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Stefanos Oikonomou
Head of Programmes – Peer-Exchanges
Opinions - 19 May 2023

Philanthropic focus on impact is undeniable, but are funding and measurement practices setting us up for success?

Most philanthropic organisations aim for North Stars (creating more just societies, and climate positive economies), yet continue funding and measuring progress in ways that are not commensurate with the ambitions of the work. Expanding the toolbox to encompass flexible funding, and plural learning practices, are urgently needed to turbocharge new social change strategies and ways of working.
Hilary Pearson
Founding President, Philanthropic Foundations Canada
Opinions - 8 May 2023

Be Philanthropy: A View from Canada

Pandemic, war, inflation and social unrest have darkened the mood in Europe. The climate crisis and global migration are putting great pressures on European societies. To be purposefully philanthropic, to be boldly engaged, as this conference reminded us, we need courage and an openness to listening and learning from each other.
Dea Vidović
Director, Kultura Nova Foundation
Opinions - 5 May 2023

Philanthropy investing in arts and culture for public good

In a rapidly changing world where arts and culture face unprecedented challenges, collaboration has become imperative for foundations seeking to create a meaningful and sustainable contribution to cultural development and society. By working collectively, foundations could leverage their unique strengths, share insights, and pool resources to tackle complex issues that no single philanthropic institution can address alone.
Geoff Mulgan
Professor of Collective Intelligence, Social Innovation and Public Policy, University College London
Opinions - 3 May 2023

Arts and culture at the core of philanthropy

Although the arts can’t fix high energy prices or missiles raining down on innocent civilians, they are very much part of these struggles and transitions – helping people to make sense, to respond and to campaign.
Zhang Yan
Head of the Beijing Office, Stiftung Mercator
Christian Straube
Project Manager, Stiftung Mercator
Opinions - 25 April 2023

Learning from and learning with: Why now is the ideal time for a new PLP China-Europe

Philanthropy rests at the intersection of civil society; economic and political structures; and the challenges of our time. The Philanthropic Leadership Platform: China-Europe has been bringing together practitioners from China and Europe since 2016. Why do we need this kind of exchange even more after the pandemic and considering the challenges in EU-China relations?
Tim Draimin
Senior Fellow, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC); Board member Trico Charitable Foundation, Social Innovation Canada and Green Economy Canada.
Opinions - 12 April 2023

Getting started on designing a philanthropy innovation ecosystem agenda

The philanthropic sector, supported by philanthropy support organisations, is poised to shift its role and actively enable a socially just, inclusive net-zero transition. The speed and scale of this transformational change depends in part on how PSOs deploy a broadly supported Philanthropy Innovation Ecosystem (PIE) strategy.
Jim Cooke
Head of the Funders Collaborative Hub, Association of Charitable Foundations
Opinions - 12 April 2023

Catalysing collaborations: learning from the Funders Collaborative Hub

The Funders Collaborative Hub, hosted by ACF, launched in its current form in 2021. Jim Cooke considers how the Hub is playing a catalytic infrastructure role for UK funders, by making the ecosystem more visible, multiplying the possibilities for connection and identifying and championing excellent practice.
Liubov Rainchuk
Deputy Director, Zagoriy Foundation
Opinions - 11 April 2023

Healthy atmosphere: how to maintain the morale of non-profit sector employees

Only 29% of non-profit employees in Ukraine show no signs of burnout. Exhaustion is driven by a number of factors including external pressure, expectations, personal beliefs and the desire to help colleagues and non-profit organisations need to provide tools, support and leadership to prevent and combat exhaustion.
Klaus Fruchtnis Durán
Country Manager « Art in the community » Programme, Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso
Opinions - 11 April 2023

The Power of Participation and Collaboration in Arts and Culture

Participation and collaboration have long been critical components of art and culture, but their significance is more evident now than ever before. In light of the unprecedented challenges that the world is currently facing, the arts hold the potential to inspire and instigate positive change.
Nevgül Bilsel Safkan
General Manager, Sabancı Foundation
Opinions - 27 March 2023

There is no small step for the climate emergency: Every effort is important

The Sabancı Foundation embarked on its climate journey a few years ago, especially motivated by several devastating disasters triggered by climate change. Taking small but concrete steps, the foundation has designed a road map and is now trying to integrate a climate lens into each of its programmes as well as being a model to other foundations in Turkey.
Josiane Smith
Key Programmes Lead - Philanthropy, Social Innovation Exchange
Kurt Peleman
Director of Special Projects, AVPN
Opinions - 14 March 2023

Philanthropy from the heart: Exploring collaborative DNA as PEX’s “X-factor”

Ultimately, collaboration is a heart over head thing. That’s precisely why it’s hard work, and also why it’s necessary.
Pavithra Ramesh
Impact Research Lead, Philanthropy Ireland
Opinions - 9 March 2023

The importance of collecting and visualising data in the philanthropy sector

Visual mapping can be a powerful tool to communicate the impact of interventions, demonstrate the distribution of resources, and highlight areas of need. By presenting data around philanthropic efforts in a comprehensive and accessible way, visual mapping can help to engage stakeholders, build support for interventions, improve transparency, promote accountability, and drive advocacy in the sector.
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