How do you push back on illiberal and authoritarian trends? What is the role of philanthropy in building social capital and citizen agency? And what are the most important ingredients of a successful democracy?
Jane Wales explains that the Global Philanthropy Forum is focusing on “Reclaiming Democracy” to highlight concerning trends in and promising solutions for democracy.
How can funders work together to support robust democracy? Who is already working effectively in this field? Learn about civil society as an immune system for democracy.
Democratizing philanthropy
A crucial part of making philanthropy capable of addressing inequality is to ensure that it is not seen as merely a tool for the powerful to entrench their advantage, notes Rhodri Davies, Head of Policy at the Charities Aid Foundation. It is thus vital to find ways to give away not only money, but also power.
Some are seeking to do this by encouraging big donors to focus on funding organizations that have a broader base of mass support to reduce the risk of their choices introducing a plutocratic bias. Others are developing models of participatory grant-making, in which those who would traditionally be seen as the beneficiaries of philanthropy are given a genuine say over how resources are used, he writes for the World Economic Forum.
Read the full interview with Jane Wales about the role of philanthropy in reclaiming democracy by Matt Sinclair at Philanthropy News Digest.
