An earlier version of this article was first shared on September 15, 2015. It has since then been updated to include the latest information and we will attempt to continue to update the information as work progresses. Do keep checking in.

Recent pictures have brought to light the seriousness of the refugee crisis in Europe. Many actors in the philanthropy sector are quickly mobilising to gather and share information, make sense of whats going on, identify work on the ground that foundations can support and think about the best role (both immidiately and in the long run) that the philanthropic community can play.

There are atleast three initiatives currently where foundations can participate, contribute and benefit:

In recent years, dozens of countries that previously permitted foreign funding have adopted new laws  in order to block cross-border funds, often with the excuse of protecting security, economic interests or public morality, or preserving sovereignty.

Funders are invited to take part in a one-and-a-half day Workshop on Shrinking Space for Civil Society on 11-12th June in Berlin. The event is organized by the International Human Rights Funders Group and co-sponsored by Ariadne and the European Foundation Centre. It include a Networking Dinner on the evening of Thursday the 11th of June, after the first half-day. 

The workshop will bring together views from Civil Society (with voices from the countries where restrictions are in place and where civil society has successfully contested restrictions), Expert Advisers to support funders, and, for part of the meeting, Government Representatives.   

Please contact Sarah Tansey at [email protected] for more information.

This workshop is open only to grantmakers.

The Working Group on Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace came together in 2007. It has since been committed to improving and growing the impact of philanthropy on social justice and peace building work. It has done so through dialogue amongst the members; through meetings and even entire conferences devoted to peace and social justice philanthropy;  through surveys and mapping of relevant fields; through comedy and drama at conference workshops; by developing tools to help practitioners; through articles in philanthropy journals and magazines; through blog posts and reports...through an endless array of platforms available to philanthropy. Therefore it came as no surprise when recently a member of the group said to us that she needed help to unpack the question “What could social justice funding in education look like?”

A summary report based on discussions at a convening in Brussels, Belgium, October 7-8, 2014

This report presents a summary of the discussions that took place at a convening organized in Brussels on Oct 7-8, 2014 by the Working Group on Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace (PSJP).  The event was arranged in collaboration with the Network of European Foundations and the Even’s Foundation (Antwerp) and was  entitled “European Values - Promoting Solidarity at a Time of Austerity. What Role can Philanthropy Play?” The convening brought together a small group of individuals, from foundations and networks of foundations in Europe, interested in looking analytically at the underlying problems, reflecting on different approaches to tackling the problems and seeking to make a greater impact on the current difficult environment.

On Oct 7-8, 2014 the Working Group on Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace (PSJP) in collaboration with the Network of European Foundations and the Even’s Foundation (Antwerp) organised a convening entitled “European Values - Promoting Solidarity at a Time of Austerity. What Role can Philanthropy Play?” The convening brought together a small group of individuals, from foundations and networks of foundations in Europe, interested in looking analytically at the underlying problems, reflecting on different approaches to tackling the problems and seeking to make a greater impact on the current difficult environment.

On May 15, 2014, a session entitled “Sea Change or Hard to See Change – Are Foundations Making Enough of a Difference?” was presented in Sarajevo, organized as part of the EFC Annual General Assembly and Conference. Foundations in Europe seem to vary greatly on the charity to social change spectrum. But, in one way or another, do all foundations aspire to create sustainable change? Should they? This highly interactive session examined how foundations look at themselves and will consider the question: ‘Do we understand ourselves to be change makers?’ This is not evident and is often the subject of heated debate. Even those who do see themselves as change makers seem challenged by foundations’ relatively insignificant position vis-à-vis markets and governments.

This article first appeared on May 17, 2014, in Latest from Alliance - the blog of the Allaince Magazine

A large part of the conversations at the 25th EFC Annual General Assembly and Conference in Sarajevo have drawn focus to the uneasy realities of the ‘European project’.  Framed by the backdrop of Sarajevo – a city that knows much about conflict and peacebuilding, continuous rains and news of the worst floods in the Bosnia in 120 years, discussions at the conference have been hard-hitting, forcing a critical questioning of the role of philanthropy in Europe today.

Foundations in Europe seem to vary greatly on the charity to social change spectrum. But, in one way or another, do all foundations aspire to create sustainable change? Should they? This highly interactive session will examine how foundations look at themselves and will consider the question: ‘Do we understand ourselves to be change makers?’ This is not evident and is often the subject of heated debate. Even those who do see themselves as change makers seem challenged by foundations’ relatively insignificant position vis-à-vis markets and governments.

Based upon a survey of EFC members, this session will examine attitudes and practices surrounding the willingness and ability of foundations to create change in society. This session is brought to you by an enhanced team that in former AGA and Conferences has examined attitudes and practice around impact (Impact Island, 2011), risk (Risky Business, 2012) and good practice (From Good to Great, 2013). Come prepared to participate in the discussion!

Neither had we. For these things are great! Which got a small group of us thinking: what makes something great, rather than good, and how is it possible to make that leap? More relevantly, we wanted to explore how European foundations can position themselves in ways that make greatness possible.

Read more here. here.

We often talk about the roles of foundations: what we can and cannot do, what our boards and donors and other constituencies will react to us doing; what our internal systems and structures and budgets allow us to do… all very real parameters within which we work. We also often talk about the added advantage of foundations and how flexible and agile and innovative we are – in some cases much more so than we think; in others, much less than we would like to believe. But, do we talk enough about what those advantages (relative as they are) translate into in practical terms or, even more so, hold ourselves to account on whether we optimize the roles that these advantages allow us to play in society?