The complex notion of philanthropy

We might think that “philanthropy” and “charity” describe the same things, but there are subtle differences between them. While they both involve giving, charity tends to be a “one-off” immediate response to a short-term need (eg. sending a check, texting a donation, etc). Philanthropy is more long-term and strategic and often involves making multiple donations over a number of years (source).

A philanthropist is a person who donates time, money or skills to help create a better world. Anyone can be a philanthropist, regardless of status or net worth. Some philanthropists are known for their good works, such as Mother Teresa, and others for giving away substantial sums to aid society—people like Warren Buffett or Bill Gates (source).

Globally, there are at least 260,000 charitable foundations in 39 countries that hold an accumulated wealth of $1.5 trillion, according to a report by Harvard University.

In USA in 2021 the largest source of charitable giving came from individuals, who gave $326.87 billion, representing 67% of total givings. Corporate and foundations givings represented 22% of total givings (source).

This might seem surprising, as today philanthropy is most often associated with the super wealthy, foundations, and corporations. Most of the time, wealthy individuals channel their wealth through private foundations that carry tax benefits (source). Economist Robert Reichargues goes as far as saying that the foundations through which most wealthy people direct their donations are exquisite forms of tax evasion.

This kind of philanthropy is regularly criticized and presented as fundamentally flawed. The argument there is that if wealth were better distributed then there would be no need for philanthropy, no need for individuals to fund basic human rights like access to food and water.

Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India, argues that many philanthropic efforts prevent the systemic causes of poverty, inequities, and injustices from being addressed.

The philanthropic community has repeatedly challenged these criticisms. Phil Buchanan of the Center for Effective Philanthropy argues that philanthropy is an essential part of a healthy civil society. He says that philanthropy complements government work by helping non profit and local organizations and by funding activists who play an important role in the fight against poverty or for social justice.

Darren Walker of the Ford Foundation argues that, by directing philanthropy toward the general good of humanity, the need for philanthropy will ultimately disappear.

“‘Giving back’ is necessary, but not sufficient,” he wrote in a New York Times op-ed. “We should seek to bring about lasting, systemic change, even if that change might adversely affect us. We must bend each act of generosity toward justice.”

Whatever our views or opinions on the subject, philanthropy is definitely an interesting subject and often an absolute necessity for the survival of many organizations.

The importance and benefits of volunteering

People volunteer for an array of reasons: because their community matters to them, because they want to make a difference, or they want to meet new people, or just because they believe in a cause and want to champion it… There is no right or wrong way to become a volunteer,, this is not a “one size fits all” path.

First and foremost, volunteering is an essential factor for social transformation. It supports social inclusion, solidarity, active citizenship, the resilience of populations and social commitment, in short: it helps to build our future.

Volunteering is actually also good for the volunteers themselves, including when they are disadvantaged or belong to potentially threatened groups, such as the unemployed, asylum seekers, refugees, migrants, the elderly or the disabled.

“Volunteering contributes to improving the health and well-being of volunteers, and gives them the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge that can improve their career and employment prospects," said Gabriela Civico, director of the European Center for Volunteering (CEV) (source)

Here are 5 benefits of volunteering that should motivate anyone to give it a try:

1. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction.

2. Volunteers are 27% more likely to find a job after being out of work when compared to non-volunteers.(Source)

3. Volunteers without a high school diploma are 51% more likely to find employment when compared to those who do not volunteer.(Source)Volunteering helps to combat depression. A major contributing factor to depression is isolation and volunteering keeps you in regular contact with others and helps you develop a solid support system, (Source)

4. According to research, volunteering, especially among older people, can help to reduce mortality rates and help people live more fulfilling, longer lives. Volunteering has also been shown to combat the symptoms of chronic pain, and even heart disease.

So go out there, and give it a go. At NMA, we strongly encourage you to find the right volunteering opportunity for you. Help the elderly, work in an animal shelter or fundraise for a cause close to your heart: you’ll be surprised by how much it brings to you.

You don’t know where to start? Many platforms can help you find a volunteering position that may suit you. Try for example Volunteer Match, Volunteer World or, if you are in Switzerland, Benevol Jobs or Genève Bénévolat.

Let us know if you have any inspiring stories to share with us and others about your volunteering experience, we always love to .ear from you.

Next month we will talk about volunteer management and retention strategies. Stay tuned!

NGOs are main actors in tackling environmental issues

With June often dubbed” The Environment Month” and as concerns about the environment grow louder every day, let’s take a look at what is the role of NGOs and other non-profit organisations in tackling environmental issues and how this role differs and complements the work of governments.

When addressing environmental issues, governments tend to apply a “carrot and stick” approach, oscillating between regulatory strategies and economic incentives.

NGOs contribute ideas, raise awareness, shape discussions, influence decisions and implement policies. As they are usually not answerable to specific agendas and can often act independently, they have become key players in environmental politics at all levels from local to global. A study from the University of Stockholm shows that NGOs are important actors in global environmental governance, offering knowledge and expertise, moral arguments and new ideas or taking action on implementing policies. However, their approaches and their influence, depend in some part on their resources, which creates a landscape characterized by plurality, inequality, and contradictions.

Recent years have seen the creation of more and more NGOs working toward environmental issues, but the effectiveness of these organisations is rarely assessed or critically examined. Scientists in Jamaica invite us to exercise prudence when it comes to the level of competence and professionalism of some organisations, which have proven ineffective. In some cases they may even exacerbate the problems they set out to solve. This is why governments and donors should be prudent when attributing projects to NGOs.

Since 2020, the Covid crisis and now the inflation and the war in Ukraine have been in the forefront of the media coverage. Environmental movements such as “Fridays for future” have unfortunately been relegated to less prominent places and it could be easy to forget about the climate crisis urgency.

Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg recently teamed up to remind us that “girls’ education is a climate solution”. Women in developing countries are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. Educate them and they can become part of the solution, for example by reducing their communities greenhouse gas emissions. Will that lead to future collaboration between NGOs advocating for women’s rights and NGOs specialized in the environment? That would certainly be interesting to watch, because the fight for both is far from over.