Forum for the Future’s Post

The EU and national governments often struggle to implement significant reforms. So what are the opportunities for philanthropy? John Healy, Genio , illustrates 3 gaps only philanthropy can fill; citizen and civil society engagement; support to help innovations scale within complex, contested systems; and integration of philanthropic, impact, public and commercial funding, in our latest Opinion piece! Read it now! https://bit.ly/3KpM8Mf

 Annual Report 2023 is out! "We are evolving, not only as direct implementers but also as ethical regranters. We believe the role of re-granters can extend beyond monetary grants by emphasizing relationship-building, capacity-building, and amplifying marginalized stakeholders. By challenging traditional philanthropic norms and addressing funding inequities, we must strive to expand access to resources, support emergent movements, and navigate positional power dynamics. Ultimately, we envision a transformative shift in philanthropy, one that prioritizes movement-led initiatives and dismantles existing structures of oppression, envisioning a future where communities thrive with the resources and support they truly deserve.  Over 2023-2026, we aim to drive $2.25 million to these frontline organizations. As of early 2024, 40% of this has been secured, with another 25% currently in the pipeline." https://lnkd.in/dEQkrcnG

Check this out to see how much our approach can impact society and the environment!! ✨

We need to play the long game. Yes, it is important to address current needs, sometimes urgent too. But we must also keep an eye and take action towards the root causes of issues, those that can sometimes only be identified by planning for the next 10, 15 or 30 years. Futures thinking is a great way to explore that, and it's about time organizations consider it an essential tool to create long-lasting social change.

Forum for the Future just published a three part blog series on our work over the past couple of years with the civil society and philanthropic sectors. You can read Ariel Muller's latest here: https://lnkd.in/duTvAvGh And check out the previous blogs by Hannah Pathak and yours truly!

At the Golden Bottle Trust (GBT), the Hoare family uses a philanthropic profiling tool called Care4Most (www.care4most.org) to establish which causes mean the most to family members. Recently, the GBT’s focus on environmental projects intensified, with the funding target rising from 11% in 2018 to 20% in 2022. To maximise its impact, the GBT partnered with Impatience Earth to develop an 'ecosystem granting' strategy. This approach uses multiple smaller grants to address the interconnected nature of environmental issues, supporting solutions from the planting and preservation of seagrass to regenerative agriculture. Learn more about our approach in the latest Golden Bottle Trust report: https://lnkd.in/etPSUZbU #GoldenBottleTrust #Philanthropy #Sustainability #EnvironmentalImpact #Totalportfolioimpact

Our refreshed strategy for 2024 is now live ✨ Last year we created a 3-year strategy (2023-2026) with the plan to reflect and update on the strategy each year. We've taken some time to reflect on the new context in 2024, such as upcoming elections and economic concerns, and feedback from our members. We also thought about which activities we should continue, develop or start and how to make these activities more useful to all of you. Our work spans across these work pillars and you can read on to see how we’ve updated our plans for each one: 1️⃣ Expanding environmental philanthropy 2️⃣ Improving the effectiveness of environmental funding 3️⃣ Supporting those that do environmental work to be more effective https://buff.ly/3VTGkRT #strategy #planning #philanthropy #funding

How is corporate philanthropy helping the planet in 2024? In partnership with the World Economic Forum, we're pleased to share this whitepaper, released today, on the positive societal impact corporate philanthropy can have towards #climate issues. Hope it sparks ideas for you as well. https://lnkd.in/eDygdzxz

Wrote an essay… which is really a musing on how philanthropy can and should function similarly to mycorrhizal networks. How we can alchemize oppressive systems into equitable communities where we all rise together. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/gWpSFdi3

Climate change is a social issue that needs a smart, social response. The way we direct our philanthropy can make a big difference. I shared some of my thoughts for New Zealand in this very short article but they are more broadly relevant. 1. Support community organisations that build capacity and capability that empowers vulnerable groups – e.g. the Frontline Resource Institute – so these communities can find and support climate solutions that work for them. 2. Collaborate to jointly support larger more cost-effective efforts for greater learning and impact. New Zealand arguably has too many small, short-term projects – fund for the longer term and reward those who work together. 3. Work with the Government and private sector to leverage their power and influence. Take advantage of existing government programmes and make them really work for those on the ground – for example, using the Emission Trading System to support regeneration of native forests – as well as trying to influence policy change. Find shared solutions between firms and community organisations for actions that make transformational changes possible – for example, siting of renewable energy and forests in suitable places. And of course, we must always evaluate and learn. Environment for Development, E. Somanathan, Morgan Bomer, Rodrigo Bórquez N., Frontline Resource Institute, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research https://lnkd.in/gjYcCyaH