2 results found
Better together? A Study on Philanthropy and Official Development Assistance
February 1, 2017Based on a survey among philanthropic foundations (N=55) from all continents, this study sheds light on the relationship between foundations and official development assistance (ODA), on strategies, size and intervention principles used by these foundations and identifies barriers and common ground for building mutually empowering relationships.Results show that foundations tend to focus on vulnerable groups (women, youngsters) in the poorest regions of the world. Most support takes the form of pro-actively searching for local partners in the global South to make grants aimed towards education, health, economic and community development. However, it should be noted that a significant percentage of the budget for charitable support is spent in the country that is home to the foundations.Experience in collaborating is mostly positive, perceived benefits outweigh the downsides and this perception becomes stronger as collaboration increases. Improved scalability is the most important benefit, increased bureaucracy and loss of flexibility most cited as perceived downside. Perceived gaps in collaborations are mutual agreement on expectations and accountability, degree of commitment to the partnership, communication, and the alignment of strategy, mission, and values. Ways to improve collaboration could be to match tasks with structures, and to focus on alignment of culture and values.A suggested typology, in which foundations were classified by their founders, motives and historical background, can be used for developing relationships with foundations.
EUFORI Study: European Foundations for Research and Innovation (Synthesis Report)
July 1, 2015This report provides a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the contributions that foundations make to support research and innovation in EU Member States, Norway and Switzerland. Over the last 25 years, the role of foundations as supporters of research and innovation in Europe has grown significantly in scope and scale. However, the landscape is fragmented and, till now, largely uncharted. Little is known about the vast majority of such foundations, their activities or even their number, and information about their real impact on research and innovation in Europe was very limited. A team of national experts in the EU 27 (and Norway and Switzerland), led by VU University Amsterdam, has therefore been commissioned by the European Commission to study foundations' contribution to research and innovation in the EU under the name EUFORI. This study helps fill this knowledge gap by analysing foundations' financial contributions, and provides useful insights into the different ways they operate. It also identifies emerging trends and the potential for exploring synergies and collaboration between foundations, research-funding agencies, businesses and research institutes.
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