http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com The World Affairs Blog Network Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:24:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en As a side project to my day job, I've been exploring the world of Canadian public policy.  Given the opportunity to participate in a very smart program for non-profits called the Max Bell Public Policy Institute - I've been opening my eyes ( & brain) to the world of social ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/11/06/giving-social-enterprise-a-chance/ The increasing professionalization of (Western) Philanthropy has left most of us, the average check writer, in the dust.  Professionalization is not necessarily a bad thing, but it elicits a similar answer to questions of "why I am unable to do my husband's treasury job" and "why I need a lawyer ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/09/01/why-you-need-a-lawyer-a-cpa-and-a-philanthropic-advisor/ When the FP Article,  A $9 Trillion Question: Did the World Get Muhammad Yunus Wrong?, came across my Twitter feed this morning my first thought was, blasphemy!  The praise and attention that Yunus and Soto have received over the past few years - collecting fans and converts of their teachings - ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/08/19/the-chicken-egg-debate-high-performance-vs-high-impact/ Much of what I'm reading these days - in blogs, in articles - seems to swirl around the idea of efficiency: measuring efficiency, metrics for efficiency, foundations granting to efficient non-profits...and on and on.  I don't actually set out to look for these articles, they are just there - alongside ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/07/14/efficiency-meltdown/ Watching NBC's premiere of The Philanthropist left me with more questions than answers.  Luckily, I'm not the only one with conflicted views on the effect the show will have on philanthropy.  Last night, we were saturated with quite a portrayal of white man's guilt - where the most honest moment comes ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/06/25/the-philanthropist/ Hudson Institute released the Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances for 2009.   The full report and executive summary are available.  Once again, the Index shows that Remittances are a larger percentage of U.S. Economic Engagement in Developing Countries than Official Development Assistance and Private Philanthropy.  Private capital flows are slightly ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/05/01/global-philanthropy-round-up/ For as much as I want help philanthropy become an accessible, mainstream norm and value  - I'm still wrestling with the idea of a billionaire playboy turned vigilante philanthropist as our superhero for doing so.  NBC's June premiere of The Philanthropist is making my head spin. From a foreign policy point ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/04/13/vigilante-philanthropist/ Social Return on Investment (SROI) is a big deal for non-profit funders and organizations.  How do you determine the most effective approach to solving homelessness, bettering education, or curbing poverty?  Is it possible to weave a standard method of evaluation through a variety of themes, lens, and perspectives?  Should we ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/04/06/evaluation-dont-let-perfect-be-an-enemy-of-good/ If you missed Obama's comments last night regarding charitable deductions, I've included them here.  For the past few weeks, the non-profit sector has been a flutter with commentary on the lowering of charitable deductions for wealthy donors.  In summary, instead of deducting 39%, wealthy American will be able to deduct ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/03/25/its-about-the-mission-not-the-tax-deduction/ Whether you eat, sleep, and breathe philanthropy or whether you can barely pronounce the word, the entire sector revolves around personal choice.  No matter how fancy or interactive our industry is able to make the word, the feeling, the community - the decision on when, where, or whether to participate ... http://philanthropy.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2009/03/19/its-a-lifestyle/