Thematic lecture by Jenny Harrow at the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists Global Donor Forum 2012.

1. Global Donors Forum
World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists
Kuala Lumpur, 26 April 2012
Thematic Lecture I:
“Emerging Trends in Philanthropy”
Professor Jenny Harrow
ESRC Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy
Cass Business School, City University London , United Kingdom
www.shaw-trust.org.uk

2. Global philanthropy demonstrates a series of
emerging trends in response to
changes in the supply and nature of global wealth
and
the demands and needs of global civil societies.
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3. the era of a single means of ‘defining philanthropy’
is now passing
The overarching trend in global philanthropy –
the appearance of multiple philanthropy prototypes
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4. What are the characteristics found in these
philanthropy prototypes?
- Disposition - Effort - Ambition
The trends we see - whether they are passing
fashions or real advances - cluster around these three
characteristics .
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5. Discerning trends ?
through research synthesis and research agendas?
through accessing social media and web
technologies to check out what other people are
talking about?
e.g. ‘Trends’ Search Engines
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6. the trend for ‘naming names’
the names and personalities of key philanthropists are once
again central creating public awareness of and interest in the
practice and the achievements of philanthropy
The disposition, effort and ambition which come together in
these major donors’ contributors are for some people almost
‘the whole story ‘ in philanthropy
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7. The personification or re-personification of
philanthropy
An example from CGAP family philanthropy research’s launch at Cass ,
November 2011; our Panel discussion
The Buffett decision to add significant funds to the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation funds - a trend to emulate ?
 a self-effacing and ‘investment ‘ style decision – or
 regretting that this does not seem to use ‘all the brains that are available’
to help solve global social challenges –
philanthropy ‘s intellectual capital case – becomes the trend for ‘going it
alone’
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8. So , increasing numbers of philanthropic institutions
/actions is itself a trend to be welcomed -
even if it makes philanthropy less coherent, less tidy,
less easy for governments and each other .
the very untidiness of philanthropic action is itself to
be welcomed -
But some challenging of each other’s ways of
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working?

9. Some trends no longer ‘emergent’
driving forward the impact agenda to raise up
achievement
acting on the power of collaboration
maximising gains from creativity in e.philanthropy
and the use of social media
But all can be contested
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10. Further important trends are themselves being
challenged,e.g.
professionalization in philanthropy challenged by
local expertise, or by direct gift-giving through
remittances or cash giving ;
place based philanthropy affected by population
mobility or by competing visions as to what
philanthropy should achieve
Consumerism responsiveness (“commodity
philanthropy”) by anti -consumerism www.shaw-trust.org.uk

11. Trends more aspirational than emergent include
 focus on women’s roles in /for philanthropy
 ‘everyone a philanthropist’, thus shifts in
importance of traditional mediating institutions,”flash
giving”
the growth of creativity in philanthropy
the opening up of discussion about philanthropy’s
failures
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12. These trends represent interlocking puzzles for
philanthropy – a lot about disposition and effort but
what about ambition?
Among the harshest critiques of philanthropy is that
its disposition and ambition outrun its ideas and its
efforts , so that it over-promises and under –delivers
Can these trends, together, combine towards another
trend - of transparency and accountability ?
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13. With accountability in mind, the missing trend
- philanthropy’s changing relations with
beneficiaries?
What would the beneficiaries of philanthropy say
were the ‘emerging trends in philanthropy’?
Would they even recognise this ‘list’ and if they did ,
what would their interpretations be?
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14. The Trends’ ‘Puzzle’
Impact Commodity Beneficiary
Philanthropic
Failures Perceptions
Measurement Philanthropy
Collaboration Professional-
isation
Creativity Personification
Women’s/
Account- Minorities’ Everyone Place-based
ability Giving
Leadership a
Philanthropist
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15. The characteristics of philanthropy, affected
by these trends, become fourfold
Disposition
Effort
Ambition
Accountability
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16. How and from whom do philanthropic decisionmakers learn
about these trends and find the time to reflect on them?
How does that learning affect their ambitions and
accountabilities?
Do some trends lend themselves more than others to
specific fields of philanthropic action ?
Strategically, what are the ‘early mover’ (or ‘late mover’)
advantages in trend-responsiveness or advocacy?
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17. These questions are helping to transform philanthropy
in expected and unexpected ways, as philanthropy is
in continual transition and development – the purpose
of the Forum this week
Thank you to my audience for your attention –
An audience which collectively represents the
philanthropy prototypes , and the philanthropy
machines that are ‘flying’ . www.shaw-trust.org.uk

18. www.cgap.org.uk
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