Multiple means to reach a single goal – new paper explores systems to #ShiftThePower

In the 19th century, Victor LeGrand created an orderly, geometric railway system for France which was designed to bring about the full integration of the country. This was reckoned to be far superior to the Prussian rail system, which was a hodgepodge of lines run by 50 different companies. The French system, known as the…

Community philanthropy – the best hope for women’s rights in Nepal…and for all of us

PSJP’s recently published paper on Individual giving in India, Russia, the Arab region and Brazil is a timely reflection for us in Nepal. Individual giving has always been a part of Nepali communities mainly through our religious and cultural traditions. In the absence of a strong state presence particularly historically because of geographic isolation and…

Dignity reassessed: From old-school grantmaker to local philanthropy enthusiast

PSJP’s recently published paper on ‘Dignity and Development’ looks at the concept of dignity in development and philanthropy. At the Zambian Governance Foundation for Civil Society (ZGF) this paper provided us with an opportunity to revisit our own journey from a dignity lens. In this blog post we would like to share the practices at…

“If Dalits can establish a community foundation then any community – no matter how marginalized – can do it too”

By Jenny Hodgson (The title of this blog was inspired by a conversation with a colleague at the Africa Philanthropy Network conference in November 2018.) On 28 November 2018, together with GFCF board chair, Rita Thapa, and several community philanthropy partners from across India, I attended the launch of the Dalit Community Foundation in Patna, the capital of India’s…

How community philanthropy shifts power

While slogans like “think globally, act locally” have been around for decades, so much decision making about philanthropy and development aid still happens by stakeholders outside of communities. GrantCraft, a service of Foundation Center, released a new Leadership Series paper on how funders around the globe are challenging this norm by sharing and shifting power into the hands of local leadership. How Community Philanthropy Shifts Power: What Donors Can Do to Help Make That Happen by Jenny Hodgson and Anna Pond explores examples, advice, and the driving questions for donors interested in producing people-owned changes, without losing sight of their institutional interests.

Youth Revitalize Forgotten Philanthropic Practice in Palestine

By Sarah Bahn and Hania Aswad     ‘Al Ouneh’ is a type of informal, collective philanthropy led by community members to help individuals or the well-being of the entire community. The concept has been practiced in the Middle East and North Africa for generations. Al Ouneh can be used in a number of ways,…

News of the Global Summit on Community Philanthropy

From grassroots to global movement!  All over the world – from Brazil to Russia, from China to the Congo and from Palestine to South Africa – community philanthropy has emerged as an essential tool for strengthening communities’ voice and power. Join us in Johannesburg to celebrate the dynamism and potential of this flourishing movement at the Global Summit on Community Philanthropy, 1st…

The Global Summit on Community Philanthropy- Why you should be excited

Earlier this year the Global Fund for Community Foundations and the Global Alliance for Community Philanthropy announced a landmark event in the field of Philanthropy – the Global Summit on Community Philanthropy, to be held on 1 – 2 December 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Summit marks an important moment in the field of philanthropy – a…