Insights for you

A good doctor first looks for the cause: dehydration, stress, poor eyesight or something more serious. Philanthropy should work the same way. Grants are the right treatment for many headaches. For others, recoverable grants, concessional loans, and guarantees may work better. Consider three situations: • An organisation providing essential services to vulnerable communities may need flexible funding over many years; expecting repayment could undermine its mission. • A social

Research by Sigal G. Barsade at Yale University demonstrated that emotions truly are contagious within groups. Her experiments showed that when positive moods are expressed, they spread. For foundations and philanthropists, this matters. In my experience, funding decisions aren’t made solely based on evidence and data. They’re shaped by the confidence of the people behind the work, the trust they inspire, the emotions they awaken, and the clear sense that they truly understan

Have you considered the impact it makes when grantmakers and grant seekers cultivate relationships as a stepping stone to building...