Category Archives: Philanthropy

From Value to Worth – Why The Impact Investing “Asset Class” Debate Matters

Over two weeks ago, I posted a poll asking whether impact investing should be considered an “asset class”. The fact that the results currently come in at 60/40 (after many votes) in favor of NO asset class belies the considerable debate that has surrounded this topic both on this blog and other online forums. I am still a bit surprised about how many people have weighed in on a question that would appear to be mostly a technicality… but is it really just that?

Without being able to do justice to the many, many arguments constructed in favor and against the “asset class” question, I would like to take a moment to restate my understanding of what people have said on this topic. Then, in a broader sense, I hope to convert part of this controversy into something of meaning and, in typical fashion for this blog, will attempt to identify what really is at stake at the end of the day in dealing with this question.

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Good & Gasp #4 – Scaling Social Enterprises, iPhone Guilt, Ethical Rankings, Philanthropy Limits

Good & Gasp #4

Scaling Social Enterprises, iPhone Guilt, Ethical Rankings, Philanthropy Time Limits

Themes that caught my attention, interest or made my eyes roll while roaming the web world of doing good:

  • Scaling Social Enterprises – how can social enterprises scale post seed-investment stage?
  • iPhone Guilt – is Apple or its loyal consumers (you) to be blamed for the Foxconn debacle?
  • Philanthropy Limits – should foundations consider spending their money quicker and winding down (dying) earlier?
  • Ethical Rankings – if weapons companies make the list of most ethical firms, what exactly do we mean by “ethical”?

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Good Profile – Robert Albright (FSG Social Impact Consultants)

Good Profiles feature members of our Good Generation who are either out there in the field doing interesting work or still in the trenches of schools and institutions waiting to make their mark on the world. Have your own story to tell? Know someone who would be great to be profiled? Please sign-up or leave a note here!

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What do you do for a living nowadays?

I work as a consultant in Boston for FSG, a nonprofit strategy, research, and evaluation consulting firm. I’ve been with FSG since 2009. During my time at FSG, I’ve worked on a range of projects with corporations, nonprofits, foundations, school systems, and other public sector entities. FSG started out as Foundation Strategy Group more than 10 years ago, based on the concept of bringing more strategic thinking into the social sector (particularly the philanthropic sector). Over time FSG has broadened its scope to work with cross-sector players in addressing complex social problems in education, global health, and global development. Most of my work has focused on FSG’s U.S.-based clients, primarily in education and economic development.

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Philanthropic Laziness – Why nobody cares about evaluating nonprofits

Reference:

“Nonprofit Watchdogs: Do They Serve the Average Donor?” (Ram A. Cnaan and Kathleen Jones, Allison Dickin, and Michele Salomon) - published in Nonprofit Management & Leadership #21, 2011, summarized in Stanford Social Innovation Review Volume 10, Number 1, Winter 2012

Key Ideas:

  • So-called nonprofit “watchdog” organizations like GuideStar, Network for Good, Charity Navigator, the Better Business Bureau and the American Institute of Philanthropy exist essentially to provide objective evaluations of nonprofit organizations so donors can make better informed giving decisions. They attempt to create more transparency and attention paid to actual performance and hope that donors will use their ratings of nonprofits to give to the “most deserving”, thus creating a more efficient philanthropic market

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Giving Ego – Should HIV receive so much attention?

Reference:

“Does Global Health Funding Respond to Recipients’ Needs? Comparing Public and Private Donors’ Allocations in 2005-2007″ (Daniel Esser and Kara Keating Bench) - published in World Development #39, 2011, summarized in Stanford Social Innovation Review Volume 10, Number 1, Winter 2012

Key Ideas:

  • There is no question that private foundations, especially large ones like Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are contributing huge sums to fight good causes
  • But, Esser and Bench ask, why do diseases like HIV command so much interest and money by these foundations, although such diseases rarely register as a top national health priority for the affected countries? As an example, HIV/AIDS only contributes to 3% of total disease burden in Asia but was second most highly funded category

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