"Reflections of an Alliance Intern: Data Philanthropy in the Digital Age"
How do you handle and secure data without ‘making vulnerable populations more vulnerable?’ How can digital technologies be used responsibly and adhere to moral and ethical guidelines?
And, perhaps most importantly at a time when data is collected in some form by individuals across the spectrum, how can we realistically begin to rely on citizen-generated data?
These questions relate to foundations and philanthropic organizations on all scales, and are more thoroughly discussed in the realm of data philanthropy.
Alliance editor Charles Keidan was joined by panelists Iona Lawrence, Director of the Jo Cox Foundation; Cathy Stancer, Director of Equalities and Rights at Lankelly Chase Foundation; Keiran Goddard, Head of External Affairs at the UK Association of Charitable Foundations; and Sara Khan, CEO of Inspire, a counter-extremism and human rights organization.(L-R) Iona Lawrence, Cathy Stancer, Charles Keidan, Keiran Goddard, Sara Khan.
Keiran Goddard began the discussion by noting that concerns about populism have been widely felt by funders in the UK. He acknowledged that populism is more of a political tool and that it has no fixed constituency, drawing support from different parts of the political spectrum.
"New Report from CASS Business School Highlights Shift Towards Social Investment"
Charities are shifting their funding models from donations to borrowing and social investment, according to new research from City University London’s Cass Business School. The CASS CCE research report, titled ‘Social investment as a new charity finance tool: using both head and heart,’ was based on two years of research, including 120 in-person interviews.
The report defines social investment as investments made with the intention of ‘generating a social or environmental impact, as well as a financial return on the investment. On a broader scale, social investment can be thought of as utilizing investments in the market to impact society.
"African Philanthropy Gaining Momentum, New Report Suggests"
Philanthropic activity in Africa is gaining momentum according to the 2017 Wealth Report, sponsored by real estate business Knight Frank.
The report, fully titled ‘The Wealth Report: The global perspective on prime property and investment,’ was written by Knight Frank Research. Now entering its second decade of publication, the 11th edition of the report includes trends in global wealth, property and luxury spending, along with a database of information collected from this year’s Attitudes Survey.
The report states that, ‘of the 20 countries whose ultra-wealthy populations have grown most rapidly over the last decade, 11 are in Africa.’ Included in those 11 countries are Mauritius, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, where steep increases are expected.