Tag: Alliance Magazine

Tribute to Sithie Tiruchelvam

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Sithie Subanhaniya Tiruchelvam, the founder of the Neelan Tiruchelvam Trust (NTT), an indigenous philanthropic organization based in Sri Lanka, passed away in Colombo on 22 March at the age of 69 following a brief illness. Writing a tribute to Sithie Tiruchelvam is not an easy task as Sithie was an intensely private person. Yet her public achievements,…

Special Issue of Alliance Magazine: Philanthropy and Power

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Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org The September 2013 issue of Alliance Magazine focuses on philanthropy and power. In his article, ‘The power of money’ guest editor Stephen Pittam explores how philanthropy can best use the power brought by increased resources, as it enters its “second golden age”, to increase its impact on social justice and promoting a…

The Power of Money

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By Stephen Pittam Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org Six months after I had started working for the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) a close friend said to me, ‘you have changed – you expect people to listen to you.’ It was a good reminder of the best piece of advice I received on getting the job. Eric…

Poverty and Wealth in New Orleans

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By Albert Ruesga Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org ‘Let not thy will roar, when thy power can but whisper.’ Dr Thomas Fuller Wealthy donors are typically the lifeblood of a community foundation. These individuals and families draw their power from many of the institutions that define contemporary life in a capitalist society – not only financial institutions,…

I Participate, You Participate, They Decide

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By Avila Kilmurray Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org ‘This is how the verb “to participate” is conjugated – I participate, you participate, they decide.’ This comment relates to international development aid but could be echoed by grant recipients of many philanthropic programmes. Who decides on the allocation of resources and how? Motivated by an acute sensitivity to…

Unleashing Foundations’ Special Powers

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By Suzanne Siskel and Anna-Nanine Pond Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org How powerful are foundations relative to other actors in society? With few exceptions, foundations and NGOs pale in size, programme scope and budgets beside governments, international development agencies and multinational corporations. Yet, too often, grantmakers act as if the limited transactional clout of giving away money…

From Grantee to Grantmaker

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By Ana Criquillion Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org When I started the Central American Women’s Fund (FCAM) in Nicaragua almost a decade ago, I wondered how I could involve Central American women’s movements in decision-making without creating a political mess. Decisions around money are always difficult, particularly where there are so few resources available and where organizations…

What’s Power Got to Do With It?

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By Linda Guinee and Barry Knight Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org The first question is: what is power? The simplest and one of the most effective formulations comes from feminist psychologist Jean Baker Miller, who defines power as ‘the capacity to produce a change’. Probing deeper, however, reveals a complexity that is hard to fathom. There are…

Whose Agenda? Power and Philanthropy in Africa?

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By Halima Mahomed and Bhekinkosi Moyo Courtesy of www.alliancemagazine.org ‘The dilemma of the poor is not about resources. It is about power. If the poor have power, they will leverage the resources needed.’ Adam Habib, Vice Chancellor, University of Witwatersrand Adam Habib’s remark, made at the 2012 African Grantmakers Network Assembly on The Role of…