philanthropy-management.com

A message from the editor

PM Team — 2/27/2013 8:31:56 AM

It was César Ritz, founder of the hotels bearing his name, who first remarked that, “Le client n’a jamais tort” – the customer is never wrong. Sticking to this dictum has two consequences for Philanthropy Management magazine: one good; one not so good.

VisionFund celebrates 10 years of microfinance

PM Team — 2/19/2013 11:02:48 AM

VisionFund, the microfinance not-for-profit partner of global humanitarian charity World Vision, is to celebrate its tenth year of operation by honouring its clients throughout the year with a series of profiles celebrating their achievements.

European SRI Transparency Code revamped

PM Team — 2/18/2013 10:42:54 AM

Eurosif along with the national sustainable investment forums has launched a new, more user-friendly version of the European SRI Transparency Code to reflect recent market developments.

Charitable Giving Coalition supporters testify to hearing on deductions

PM Team — 2/14/2013 11:57:38 AM

The House Committee on Ways and Means is holding a hearing today to examine the itemised deduction for charitable contributions as part of the Committee’s work on comprehensive tax reform.

Dasra Philanthropy Week kicks off at month-end

PM Team — 2/8/2013 5:58:59 AM

Dasra , India's leading strategic philanthropy foundation, is bringing together over 600 leaders from different spheres to discuss some of India's biggest social problems and how these can be addressed through strategic philanthropy and effective support to organisations on the ground. Dasra Philanthropy Week will b

Giving Pledge comes to South Africa

PM Team — 2/6/2013 12:54:50 PM

Family foundation to act as conduit for first local signatory.

Non-profits keen to scale, but face resourcing challenges

PM Team — 1/28/2013 11:45:11 AM

A new study by The Social Impact Exchange and Veris Consulting, Inc., a firm specialising in financial management and survey research for non-profits, suggests that scaling is seen as a strategic aim by a majority of non-profits in the US, but access to capital remains an inhibiting factor. "Data from the study reinforces the point that we lack an effective system for financing initiatives that are scaling," says Cynthia W. Massarsky, vice president of Growth Philanthropy Network and co-author of the survey. "The non-profit sector has developed many promising solutions to our most intractable social problems – now we must continue to work together to build an efficient capital market system to spread those solutions so that millions can benefit."

Davos roundtable to discuss philanthropy in online education

PM Team — 1/23/2013 9:34:43 AM

Live stream of debate will be available via YouTube on Thursday 24^th.

Big Society Capital sets targets for 2013

PM Team — 1/21/2013 10:47:08 AM

Social investment bank commits £56m in its first nine months.

Impact investment performance in 2012 on target

PM Team — 1/17/2013 12:12:24 PM

Study shows private equity and private debt are preferred vehicles.

ESG factors gain profile in private equity M&A

PM Team — 1/14/2013 8:52:31 AM

New PRI survey shows poor performance on ESG factors has impeded deals and reduced valuations.

Data driving philanthropic innovation

PM Team — 1/9/2013 9:07:22 AM

Significant technological developments identified in annual industry forecast.

Philanthropic financial products report unveiled

PM Team — 1/4/2013 9:48:24 AM

€85 million in donations generated in Europe in 2010

CAF calls for payroll giving drive

PM Team — 1/2/2013 4:13:04 PM

New report shows under-30s make little use of payroll giving scheme.

New report assesses economic impact of foundation investments

PM Team — 12/27/2012 9:40:22 AM

500,000 jobs created in US in immediate aftermath of grant disbursement.

'Double dip' in giving predicted

PM Team — 12/19/2012 11:15:57 AM

A sharp decline in global generosity in 2011 is revealed by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in its annual World Giving Index. According to the CAF report, the proportion of people giving money to good causes, volunteering or helping a stranger all fell last year and were also down on 2007. Overall the index, found that Australia was the most generous country followed in second place by Ireland.

Give2Asia and NGOsource streamline grant-making to Asia

PM Team — 12/18/2012 3:44:49 PM

Collaboration to leverage complementary philanthropic services.

Downturn in UK family foundation spending

PM Team — 12/3/2012 12:21:11 PM

Latest Family Foundation Giving Trends report sees growing perceived need, but resources limited by tough economy.

CAF releases study of giving by wealthy under-30s

PM Team — 11/29/2012 12:19:12 PM

Income disparity tops concerns of young philanthropists.

New philanthropic foundation targets Canadian start-ups

PM Team — 11/29/2012 9:30:28 AM

The Upside Foundation of Canada launches non-cash giving scheme.

Social Impact Exchange launches index of high performers

PM Team — 11/19/2012 5:42:07 AM

S&I 100 allows effective non-profits to receive donations direct from Index site.

President and Congress urged to maintain current tax policies on giving

PM Team — 11/16/2012 7:30:36 AM

Don’t sacrifice incentives to ‘fiscal cliff’ negotiations, says Charitable Giving Coalition.

Aberdeen AM Charitable Foundation commits to emerging markets

11/14/2012 7:21:09 AM

ABC Trust in Brazil receives first three-year commitment

The business of microfinance

PM Team — 11/13/2012 8:22:24 AM

Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder inter alia of Grameen Bank, is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and is regarded widely as the father of microfinance. In Osaka, Japan, to address Sibos, SWIFT's annual banking conference, he took time in a busy schedule to sit down with Philanthropy Management. Professor Yunus urged greater mainstream engagement in microlending.

Financial crisis pushes foundations into alternative investment

PM Team — 11/8/2012 4:02:27 PM

The number of foundations using alternative investments as part of their diversification strategy shifted significantly during the financial crisis. According to Foundation Source, the largest US provider of comprehensive services for private foundations, on January 1, 2008, 38.3% of private foundations used alternative investments; by December 31, 2011, 49.3% had incorporated them into their investment strategies. For private foundations with assets between $1 and $10 million, the jump was even more extreme: 41.6% to 60.1% over the same time span.Five percent payout requirement acts less as a ceiling, more as a floor for private foundation grant-making, says Foundation Source report.

ING IM research rates best emerging  markets in ESG terms

PM Team — 11/7/2012 9:09:53 AM

Growing focus on emerging market debt means investors need to place greater emphasis on ESG in asset allocation.

US presidential candidates propose cap to tax deductions for charitable donations

PM Team — 11/5/2012 10:34:27 AM

Proposals from Barack Obama and Mitt Romney could both hamper greater giving, says charity coalition.

Improving risk management in philanthropy

PM Team — 10/24/2012 7:58:25 AM

Philanthropists should place greater focus on strategic risk management, says new report by the Resource Alliance.

What does ESG mean?

PM Team — 10/12/2012 12:39:45 PM

A confusion of definitions surrounds the area of environmental, social and governance investment.

Impact investing makes headway in Europe

PM Team — 10/9/2012 5:15:05 AM

Eurosif's new SRI study offers an upbeat view of the state of impact investment and other responsible investment.

ESG survey shows F&E engagement at 27%

PM Team — 10/2/2012 10:06:34 AM

Public pension plans are more likely than foundations and endowments to implement SRI/ESG strategies, says BNY Mellon.

EVPA CEO stakes out field of action

PM Team — 9/27/2012 6:48:35 AM

Venture philanthropy association prepares for Dublin conference.

Charity and philanthropy professionals honoured at STEP awards

PM Team — 9/20/2012 10:10:14 AM

Farrer & Co scoops award for charity legal team.

Foundation Source unlocks proprietary content

PM Team — 9/13/2012 10:46:43 AM

Redesigned website aims to encourage donor collaboration.

Beacon philanthropy nominations open

PM Team — 9/10/2012 12:55:50 PM

Awards aim to recognise sustainability, impact and inspiration.

Legislative focus on philanthropy in China set to accelerate

PM Team — 9/5/2012 12:32:56 PM

The Chinese government is eyeing further reform on philanthropy. "Some of the building blocks are in place: we have the 2004 foundations law, there are certain regulations of the Ministry of Civil Affairs regarding the establishment and registration of not-for-profit entities and there are also certain tax regulations, but there is no overall systemisation," says David Hayward Evans, head of philanthropy and values-based investing, APAC, UBS.

Philanthropedia releases microfinance ranking

PM Team — 9/3/2012 11:02:33 AM

Non-profit research specialist has selected 11 top international microfinance organisations in terms of impact.

F&E investors looking further afield

PM Team — 8/31/2012 10:13:52 AM

J.P. Morgan Asset Management sees foundations and endowments considering return-generating credit opportunities to enhance revenues as traditional markets disappoint.

Impact investment hype builds

PM Team — 8/28/2012 1:23:47 PM

As impact investing moves mainstream, can it sustain its promise? Michael Green, co-author of Philanthrocapitalism has expressed some concern that a hype bubble is building around impact investing, threatening to impede the smooth growth of what he regards as an essentially positive trend.

Australia to introduce single charities regulator

PM Team — 8/24/2012 12:13:10 PM

Australian Taxation office to cease dual role.

Mercer goes mainstream with ESG

PM Team — 8/23/2012 12:08:16 PM

Consulting firm plans to include ESG ratings in manager search and performance reports.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy launched

PM Team — 8/22/2012 12:57:44 PM

Coordination among donors at all stages of disaster and recovery is seen as a priority.

Council of Microfinance Equity Funds revises corporate governance guidelines

PM Team — 8/21/2012 8:28:33 AM

Publication aims to provide precise and practical guidance in corporate governance tailored to microfinance institutions.

F&E portfolios down over latest quarter

PM Team — 8/7/2012 7:14:50 AM

Recent figures from both State Street Corporation and Northern Trust show investment returns for foundations and endowments underperforming those of other institutional client segments over the past quarter and year on year to end-June.

More focus needed on impact in corporate giving

PM Team — 8/3/2012 6:45:13 AM

There is a lack of guidance in the field of corporate philanthropy about what constitutes good practice in community investment, according to Catalyst Australia, a member-based policy network and think tank.

Silver Bridge expands strategic philanthropy offering

PM Team — 8/2/2012 12:36:46 PM

Silver Bridge, a US boutique wealth advisory firm with over $3 billion in assets under advisement, has expanded its strategic philanthropy and foundation service capabilities.

Deficit reduction policies should not target philanthropy

PM Team — 7/31/2012 4:42:50 PM

Even where taxes need to be raised, the system should be designed to encourage charitable giving, argues Yale professor, Robert Shiller.

University endowments disappoint on ESG

PM Team — 7/30/2012 6:32:05 AM

As American universities tighten up in the admissions department, they are slacking on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment responsibilities, a new report finds.

More effort needed from US firms on ESG reporting

PM Team — 7/27/2012 8:59:58 AM

Recent research shows US corporate enthusiasm for ESG reporting lagging that of peers in other developed markets.

Rethink needed on perception of philanthropists

PM Team — 7/25/2012 2:20:49 PM

A senior UK academic researcher in the field of philanthropy has criticised the ‘mixed messages’ being presented to the public on the benefits of philanthropic activity.