solution to the “race problem”?Does there need to be more of a reckoning with this history?What value can a historical perspective can bring to philanthropists, funders and non-profit professionals?Are there limits to the utility of historical comparison in understanding the present? Related Links:Maribel's book White PhilanthropyMaribel's personal websiteThe Miami Institute for the Social Sciences, where Maribel is Founding Executive DirectorHistPhil (where Maribel is co-Editor)"Behind the Scenes of White Philanthropy", Maribel's article for HistPhil"Julius Rosenwald Was Not a Hero", Maribel's 2017 HistPhil articlePhilanthropisms podcast with Ben Soskis"Why Study the History of Philanthropy?", Rhod's 2020 CAF blog

Send us a textIn this episode Rhod talks to Edgar Villanueva, author of "Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance" about why many of our current models of philanthropy reflect structures and approaches that disempower and disadvantage minoritised communities and how things need to change to address this problematic legacy. Including:Why is it important that philanthropy acknowledges and addresses the fact that it almost always reflects structures and systems that contain racial bias and that have historically disadvantaged marginalised communities? What do those working in philanthropy need to do in practice? And are there signs of the kinds of change that is needed taking place?Is racial injustice such a big/cross-cutting issue that it should not be seen as a cause area, but rather as something that is the responsibility of ALL philanthropic funders and nonprofits?In trying to convince philanthropic funders of the need to acknowledge issues of racial justice, is it better to make a moral case (i.e. that they should do it because it is “the right thing to do”) or a practical one (i.e. that it will make them more effective as grantmakers to reflect and share power with the people and communities they are trying to support)?Should we be optimistic that the current recognition of the need to apply a racial justice lens across philanthropy will be maintained?What does it mean to say that “money can be medicine”? What do philanthropists and funders need to do to ensure their money heals rather than harms?How can foundations use all of their assets (including investments, property etc) to work towards decolonization?What is the importance of story as medicine? How can we ensure that decision making within traditional forms of philanthropy is shifted towards the people and communities who would have been seen as the traditional ‘beneficiaries’? (E.g. through participatory means?)Does it present a challenge to decolonizing philanthropy if  those who agree with your arguments feel defensive about their implications? How do we overcome this challenge?A lot of the recent focus when it comes to addressing racial justice issues has been less on traditional nonprofits, and more on things like mutual aid networks and networked social movements. Is part of the enthusiasm for these new forms of giving down to frustration with traditional nonprofit approaches, which are often perceived not to have changed quickly enough? Why is the mainstream nonprofit world not good at learning from other giving cultures (does it reflect an exceptionalist mindset)? And how can we get better?The book argues for a pragmatic approach to improving philanthropy (i.e. working with existing structures to improve them),rather than “burning everything to the ground” as some more radical voices argue we should. Why is that the case? Is it sometimes difficult to maintain pragmatism?Related links:The Decolonizing Wealth Project website (including links to Decolonizing Wealth, 2nd Edition)The "Rewriting the Rules of Philanthropy" event, hosted by Giving Tuesday, which Edgar and Rhod both took part in.Abigail Echo-Hawk,  chief research officer of the Seattle Indian Health Board, on "decolonizing data"Rhod's blog "Language Barriers: why the ways in which we talk about philanthropy

Send us a textIn this episode we take a look at some of the key issues and trends affecting philanthropy and civil society right now and offer some thoughts on what to watch out for over the coming year. Including:Ongoing pandemic uncertainty/"normalisation" rather than an endingWill changes in norms re remote/flexible working become established? What will this mean for civil society in terms of both opportunities and challenges?Individual burnout and organisational closureThe climate crisis: do all CSOs/funders need to be doing more?Racial justice: will the focus continue, or is there a danger of it being seen as a "moment" that has passed?Political hostility towards civil society around the globe- further closing of civil society space, new restrictions on foreign funding etc?Is there a decline in giving? Are we increasingly reliant on a smaller pool of donors?Are people giving in new ways that we are failing to count? Does this matter?Will we see more elite philanthropy supporting efforts to develop everyday giving?Impact measurement scepticismCore cost funding, trust-based philanthropyDebate over timeframes (immediacy vs long-term view) Scrutiny of sources of wealth.Continuing criticism of philanthropy, pushback on criticism; more division within philanthropyThe "platformisation" of giving?New cybersecurity threatsAI implications: productivity tools, new ways of giving, new challeges to address, need for civil society to have a voice in debate over AI development.Cryptocurrency & blockchain: Rise of cryptophilanthropy (who are crypto-donors, what makes them tick?), can CSOs harness the NFT market (or is it a dangerous bubble?)The Metaverse: what opportunities & challenges might it bring for CSOs?Related Links:Rhod's essay for the Law Family Commission on Civil SocietyRhod's blog about Elon Musk's philanthropyRhod in the New York Times talking about Elon MuskRhod's blog on philanthropy, civil society & the MetaverseRhod's blog on Mackenzie ScottRhod's article for Catalyst on how AI will affect  charitiesRhod's article for the World Economic Forum "Where Are Charities in the Great AI Debate?"

Send us a textIn this episode Rhod talks to Ben Soskis, a Senior Research Associate at the Urban Institute's Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy and co-Editor of the website HistPhil.org, about the big issues and themes in US philanthropy over the last few years and where things might go in the future. Including:How has the pandemic shifted perceptions of philanthropy in the US over the short term? Are those perceptions likely to get better or worse over the longer-term, post pandemic?Mackenzie Scott: What are the most interesting/encouraging things about her emergence as a major philanthropist? What are the main questions that still need answering? Has she had an impact on the general public perception of philanthropy?Elon Musk: Is he the world's first "Troll Philanthropist"? What does his emergence as a major giver mean for the norms of philanthropic discourse? Bill Gates: Has any of the controversy over the Gates Foundation’s involvement in vaccine development had an effect on the overall narrative about philanthropy in the US?Have the norms around time horizons in philanthropy shifted as a result of the pandemic? i.e. will we see more calls for foundations to spend down their endowments?Why are a growing number of elite donors/institutional funders interested in supporting the growth of everyday giving? What opportunities (and potential challenges) does the involvement of big money philanthropy in developing cultures of mass giving present?Why are we seeing more emphasis on direct cash giving in recent years? Is the growth primarily driven by individual P2P giving, or by organisations employing direct giving models? If the latter, is this primarily driven by a desire to democratise/shift power or by a belief that it delivers better results in terms of outcomes?Related Links:The HistPhil websiteBen's Urban Institute paper on "Norms and Narratives That Shape US Charitable and Philanthropic Giving"The recent New York Times article "Elon Musk’s Latest Innovation: Troll Philanthropy" (which Ben and Rhod were both quoted in).Rhod's blog on "MacKenzie Scott & the History of Challenging Philanthropy’s Status Quo" Rhod's blog "The Edgelord Giveth: Elon Musk & a new era of discourse about philanthropy?"Rhod's previous conversation with Ben on the CAF Giving Thought podcast 

Send us a textIn this episode I talk to Dan Corry, Chief Executive of NPC - a UK think tank and consultancy for the social sector. We discuss NPC's "Rethink, Rebuild" project, and how the pandemic might reshape philanthropy and civil society. Including:What does it mean to take a systems approach whens setting strategy, and why is it important?To what extent might erode individual organisational identity over time? Is that a problem, or a good thing?Is there too much competition and not enough collaboration in the charity sector? Why is this?Why are existing approaches to collaboration not always good at ensuring equity and fairness?What kind of challenges are there for traditional grantmakers when it comes to bringing communities and people with lived experience into decision making processes?Are there signs that funders are changing their behaviour during the current crisis? (Moving to unrestricted funding, trust-based grantmaking etc.) Is this likely to lead to longer-term changes?How can funders strike the right balance between taking a trust-based approach and not placing unnecessary reporting burdens on grantees, and having sufficient measurement to ensure they still know their funding is working?What role can data play in making philanthropy and grantmaking more effective and equitable?How do we enable and incentivise data sharing approaches?What will be required to convince local and central govt, and public sector bodies, of the merits of sharing their data with charities?Is too much of the emphasis in the current UK government “Levelling Up” agenda on physical infrastructure?How do we get government to think of social infrastructure alongside physical infrastructure?Do we need to “level up” the charity sector itself, in order to overcome geographic imbalances in where there is provision and resources?What is the role of government when it comes to philanthropy & civil society? E.g. To acknowledge it, to craft a narrative about the role it plays, to support it actively, to hold it to account etc?How can we get better understanding and clearer narratives about philanthropy/civil society in the minds of policymakers?Are there any practical barriers that are currently limiting the ability of civil society to “have a seat at the table” when it comes to policy discussions? What could we do to overcome these?Related Links:NPC's websiteNPC's Rethink, Rebuild resource hubDan's speech at the recent NPC Ignites conferenceThe piece I wrote for 360 Giving on why open data could help drive a better culture of philanthropyMy comment piece with Dan Fluskey of CIOF for Civil Society on "How Fundraising and Philanthropy Can Help 'Level Up'"-

Send us a textIn this very much feature length (!) episode we explore the philosophy of philanthropy. We take a look at some of the key philosophical questions about giving that have been tackled by great thinkers through the ages,  and ask how they can inform our thinking about philanthropy today. Including:-Is altruism or egoism the basis of human nature? -What is the nature of property? -Why should we give? -Is giving a choice or a duty? -How does charity relate to justice? -What should we give to? -How should we give? -Are perpetual endowments justifiable? -What is the role of philanthropy in a democracy? -Why has Effective Altruism become so influential, and should we be concerned? -Do we need to wider philosophical perspectives on philanthropy? Related LinksMy Suggested Reading list on the philosophy of philanthropyCAF Giving Thought podcast on Effective AltruismCAF Giving Thought podcast interview with Rob ReichRecent Aeon article “Why Longtermism is the World’s Most Dangerous Secular Credo”Amia Srinivasan’s 2015 London Review of Books article “Stop the Robot Apocalypse”