Arquivo da categoria: News & Articles

Social Impact Valuation Drives the “S” in ESG

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by Denise Carvalho, Senior Manager of Monitoring and Evaluation at IDIS.

In the corporate world’s waze of words, ESG has become a consensus for assessing and validating whether a company is socially conscious, sustainable, and has good governance. These are criteria supported by impact measurement methodologies that identify good companies to invest in. After all, ESG is directly linked to sustainability – here, related to the very viability of businesses’ existence and profit generation.

Transitioning to the realm of social investors, where profit is not the ultimate goal, ESG serves as a compass guiding organizations’ strategic actions and opens doors to measure the impact that developed projects have on the communities served. But how do you know if the positive impact justifies the investments involved?

Environmental impact measurement, for example, fosters various relationships: how many hectares have been spared from deforestation, how many greenhouse gases have been avoided, which water bodies have been cleaned, how much waste has been reduced. However, the calculation on the social side may be somewhat different.

One of the main obstacles faced by social investors, as highlighted by the ecosystem itself, is obtaining quality data related to the social pillar of the ESG Agenda. This perception was corroborated by the ESG Global Survey 2023, conducted by BNP Paribas, in which 71% of respondents pointed to result measurement as the biggest concern for investors. This agenda is seen as a guiding element for organizations towards more responsible practices, yet the challenge of standardization and consistency of data persists, particularly in the social sphere.

Currently, impact assessment methodologies are capable of rigorously measuring the results generated by the actions of social projects. These methodologies provide a thorough and well-founded analysis of how an organization’s activities influence people, communities, and the environment, seeking to understand the extent and effects of its actions, programs, and projects.

Impact assessment doesn’t just study “what” but also measures “how much,” “why,” and “how” changes occur. Since impact assessments are always data-driven and can provide information in a common language, communicating these analyses can bring great visibility to the organization itself, as well as enrich the debate on the ESG agenda in the corporate world.

Some companies and organizations already recognize the potential of impact assessments as allies of the ESG Agenda. For example, Petrobras has been conducting rigorous analyses in its various social and environmental projects as part of its commitment to the agenda. To achieve this, the company began a process of diagnosing and harmonizing indicators aligned with its socio-environmental strategy, allowing for a clearer identification of the impact in the communities where it operates. Intelligently used data enables strategic direction of actions and the expansion of the positive impact of projects.

Another aspect to keep an eye on when it comes to measuring social impacts is the adoption of tools such as Artificial Intelligence and blockchain as allies in this process, aiming to ensure even more transparency for social investors. The decentralized nature of blockchain, for example, prevents potential data manipulation, enhancing the credibility of impact reports. This allows investors to assess the socioeconomic results of funded projects more precisely, securely, and efficiently. Fintech Moeda Seeds and the Banqu platform are examples of organizations that have been working with the support of these tools to increase the credibility of the data presented.

It is through the materialization of impact that managers are armed with data that enable the strategic actions of organizations, relating the invested value to the social return of projects. It’s the antidote to the infamous “washing”.

Impact assessment is fundamental to establish a solid foundation for the sustainable success of organizations. It transcends mere measurement and becomes a strategic guide, directing companies towards paths more aligned with the ESG agenda. Although conducting impact assessments can be challenging, the benefits it offers far outweigh the possible obstacles.

Equity in Employment: A Vital Step Toward Dismantling Structural Racism in Brazil

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The ‘Stanford Social Innovation Review‘, a global reference publication in social innovation, recently launched a series of articles called ‘The Global Pursuit of Equity’, produced in collaboration with partners from seven units around the globe.

The series aims to analyze inequalities in the context of seven specific regions and how local innovators are working to balance the scales and promote inclusion in a variety of problematic areas.

For the Brazilian version, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS; Guibson Trindade, Executive Manager of the Pact for the Promotion of Racial Equity; and Debora Montibeler, Associate of the Pact, contributed to the article ‘Equity in Employment: A Vital Step Toward Dismantling Structural Racism in Brazil’, which highlights the urgent need for data-driven approaches to combat systemic inequalities in our country.

In it, the ESG Index for Racial Equality is presented, linked to the Pact for the Promotion of Racial Equity. Aimed at attracting companies and institutional investors to the cause, the protocol offers companies a way to quantify inequality within their teams, compare the composition of the workforce to the local demographics, and develop new policies and processes required to achieve greater balance.

Check out the full article on the Review’s website, available in Portuguese, English, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, and Spanish.

Know more about it:
Stanford Social Innovation Review 

The Brazilian philanthropic landscape in 2024

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By Paula Fabiani, Luisa Lima, and Marina Negrão, from IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment

The 18th Global Risks Report from the World Economic Forum advocates that “Concurrent shocks, deeply interconnected risks and eroding resilience are giving rise to the risk of polycrises – where disparate crises interact such that the overall impact far exceeds the sum of each part”. The climate crisis is connected to the worsening of hunger and the increase in refugees. The war in Ukraine amplifies the debate on the use of fossil energy, and the health crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic has led countries to rethink structures for income distribution, housing, access to basic sanitation, and international cooperation. The problems interact with each other, and they are interlaced. It is a multiple crisis, whose parts feed back into each other and progress at a speed and scale never before experienced.

This scenario was the starting point for the new edition of the ‘Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy’, an annual publication by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment that outlines the movements that are important for the present, which stand out, and for which philanthropists, social investors, and all those working in this field should be attentive for.

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Not surprisingly, the first perspective out of eight, reveals how philanthropy begins to respond in an integrated manner, contributing to structural changes. The Brazil Climate, Forests, and Agriculture Coalition, for example, is a movement with over 350 representatives from the private sector, financial sector, academia, and civil society, aiming to articulate multiple causes and promote initiatives to promote the harmonious, inclusive, and sustainable use of land in the country and thus enable the transition to the new economy.

Six years away from the deadline of the 2030 Agenda proposed by the UN, public commitments are growing. Governments are signing treaties and letters of intent. Companies are disclosing goals, adopting new business models, and redirecting their philanthropic practices to generate positive transformations. Wealth holders declare that part of what they possess will be allocated to the promotion of social justice. In this scenario, a risk emerges: the ‘washings’, a term which has been adopted to denote false speeches not anchored in facts. In other words, commitments may be nothing more than empty promises that do not materialize over time.

The country’s moment, seeking to regain prominence on the environmental agenda, is also highlighted. Even organizations that work on specific issues such as education or culture find themselves encouraged to look at their relationship with the environment and climate change. There is also a growing trend of regional philanthropic initiatives, more attentive to the demands of the territories where they operate, with an approach more sensitive to local particularities.

The report draws attention to the fact that philanthropy also benefits the infrastructure of the Third Sector by investing in actions that promote the improvement of the regulatory environment, supporting the generation of data and actions for collective impact, such as the Coalition for Philanthropic Funds, which played an important role in the achievement of the first legislation on Endowment Funds in Brazil. Other aspects addressed include the adoption of impact assessment processes by companies and their contribution to the ESG Agenda, the importance of diversity in boards, and the use of Artificial Intelligence by social organizations.

The newly launched publication provides a clearer picture of the social investment horizon and is an invitation to reflection and action. A contribution from IDIS professionals to a resilient and sustainable future – in all its dimensions.

Together for Health Program closes its first year with the prospect of reaching almost 300 municipalities

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In 2023, Juntos pela Saúde (Together for Health) Program was launched, an initiative of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) managed by IDIS. Aimed at strengthening the public health system in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, the Program supports projects that operate in places with coverage gaps, prioritizing municipalities with less than 1 doctor per 1,000 inhabitants. The financial support offered to these projects is based on the logic of matchfunding, a fundraising model that multiplies the donations raised.

For every real (Brazilian currency) donated by partner organizations, BNDES adds another R$1,00, doubling the amount that will be transferred to health projects. The goal is to have approximately R$ 200 million (equivalent to USD 40 million)  by 2026. The supported projects undergo a validation process envolving specialists and a Validation Committee, in which the funders confirm the investment. In order to receive support, projects must focus on priority municipalities in the North and Northeast regions and aim to benefit public health actions and services within the Brazilian Unified Health System.

To learn more about the selection of new projects, click here.

On its first year, five supporters joined Together for Health – Dinamo Institute, RaiaDrogasil Group, Umane, Vale Foundation, and Wheaton. Over 2024, other organizatons shall join, to meet the fundraising goal (learn how to join here). Three wide-ranging also started to be implemented, and together they aim to reach nearly 300 municipalities, improving management and service processes, access to technological tools, infrastructure and training for professionals. Learn more about them:

 

HEALTH CYCLE SOCIAL PROTECTION

This initiative by Cedaps and Vale Foundation aims to contribute to strengthening the Basic Care, expanding the capacity for diagnosis, planning, operationalization, monitoring and evaluation of services through shared work plans with public management, guided by the health needs of local populations.

It is currently present in 8 municipalities in the state of Pará and, through the partnership with the Together for Health, will be expanded to 24 municipalities in the stated of Maranhão. Wheaton Precious Metals, BNDES and IDIS are also involved in this partnership.

By 2026, it is estimated that the project will reach 396 Basic Health Units (UBS), 55 Social Assistance Reference Centers (CRAS) and an average of 5,000 professionals, focusing on social protection and promoting the individual and collective health of the population,

“The Together for Health Fund helps to enhance social investment in territories that require special attention to access to quality healthcare. Through the partnership, we were able to take the Social Protection Health Cycle to 32 municipalities where we already work with education projects in Pará and Maranhão. In partnership with municipal departments, we hope to collaborate in a structured way to improve public services and benefit the entire population.” expresses Pâmella De-Cnop, Executive Director of the Vale Foundation.

 

IMPULSO PREVINE

The project created by the non-profit organization ImpulsoGov is a digital solution that centralizes data, analysis and recommendations from the Federal Primary Care funding program on a platform, providing a dashboard to health managers.

The solution allows, for example, monitoring the performance of cervical cancer preventive examinations, available free of charge in the Unified Health System (SUS). With it, local managers of the municipalities served will be able to improve their strategies to prevent the disease, which records 17 thousand new cases annually, according to 2023 data from INCA.

It is also worth highlighting that the Impulso Previne platform works with other Primary Health Care indicators and offers free support to municipalities, in order to contribute to better management and monitoring of the health situation of local populations.

With the financial support of Dynamo Institute, Impulso Previne will invest in the expansion of solutions focused on developing a cytopathological exam indicator and providing access to 19 municipalities.

The resources coming from Umane will be directed to the development of a vaccine indicator, covering 240 municipalities.

 

MENTAL HEALTH INDICATORS PANEL

Created by ImpulsoGov in partnership with the Cactus Institute, a non-profit organization that aims to expand debate and care in disease prevention and mental health promotion, the project aims to expand access to data and simplified information for mental health managers. With financial support from RaiaDrogasil Group.

“There are no established standards to evaluate the quality of services offered by Psychosocial Care Networks and managers often do not have access to information such as the profile of people served in the municipal network, and which services they attend. Our objective with the Mental Health Indicators Platform is to facilitate access to reliable information for these professionals, assisting in decision-making and contributing to the improvement of mental health services”, says Daniela Krausz, Mental Health project manager at ImpulsoGov .

Why is it important for the third sector to communicate with Generation Z?

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By Luisa Lima and Lavínia Xavier

The giving culture is characterized by people’s habit of sharing resources, time or talents with causes and organizations that benefit the community. Its strengthening is a gradual process, shaped over time by changes, new socio-environmental demands, and, above all, the active participation of society and its trust that such donations will indeed make a difference.

Youth plays an essential role in building this culture, with energy, creativity, and innovative perspectives on civic and philanthropic engagement. The ‘Future of Giving’ study conducted by sparks&honey indicates that young people seek more meaning in their donations and want to support organizations that generate sustainable long-term impact, indicating that purpose and the feeling of contributing positively are more valuable to the group than any other generation.

Access to instant information through the internet and social media brings young people closer to global events and challenges. Furthermore, education and awareness about these issues are increasingly present in everyday life. As new generations naturally develop a sharper awareness of socio-environmental issues affecting the world, they also tend to play a more active role in building and maintaining a long-term giving culture.

Brazil Giving Research 2022, promoted by IDIS and conducted by Ipsos, revealed that 84% of young people aged 18 to 27, known as ‘Generation Z,’ made some type of donation in 2022. This data shows a significant increase compared to the 2020 survey, in which 63% of respondents in the same age group claimed to have made donations. The most common forms of donation include the contribution of material goods (76%), followed by cash donations (43%) and donations of time/volunteer work (30%). Generation Z tends to donate proportionally more through volunteer work than the rest of the population and less in cash. This discrepancy can be attributed to the lower average income of this audience compared to older generations.

The research also reveals that young donors have a significant tendency to promote or contribute in some way to fundraising or mobilization campaigns. This data was confirmed by 7 out of 10 young donors in 2022, with 20% of them claiming to have done so on more than one occasion. The group also demonstrates greater optimism towards Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) compared to the general population. Among young people, 73% agree that NGOs play a fundamental role in addressing socio-environmental problems, and 83% agree with the statement that ‘NGOs depend on the collaboration of individuals and companies to obtain resources and function’.

Moreover, the Brazil Giving Research 2022 shows that 52% of Generation Z donors not only stated they plan to continue their donations but also believe they will donate more compared to the previous year. This openness indicates an opportunity for philanthropic organizations to engage with Generation Z.

Some initiatives have already understood the potential of youth engagement in socio-environmental causes. In the United States, DoSomething, self-described as an activism center inspiring young people to change the world, has motivated millions of them in all American states and in more than 189 countries to act on issues affecting their communities. According to the organization itself, these efforts resulted in achievements such as the registration of 415,000 new voters in the American elections.

Another example is the partnership between TikTok and the British initiative Blue Cross, dedicated to animal welfare. The organization received a $1 donation for each video shared with the hashtag #PetBFF. The campaign reached over 500 billion views only during its launch year in 2019. In Brazil, it is interesting to note that social media plays a relevant role in donation decisions, with 25% of young people admitting its influence in this process, compared to 17% of the general population. Among the most influential platforms for the public are Instagram (89%), Facebook (37%), and TikTok (13%).

The organization TETO, present in 18 countries, is dedicated to improving housing conditions and stands out for its robust volunteer program that attracts many young people and university students, including a specific pillar focused on school groups. The school and university environment plays a significant role in motivating young people to make donations and get involved in social causes, as also demonstrated by the Brazil Giving Research. 18% of Generation Z respondents claim to be influenced by campaigns held in their workplaces, schools, or colleges, compared to 14% of the general population.

These examples highlight how connecting with youth and identifying behavioral trends can generate results, create opportunities for active group involvement, strengthen the third sector and build a more robust giving culture.

It is true that, despite some promising examples, relatively few third-sector organizations and initiatives have actively engaged in direct communication and outreach to younger audiences. This can be attributed to various factors, including specific challenges in identifying the best communication strategies for Generation Z, as well as human resource limitations in organizations, which often operate with lean teams.

However, it is crucial to recognize the relevance of the opportunity that the third sector has to engage more people and raise more resources by directing its communication efforts towards Generation Z. It is necessary to closely observe the behavior, motivations, and trends of this group.

It is important for the Brazilian third sector to be attentive and open to adapting and connecting effectively with Generation Z, leveraging all its potential. The commitment of this generation to social causes, coupled with its technological proficiency, opens new doors for innovation and significant impact. Today’s youth represent the future of the third sector and should not have to wait for their potential to be recognized and demanded.

IDIS specialist is highlighted by Social Value International

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Denise Carvalho, Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at IDIS, has been featured as the “Spotlight of the Month”, by the international impact assessment network, Social Value International. The network is present in 60 countries with the participation of individuals and organizations, including IDIS.

“SDG 17 is crucial for the network, as partnerships drive collective impact. Collaboration is essential for our network, promoting diverse expertise and resources. Through our partnership, we aim to amplify social innovation, advance sustainable solutions, and collectively assess social impact for a better future,” commented Carvalho in an interview with Social Value.

IDIS has a long term partnership with Social Value, and is recognized in Brazil for applying the Social Return on Investment (SROI) protocol on impact evaluation projects. Our team of specialist has done projects for companies, fundations and social organizations. Here are few cases:

Petrobras

Volkswagen Foundation

CSO Amigos do Bem

Global Research Reveals Perception on the Use of Artificial Intelligence by NGOs

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A study conducted by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), represented in Brazil by IDIS, shows an optimistic society but still quite divided regarding the use of AI by social organizations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved beyond the realm of science fiction, with applications increasingly present in our daily lives. In 2023, the world witnessed (and experienced) the explosion of ChatGPT, the generative AI platform from OpenAI, which reached 100 million users in just three months—the fastest growth in the history of internet applications. As technology advances, so does the reflection on technical and ethical implications, as well as the opportunities and risks associated with it.

The groundbreaking research ‘What the public think of charities using AI’ conducted by the British organization Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), represented in Brazil by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, reveals an optimistic society regarding the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, but with reservations. The study involved over six thousand individuals in 10 countries, including Brazil.

According to the research, 37% of respondents believe that the benefits of using AI outweigh the potential risks, contrasting with the 22% who state the opposite.

“The findings of this study are valuable for delving deeper into the debate on the use of AI in the third sector in Brazil, with the responsibility and ethics that the subject demands,” comments Luisa Lima, Communications and Knowledge Manager at IDIS.

 

The study further deepens the analysis by calculating net favorability, i.e., the difference between those who are in favor of AI use and those who believe the risks are greater. Globally, this value corresponds to 15%. In the country ranking, Brazil ranks second among those who believe the benefits of AI use outweigh the risks (30%), trailing only behind Kenya (44%). Among the surveyed countries, only in Australia does the majority of the population show skepticism towards AI adoption, believing that risks outweigh opportunities (-4%).

The opportunities highlighted by Brazilian respondents include the potential to assist more people (29%), the ability to respond quickly to emergencies (22%), and making more precise decisions through data analysis (16%). Daniel Assunção, founder and CEO of Atados, shared his insights on the study results, expressing optimism about the use of AI, particularly in emergency situations such as floods. He emphasized the potential benefits, including proactive risk mapping and informing the population before disasters, optimizing resource distribution during response, and evaluating response quality through data analysis.

Regarding risks for third-sector organizations, Brazilian respondents cited data security (30%), job reduction (26%), and the generation of biased information and decisions (14%) as the most prominent. To mitigate these potential issues, Rodrigo Pipponzi, President of the MOL Group Council, emphasized the importance of governance structures in analyzing how the tool should be used in organizations. He stated that organization boards can play a crucial role not only in facilitating tool adoption but also in supporting its regulation and mediating technology use within institutions.

Gradually, AI is being adopted by civil society organizations, as reported by Kiko Afonso, the executive director of Ação da Cidadania. “Today, we use AI for communication, running sponsored ads on platforms like Google or Facebook and generating images, for example. We also see significant potential for its use in fundraising, as it can help us better understand the profile of our donors and create strategies based on that knowledge”. The research reveals that the public is attentive and interested in how NGOs apply technology, with only 13% stating they would pay little or no attention to its use by the organizations they support. In developing countries, including Brazil, 73% said they would pay much attention to this point, higher than the 40% in higher-income countries.

The results indicate that the public recognizes the opportunities generated by Artificial Intelligence but expects caution and transparency to understand how and why organizations are using AI to fulfill their mission. They also acknowledge that there should be investment for AI to be adopted by all types of organizations, avoiding creating inequalities in the sector.

Complete data is available on the CAF website.

 

Leadership Perceptions of Brazilian NGOs on the Research Results:

Daniel Assunção, Founder and CEO of Atado

“I am optimistic about the use of technologies. AI can optimize our activities, and people will have more time to undertake and dedicate themselves to actions that contribute to reducing inequalities, such as volunteering”.

“The regulation of technology use is still low, and in the short term, it can intensify inequalities and biases. In the long run, the trend is that this will be overcome”.

“In the organization where I work, we connect people interested in volunteering to social organizations. We are looking at the incorporation of technologies in general, and AI in particular, to improve the experience of our users and organizations, streamline processes and content production, as well as accelerate innovation”.

“In Brazil, the technology culture among social organizations is still low. I see few organizations innovating through its use, but as they become more popular, I believe many will start adopting it in their processes”.

“AI has the potential to generate more opportunities for individual engagement and activism. On the other hand, there is a risk that recommendations still have many biases, so it is important to invest in actions that contribute to critical thinking”.

“The response to emergencies is still carried out in a less structured manner in Brazil. Donations happen, but there is a lack of processes, coordination, and articulation between actions to distribute resources, support those affected, and mitigate damages. The use of AI can contribute in numerous ways. Even before disasters, by mapping potential risks and informing the population about the imminent threat. It can also be beneficial during the response, optimizing the distribution of resources and communication among all involved, as well as afterward, evaluating the quality of the response through the cross-referencing of available data”.

 

Rodrigo Pipponzi, President of the MOL Group Council

“The third sector faces a scarcity of resources. I believe that in situations of limitation, artificial intelligence can play a complementary role. It can be used where you typically lack manpower, speed, or agility, but I still see little knowledge about its application”.

“I have an optimistic view and believe that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. However, I think there is a considerable risk associated with society not fully understanding the use of this tool. One of the main risks, in my opinion, is the disconnection from causes. There is a danger of dehumanizing something very human, transferring the responsibility of decisions that often involve emotional and intuitive aspects to AI”.

“None of the organizations I am currently involved in incorporates Artificial Intelligence as an established tool. Our use is more focused on experimentation, lacking a structured policy”.

“Organization boards should play a very important role, not only facilitating the adoption of tools but primarily regulating their use and mediating technology use within institutions”.

 

Rodrigo “Kiko” Afonso, Executive Director of Ação da Cidadania

“The concerns presented in the research are also my concerns as a leader of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Among the factors, what currently concerns me the most is the potential for biases, as this can indeed lead to wrong decisions. Currently, the algorithm can contribute to processing large volumes of data, but it can never replace people in making important decisions, as this involves cultural and social aspects that are subjective”.

“In Ação da Cidadania, we currently use AI for communication, running sponsored ads on platforms like Google or Facebook, and generating images, for example. We also see great potential for its use in fundraising, as it can help us better understand the profile of our donors and create strategies based on that knowledge”.

“Currently, NGOs in Brazil use AI very little. I believe that its use can generate positive results, but organizations must have clarity about the fundamentals of the technology. Otherwise, the risk of making biased and even disastrous decisions is high”.

“In Brazil, we are still poorly prepared to face emergencies. In the short term, I believe AI can contribute to identifying potential tragedies and warning populations that may be affected”.

 

ABOUT CAF 

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a group of three social organizations based in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, specializing in secure and effective international donations. Together, they work with companies and philanthropists to support them and ensure that money reaches the core causes of their private social investment strategies. In the UK, CAF also operates CAF Bank, offering dedicated banking services to support over 14,000 social organizations based in the UK. Through the CAF International network, it is present on all continents, with IDIS representing it in Latin America.

ABOUT IDIS

IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment is a civil society organization founded in 1999 and pioneer in technical support to social investors in Brazil. With the mission to inspire, support and promote strategic philanthropy and its impact, we serve individuals, families, companies, corporate and family run institutes and foundations, as well as with civil society organizations, in actions that transform realities and contribute for the reduction of social inequality in the country.

Brazil drops to 89th position and Indonesia retains top place in World Giving Index

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Around the world, 4.2 billion people helped someone they didn’t know, volunteered time or donated money to a good cause according to the Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index 2023.

For the sixth year in a row, the world’s most generous country is Indonesia. The second most generous country in the world is Ukraine, which is also the Index’s biggest riser this year, increasing its score after ranking tenth last year. Only three of the top 10 countries are among the world’s largest economies (Indonesia, United States, and Canada), while one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world – Liberia – is ranked in fourth highest place.

The CAF World Giving Index is one of the biggest surveys on giving ever produced, with millions of people interviewed around the world since 2009. This year’s Index includes data from 142 countries where people were asked three questions: have they helped a stranger, given money or volunteered for a good cause over the past month. As CAF official partner at Brazil, IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment is promoting and analysing the national data.

 

After being among the 20 most generous nations in the ranking, Brazil fell to position 89. There was a drop in all indicators, the most pronounced being donations to NGOs, which went from 41% to 26%. Helping strangers was practiced by 64% of respondents in 2022, also less than the 76% found on the previous year. Volunteering fell from 25% in 2021 to 21%. The average score stood at 37%. Although Brazil had better positions in the ranking in previous years, this was the country’s second highest score since the index’s launch in 2009.

According to Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, “The previous edition still reflected the impacts of the pandemic, when generosity was on the rise and the forms of participation, whether through donations or volunteering, were more evident. The drop in the coverage of these issues in the media, added to the impoverishment of the population and the climate of uncertainty and distrust common in election periods, contributed to a decrease in the population’s participation in the practice of donation”.

 

Fabiani considers that in the period there were also important movements in other countries, especially regarding the increase in donations, which led them to gain better positions.

New data available this year shows the factors that influence generosity around the world:

 

  • People who have a strong religious belief have a higher overall giving index score, except for Europe where it makes no difference.
  • People who rated their life in positive terms were more likely to have made a gift to charity, with some of the happiest countries in the world ranking in the top 10 for donating money (Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, and Iceland).
  • Immigrants are more likely to give than nationals, particularly in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Those who say they were born in another country tend to have a higher index score than nationals on average in most regions.

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said:

“The CAF World Giving Index gives us reasons for hopeful optimism at a time of great instability. Generosity is innate to human behaviour and binds us all together as a global community. The diversity of countries leading the index highlights this: they cover the spectrum of wealth and economic development, geography, language, religion and culture. Giving is about building a connection with those around us, whether they are across the street or on the other side of the world. That is why we are calling on governments to do more to encourage those who can, to give the money and time that fosters vibrant, resilient civil society organisations as they face into social and environmental challenges and the impact of conflict and population displacement.”

 

Top 10 countries in the CAF World Giving Index 2023

  1. Indonesia
  2. Ukraine
  3. Kenya
  4. Liberia
  5. United States of America
  6. Myanmar
  7. Kuwait
  8. Canada
  9. Nigeria
  10. New Zealand
  11. Brazil

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Notes to Editors

  1. For more information, please email media@cafonline.org
  2. The CAF World Giving Index is based on data from Gallup’s World View World Poll, which is an ongoing research project carried out in more than 100 countries. For detailed information on the World Poll methodology: http://www.gallup.com/poll/105226/world-poll-methodology.aspx

IDIS launches the second edition of the Endowment Performance Yearbook, analyzing data from 59 organizations

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The publication shows an increase in donations to endowments, as well as the growth of resources allocated to socio-environmental projects

In its second edition, the Endowment Performance Yearbook, a publication by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, and the Brazilian Endowment Coalition, had the participation of 59 endowments, constituting a sample almost 50% larger than the previous year, which had 40 respondents. The combined assets of the funds included in the survey are also substantially higher – BRL 13 billion in 2021 versus BRL 123 billion in 2022. The historical series covers data from 2019 to 2022, and the publication includes articles by experts that contribute to interpreting the findings.

The growth in the number of respondents provides an even more accurate picture of endowment in Brazil and reaffirms the Yearbook as a national reference for endowment managers.

“The first endowment legislation in Brazil dates from 2019. Since than, the topic is on the rise. As more endowments are created, the greater is the need for parameters and benchmarks. Our hope is that the Yearbook becomes an effective tool for decision-making and that the historical series contribute to an understanding of the evolution of endowment funds in Brazil”, comments Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

The sample analysis indicate that after a sharp decline in contributions to the funds in 2021, there´s been a recovery in donations received, nearly doubling the amount (R$ 174 million vs. R$ 330 million). However, donations continue to be highly concentrated in a few funds. In 2022, three funds recieved 64% of the total donation volume. In 2021, the top three attracted 53%.

Despite fluctuations in donations, the volume of redemptions made by the endowments increased over the period analyzed. It rose from R$ 158 million in 2019 to R$ 340 million in 2022, allocated to financing socio-environmental projects.

Education is the largest area of attraction for these endowments. From the perspective of the beneficiary organizations, over one-third (35%) are educational institutions. From the standpoint of the supported causes, 70% of funds with predefined causes claim to support Education in some way, with Science & Technology being the second most frequent cause. This is partly due to the large number of endowment funds associated with colleges and universities.

Brazilian endowments are still mostly executors, with 90% or more of their donations used for their own projects. More than half (51%) of the sample funds fall into this category.

The allocation of endowment funds’ investments remains heavily concentrated in fixed income assets, which have remained at around 70% (74% in 2020, 73% in 2021, and 75% in 2022). One possible interpretation is that the stable behavior of the managers is linked to the resource allocation rules contained in the investment policies.

The nominal return on endowment funds recovered in 2022 after a year of decline. This performance is common to all asset size categories. In the aggregated data, the average return in 2020 was 6.0%, followed by 3.4% in 2021 and 8.3% in 2022.

The first law that regulated endowment funds in Brazil dates back to 2019. Its sanction contributed to increasing the visibility of the mechanism and accelerated its adoption. Nevertheless, since compliance with the law is not mandatory, the number of funds that claim to follow the model established by Law 13,800/19 is still relatively low – 29% (17 out of the 59 participants) in the sample. The most frequent reason for non-compliance is that the funds were created before the law was enacted (33%). The other reasons mentioned by a larger number of managers are the high cost of maintaining two institutions (14%), lack of tax incentives for donations (12%), and complex governance (10%).

The sample analyzed showed that endowment funds tend to have well-structured governance. Almost all (90%) have a Board of Directors, with 72% of them having independent members. Seventy-one percent have Audit Committees, and 70% have Investment Committees.

Endowment fund managers still consider that the biggest challenge is fundraising, mentioned by nearly half of them (48%). Next are returns (17%) and consolidation of their own fund (14%).

Regarding the challenges faced by endowment managers, Supreme Court Justice Minister Luis Fux stated in the Yearbook’s preface: “Despite significant progress in consolidating endowment, financial difficulties cannot be disregarded in order to provide them with efficient management in the current scenario of successive economic crises. Their administrators, consequently, need reliable information to provide them with (i) the basis for making strategic decisions, (ii) risk control, (iii) attracting profitable investments, (iv) assessing the cost-benefit of new practices, (v) and establishing solid parameters for governance and transparency. In this context, the new edition of the Endowment Performance Yearbook is very timely.”

This is an initiative of IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and Brazilian Endowment Coalition. The publication is supported by 1618 Investimentos, ASA – Santo Agostinho Association, José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal Foundation, Pragma Gestão de Patrimônio, Santander Bank, Umane, and Wright Capital Wealth Management.

About IDIS and Brazilian Endowment Coalition

For over a decade, IDIS has been dedicated to promoting the advance of endowment funds in Brazil, leading the Brazilian Endowment Coalition. With over 100 members from different sectors, the initiative seeks to develop this model of financial sustainability for organizations and causes through advocacy.

Among the network’s achievements is the approval, in January 2019, of the regulation of the instrument through Law 13,800/19, known as the Endowment Funds Law. The coalition remains active in seeking improvements in the legislation on more specific issues. IDIS also provides advice for the implementation of endowments, participating in projects for Unicamp, Unesp, Ibram, MAR – Museu de Arte do Rio, ASA – Santo Agostinho Association, Hospital AC Camargo, among others.

Impact Assessment for Productive Inclusion: Methodologies, Challenges, and Limitations

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The practice of monitoring and evaluation can be an efficient tool for learning and decision-making in productive inclusion projects. By using evaluative methods, such as Social Return on Investment (SROI), it is possible to understand the social impact of projects and programs and make more informed decisions.

In the article titled ‘Impact Assessment for Productive Inclusion: Methodologies, Challenges, and Limitations’, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, and Denise Carvalho, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at IDIS, explore the main benefits, challenges, and limitations faced in the social impact assessment of productive inclusion projects and programs, as well as future trends and approaches.

The content of this article was published in the Revista Brasileira de Avaliação – Special Edition on Productive Inclusion, a publication that brings together a unique set of articles, experience reports, interviews, and essays discussing the evaluation of public and private policies for productive inclusion from various perspectives.

Coordinated by the Brazilian Evaluation Network with the support of the Arymax Foundation, in partnership with the Tide Setubal Foundation, this is a scientific publication aimed at fostering the discussion of evidence-based policies on interventions designed to address socio-economic inequalities in Brazil by generating employment and income for economically excluded individuals.

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Transforming Territories Seminar brings together over 30 community leaders from Brazil

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The Transforming Territories Seminar, held in September at São Paulo, aimed to foster peer learning among representatives of Community Foundations (CFs) that are participants of the Transforming Territories Program, an impact project conducted by IDIS in partnership with the C.S. Mott Foundation. With visits to supported projects, lectures, and training sessions, the seminar provided an opportunity to deepen the understanding of a fundamental theme: the transformative power of these organizations in Brazil. The meeting also included the participation of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum.

In its second edition, the event had the participation of over 60 individuals, including leaders of CFs, philanthropists, partners, and supporters committed to the cause.

“The three days were important for connections, benchmarking, and expanding perspectives, processes, and possibilities”, summarized one of the participants.

 

“The Seminar was very special, especially because it was highly interactive. I believe in this collective construction for Transforming Territories for the coming years”, commented another participant anonymously in the event evaluations.

 

Inspiration and Example: A Visit to Cacimba Institute

It is not possible to visit São Miguel Paulista, a periferic neighborhood on the east of the city of São Paulo, and don´t notice the impact of the projects supported by Cacimba Institute. The organization has been part of Transforming Territories program since 2020, and can be considered one of the pioneer CFs at São Paulo. Cacimba was established with the support of the program and built on the solid trust that community leader Hermes de Souza had in the region. Since then, Souza has been at the helm of the Institute. Emphasizing the importance of inspiring action, the visit marked the opening of the seminar.

Throughout the day, social projects supported by Cacimba in the region were showcased. Many of them received guidance from leader Hermes de Souza and are now supported by the Institute.

Learning and Training: a constant

In the afternoon, the group took part in the “Diversity and Human Rights” workshop, offered by Clara Serva, partner in the Business and Human Rights department of the law firm TozziniFreire, and Maria Paula Bonifácio Custódio, a lawyer in the same department.

Between the moments of sharing experiences and breaks, there were cultural dance performances by projects from the NUA Institute, led by local individuals.

On the second day of the Seminar, lectures and discussions highlighted the relevance and actions of CFs in their territories, and many experiences were shared. The meeting took place at the Comunitas headquarters, which provides institutional support to Transforming Territories.

Here are the highlights from the four panels that were part of the event.

Panel 1: GREAT IMPACT FROM SMALL DONATIONS: ENHANCING CHANGE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS

This panel featured speakers Elio Raymundo (President of the Network of Good Organizations), Thais Almeida (Executive Secretary of the Espraiada Institute), Alânia Cerqueira (Leader of the M’Boi Community Fund), and moderation by Pâmela Ribeiro (Coordinator of Special Projects at GIFE).

The panel brought new perspectives on how supporting small local initiatives can generate significant social and environmental transformations, highlighting the potential of funds dedicated to micro-projects and seed capital for community strengthening, especially in regions where resources are concentrated in large organizations.

Elio Raymundo, President of the Network of Good, which operates in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, emphasized how projects that receive small financial support can achieve “unexpected results” in local development. However, he stressed that this is only possible through trust in organizations and leaders who are change makers in their territorie.

Panel 2: STRENGTHENING BONDS: BUILDING SUSTAINABLES RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE TERRITORY

This panel featured speakers Hermes de Sousa (Director of the Cacimba Institute), Ana Paolo Vieira (Council Member of FUNDAES), Flávia Mota (President of the JEQUI Community Fund), and was moderated by Lúcia Dellagnelo (Ambassador of the Transforming Territories Program).

Starting from the need to create bonds, Hermes brought the issue of trust to the discussion to strengthen partnerships and build with the community. According to him, “self-trust leads to trust in others,” and this establishes the regeneration of trust. The key to sustainable relationships, based on his experience, is “engaging and working with the community, not for the community.” To achieve this goal, it is necessary to speak the same language and adapt the language in each space, even in the construction of calls for proposals, which the Cacimba Institute has made more inclusive by allowing submissions through videos and audio in addition to written formats.

Panel 3: UNITING FORCES: COLLABORATING WITH THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND BUSINESSES FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION

This panel featured speakers Eliane Macari (President of FEAV), Jair Resende (Superintendent at the FEAC Foundation), Célia Petit (President of the Manauara Association), and was moderated by Patrícia Loyola (Director of Social Investment and Management at Comunitas).

The partnership between foundations dedicated to neighboring cities – FEAV and FEAC for Valinhos and Campinas, respectively – also demonstrated the strength of collaboration in their areas of operation. As Jair Resende of FEAC shared, with more than 60 years of history, FEAC continues its mission to stimulate the social sector and has been supporting the development of FEAV by donating a century-old property to establish FEAV’s endowment fund. Mutual support is an example to be followed and demonstrates the power of community transformation in this territory.

Panel 4: UNITING FORCES: COMMUNITY PHILANTHROPY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

This panel featured speakers Diane Pereira (President of the Baixada Maranhense Community Institute), Gisele Ribeiro (President of the Redes da Maré Association), Willian Narzetti (Executive Manager of ICOM), and was moderated by Mônica de Roure (Vice President and Director of Institutional Relations at BrazilFoundation).

Regarding potential, Diane emphasized the need to be within the territory so that community philanthropy can understand the possibilities, people, and the land of a region in different situations. She believes that “considering there is potential when the river is full because it’s good for watering the plants, and when it’s empty, it’s good for moving cattle to other regions. It is necessary to think that development is about seeing abundance, not scarcity.” The representative from the Baixada Institute also stated that a network of people is needed not only to understand abundance but also to materialize social change.

On the third and final day, participants had the opportunity to take part in the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023. Learn more here.

Text produced by Alexandra Teles, Ana Beatriz Pedreira, and Leticia dos Santos, all from the IDIS team.

 

About Transforming Territories

The Transforming Territories Program is an initiative of IDIS – the Institute for the Development of Social Investment – in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, with a mission to promote the creation and strengthening of Community Foundations and Institutes in Brazil, with the engagement of donors and civil society, knowledge sharing, and technical support. BrazilFoundation and GIFE are institutional partners.

Community Foundations and Institutes have become an important institutional arrangement for social development and addressing the various demands of territories, whether they are neighborhoods, cities, or regions, with a long-term vision and seeking systemic impact for the development of the region. They play a central role in connecting social organizations and initiatives with donors, civil society, and the government, promoting transparency and engagement. These organizations act as grantmakers, financing projects and social initiatives in multiple causes to address the demands and priorities of the region, and they strengthen the third sector in the region through capacity building and technical support, invest in knowledge production, and promote a culture of giving in the territory where they operate.

Currently, the Transforming Territories Program consists of 17 community foundations and institutes from various regions of Brazil, located in 10 states.

Evolving Mindsets: Highlights from the 2023 Global Philanthropy Forum

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Following the tradition, San Francisco was the set for the Global Philanthropy Forum 2023, attracting approximately 250 participants from around the world. The event  featured 86 speakers over two and a half days of intensive programming. The Brazilian delegation, led by IDIS, brought together 13 members from different organizations.

The event’s discussions addressed topics such as the power dynamics between donors and beneficiaries, the decolonization of philanthropy, unrestricted donations, as well as issues related to diversity, humanitarian aid, and the correlation between socio-economic vulnerabilities and the impacts of climate change.

The welcome session included Philip Yun, President, and CEO of the World Affairs/Global Philanthropy Forum, and Gloria Duffy, President, and CEO of the Commonwealth Club of California, who announced the merger of the organizations. IDIS was mentioned during the speech, highlighting its long-lasting and relevant partnership in international philanthropy, with the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum being one of the largest representatives of the event outside the United States.

In the panel titled Big dollars, big impact: what makes big bets effective?, funders and CEOs discussed what was essential for their organizations to achieve the scale and impact expected from substantial and unrestricted philanthropic resources. The conversation emphasized the need to structure organizations to receive and manage these resources, addressing a theme that emerged prominently during the event: governance.

The panel Embracing accountability to amplify community voices focused on the accountability of philanthropists. It was highlighted that if the executives of organizations are more concerned with what the board thinks than with what the beneficiaries think of their decisions, there is no accountability.

The issue of the limited diversity in the profiles of board members of donor organizations was also raised. This is seen as one of the obstacles to building trust relationships with resource-receiving organizations and beneficiary communities. “For centuries, we have valued our volunteer board members without questioning whether they are truly serving our organizations and purposes. We love our volunteers, but maybe we need to reevaluate this model”, noted one of the participants.

In the session Capacity over cash (aces in their places): Using corporate strengths to rethink emergency response, it was mentioned that 60% of in-kind donations (goods, services, and non-cash transactions) in the first two weeks after a shock are inadequate and do not meet the needs of affected communities. Additionally, 70% of donated disaster resources are lost in the delivery chain, with only 30% reaching the final beneficiaries. The session that addressed these numbers was enlightening, emphasizing the importance of organizations having competent and coordinated local partners.

The theme of unrestricted resources was explored in various sessions, along with the challenge of being accountable for the unrestricted resources received, aligned with trust-based philanthropy. The use of technology for data generation, project monitoring, and scalability was also a recurring theme, with a dedicated session to explore the role of philanthropy in supporting the development of responsible, secure, and ethical Generative Artificial Intelligence tools.

Another session discussed the importance of government involvement in the effectiveness and scalability of projects. During the discussion on government partnerships, challenges were highlighted, such as the difference in pace compared to philanthropic organizations and the reputational risk associated with such collaborations.

“Participating in the Global Philanthropy Forum 2023 was an enriching experience that allowed us to connect with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds. We firmly believe that the conversations and connections established at the event have the potential to generate transformative partnerships,” commented Andrea Hanai and Guilherme Sylos, both from IDIS.

Brazil at GPF

Led by Andrea Hanai, Project Manager at IDIS, and Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships, the GPF delegation included Carla Duprat (ICE), Caroline Almeida and Giovanni Harvey (Baobá Fund for Racial Equity), Cristiane Sultani (Beja Institute), Fernanda Quintas and Livia Magro (Liga Solidária), Marco Camargo (Vetor Brasil), Maria Amália Souza (Casa Fund), Marisa Ohashi (Alana Institute),  and Raphael Mayer (Simbi).

As event partners, IDIS annually organizes the delegation, strengthening the relationship among participants and with the global philanthropic community. Interested in participating? Contact us. The next GPF has not yet been scheduled but will be announced to our community as soon as it is.

IDIS is featured in articles from Alliance Magazine

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Alliance Magazine, a media partner of IDIS and one of the world’s foremost philanthropic media outlets, showcased several recent initiatives and content from IDIS.

They spotlighted key moments from the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023, a significant event for Brazilian social investors organized by IDIS in September. In an article titled ‘Territorial Community Alliances: From the Environment to Human Rights’, Kit Muirhead discussed one of the forum’s sessions: ‘Unlikely Alliances: Bold Advocacy for Causes and Territories’.

The magazine also featured two articles authored by IDIS team members, each focusing on different discussions from the event. ‘Family philanthropy: addressing invisible causes’ by Isadora Pagy and ‘More than ever, boldness is needed to fight poverty!’ by Joana Noffs, both Project Analysts at IDIS.

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, an annual event hosted by IDIS, brings together leaders from philanthropy, the private sector, and the government to address Brazil’s most pressing social challenges and explore innovative solutions. You can access the full event recording here:

In another article addressing the growth of individual donations in Brazil, IDIS and the recent Brazil Giving Research were referenced. The article, titled ‘New Report Details 2022 Giving Trends in Brazil,’ highlighted key findings, including the increase in the percentage of Brazilians donating (aged over 18 with family income above one minimum wage) from 66% in 2020 to 84% in 2022.

Review the main Brazil Giving Research 2022 results:

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Finally, Alliance also showcased the cover story of the WINGS Forum 2023, titled ‘The Transformation Driven by the Ubuntu Spirit’, authored by Luisa Lima, Communication and Knowledge Manager at IDIS, who was part of the Brazilian delegation at the event.

WINGS Forum 2023: The Transformation Driven by the Ubuntu Spirit

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The triennial meeting of WINGS – Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support took place in Nairobi, Kenya, in October. Guided by the theme TRANSFORMATION, participants from 45 countries reflected on how to unlock the potential of philanthropy. Representing IDIS, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS and member of the board of WINGS, and myself, Luisa Lima, responsible for the communication and knowledge area, and for the first time participating in the meeting. In all, the Brazilian delegation had 15 representatives.

The opening plenary set the tone for the event: ‘Existential Challenges and Shared Futures: Rediscovering the Role of Philanthropy’. The Brazilian indigenous activist Txai Suruí, shared the wisdom of her people – we are all nature and just protecting is not enough, we must give back everything we receive. He said that the future is ancestral – in our cultures there are many of the answers we seek that may have been lost or not valued – and the statement was quoted by many people throughout the event. The Englishman of Indian descent, Indy Joha, used numbers and data to show how we are not realizing the scale of our problems, or we don’t want to realize them, after all, each one of us is also responsible for them. Estonian philanthropist Jaan Tallinn highlighted the role of business in philanthropy and his personal journey – he is the founder of Skype, Kazaa and the Centre for Existential Risk Studies at the University of Cambridge. In his speech, a positive look at the use of artificial intelligence, which in his opinion can bring great benefits to society if there is investment. Rena Kawasaki, a young Japanese woman, said that at the age of sixteen she was invited to join the board of a biotechnology company. The experience changed his life and involving young people in decision-making about solving the challenges that will impact their future became his cause. The message was that it is possible and necessary to transform our development model and that the strength is when we do it together.

 

Over the course of three days, some topics stood out in the conversations and at times, the term of African origin, Ubuntu, which means ‘I am what I am, because we are all of us’, was mentioned. We are all connected, and in our philanthropic practices this understanding, this assumption, can guide everything we do. Also connected are the challenges we must face – poverty, inequalities in general, and gender and race inequalities with their specificities, education, health, climate emergencies, and many others, which together configure the polycrisis, another very present theme. Among other highlights, the importance of leadership development and youth involvement, community foundations as a model that privileges local solutions, the importance of decolonizing philanthropy, investing in the sector’s infrastructure and institutional development, and the potential of alternative financing models such as blended finance or venture philanthropy to leverage philanthropic capital.

 

In the plenary sessions, there was a debate on the role of councils, a topic on which there is relatively little reflection, even though governance is so often mentioned by organizations. The Brazilian Rodrigo Pipponzi, founder of the MOL Group, and chairman of the board of the ACP Institute, shared his vision and the importance of clarity about the role of each of the instances. In a debate with philanthropists, the Indian Vidya Shah highlighted the importance of business commitment to sustainable practices (looking inward) and the importance of investing not only in causes, but in the institutional development of organizations. The Austrian Marlene Engelhorn told of her campaign for the taxation of large fortunes, herself representing a very wealthy family. In his opinion, this is an important starting point for reducing inequalities.

Among the speakers and participants, there were many representatives from the African continent, who contributed to a better understanding of the specificities of the region. Quite dependent on international philanthropic capital, there have been debates about how they expect this support to happen, with greater independence for the creation of local solutions, and not purely the implementation of Western projects, which may be faster, but which sometimes do not involve communities, generate externalities and sometimes repeat a colonialist logic. The importance of broadening the debate and practice of trust-based philanthropy has appeared in many moments. As a Brazilian, it was particularly special, because I could see how some practices and customs are also foundational to who we are, brought hundreds of years ago by men and women who were enslaved. I was struck by how models cited by Africans resemble the models of the Black Brotherhoods, in colonial Brazil, for example.

The multicultural, diverse environment, with people from such different backgrounds, contributed to the richness of the conversations. The spaces in the program for networking and working groups allowed the exchange of experiences on specific topics. In a session on the production and use of data, for example, we shared experiences. A participant from a human rights organization drew attention to how their data that is collected to protect populations, if not stored carefully, can be demanded in times of crisis, and be used against the populations it was intended to protect. Representatives of African countries, in turn, drew attention to the difficulty of disseminating the findings, since many governments consider only the data produced by public bodies to be official. The best use and analysis of existing data was also mentioned, as well as the importance of training organizations to understand how to read data and use it to their advantage.

Transformation is the result of the action of each one of us and the feeling is that everyone came out energized and imbued with this duty. In line with the theme of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023, BOLDNESS was one of the watchwords. We must be more ambitious and take risks. It is urgent to act and for that, we will catalyze the power of this and so many other networks, which bring power in their constitution. Let’s create the future we want!

‘Change requires courage’: More than ever, boldness is needed to fight poverty!

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By Joana Noffs | Project Analyst at IDIS

In 2021, Brazil surpassed the mark of 63 million people living in poverty, while 33 million people faced hunger, according to data from IBGE and a survey conducted by the Vox Populi Institute. At the same time, a portion corresponding to 50% of the Brazilian population held only 0.4% of the country’s wealth in financial and non-financial assets, according to data from the World Inequality Lab, also from 2021.

Inequality was exacerbated by the global pandemic as well. As evidenced in a report by Oxfam, between 2020 and 2022, the wealthiest 1% of the world concentrated nearly two-thirds of all wealth generated during that period, totaling approximately $42 trillion. Extreme economic inequality is also related to environmental, racial, and gender issues, highlighting the urgency of bold and creative actions to address the social and institutional vulnerabilities that afflict not only Brazil but also unfold into a concerning global reality.

The panel that concluded the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023, titled “More than ever, boldness is needed to fight poverty!”, precisely addressed and discussed this challenging scenario. The lecture was moderated by IDIS CEO Paula Fabiani and featured guests Gilson Rodrigues, president of the G10 Favelas, Jean Jereissati, CEO of Ambev, and Nivedita Narain, CEO of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) India. The speakers presented possible paths and experiences that, driven by audacity, have proven to be significant in shaping a less unequal future.

Gilson Rodrigues began his participation in the panel by emphasizing the theme of audacity that guided the 2023 Forum. He highlighted that despite the recent increase in income inequality and deepening social disparities in the country, Brazilian favelas and peripheral areas should not be defined through a lens of scarcity, as this only exacerbates their marginalization.

To combat the stigma and foster a positive view of Brazilian favelas, Gilson is one of the voices that bring inspiring stories from contexts of adversity, demonstrating that favelas are also places of great knowledge. The G10 das favelas has underscored the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve necessary changes. He argues that for social investment to be effective in combating poverty, it must ensure the generation of opportunities while addressing issues such as hunger and lack of access to basic services.

“We genuinely believe that we need to create solutions based on this reality so that the favela can thrive and not solely depend on these [donations]. (…) We have been striving to create solutions that positively impact society and enable people to have work and income for their development, but also the choice of what they want to eat,” pointed out Gilson.

To achieve this, according to his leadership, social investment in favelas should always start with an approach that strengthens the autonomy of residents and their territories, thereby ensuring the financial sustainability of projects with the potential to transform structural inequalities.

Drawing from his experience in the private sector, Jean Jereissati, CEO of Ambev, highlighted in his speech the successful initiatives that the company has also been developing with the aim of contributing to these same challenges. Faced with the increasingly severe challenges posed by climate change, which also accelerate key factors in maintaining inequality, such as food scarcity, population displacement, and pollution, Ambev aims to make its production chain ‘carbon-neutral’ in the coming years and emphasizes the importance of consistency in mitigating negative environmental impacts. As Jereissati reminds us about the prospects for private social investment in the country, taking risks and daring is necessary for us to achieve urgently needed results.

“If you want to maintain the status quo, you can take fewer risks, but if you want to bring about change, you need to dare. In Brazil, we need to dare to achieve sustainable philanthropy,” emphasized the CEO of the company.

Beyond its commitment to sustainability, which, in the speaker’s view, should now be seen as an obligation, the beverage industry giant has sought to utilize a key characteristic of its activities to generate social transformation: its reach. Being present from ‘corn harvesting to the bartender at the bar,’ this characteristic allows Ambev to operate consistently in various fronts. With Bora, for example, the company has aimed to train entrepreneurs and connect them through its network, fostering productive inclusion. On the other hand, VOA is a volunteer program by the company that seeks to disseminate the knowledge and management expertise its employees possess for third-sector initiatives, promoting a more mature ecosystem of social impact. Finally, among the initiatives mentioned during the event, we also highlight AMA water, a social product of Ambev whose profits are reinvested to ensure access to clean drinking water for Brazilians in water-scarce regions.

Lastly, Nivedita Narain, CEO of CAF India, reminded us of the courage required to take strategic and planned actions in the pursuit of a more equitable society.

“When you talk about audacity, I think of courage,” shared Nivedita Narain.

She has been at the forefront of initiatives in her country that have placed organized civil society as a key player in addressing poverty and gender violence. Reflecting recent trends in philanthropy around the world, Narain explains that in the 21st century, there has been a shift in the course of private donations, which have become more directed towards governments, resulting in a decrease in the involvement of civil society organizations in this process. Echoing what Gilson mentioned, she emphasizes the importance of community organizations being heard and playing active roles in building coordinated policies between government, the third sector, and private investment.

During her presentation, the Indian leader provided a solid example of how such coordinated action can have its initial spark from local movements and scale up to successful public policy, based on an initiative in India that began by providing banking credit to economically vulnerable women in the 1990s, which led to the increased political representation of female leaders and a decrease in domestic violence. Importantly, Nivedita pointed out that when discussing the role of philanthropy in combating poverty in a broader framework, especially when addressing the Global South, we cannot forget to look at the issue through the lens of gender.

“We need a lot of courage for women; change requires courage, it doesn’t happen easily. The way change happens is when, in the community, women seek out and conquer that space, as it’s not given to us.”

Thus, Narain leaves us with the lesson of the need to consider factors like community participation and gender when reflecting on local development and in order to achieve the goals of the 2030 agenda.

Closing the panel, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, thanked the attendees and supporters of the event, reminding us of the importance of coordinated actions among government, the third sector, and businesses to combat inequalities. Celebrating the audacity of the initiatives presented during the discussion,

“First, we need to convince others that it’s possible,” Fabiani stated.

She emphasized that dreaming is a necessary act for us to be capable of achieving social change.

— The IDIS team thanks everyone for their participation!

Want to learn more? Watch the full session:

The role of family philanthropy in addressing invisible causes

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By Isadora Pagy, Project Analyst at IDIS

When we talk about philanthropy, it is common to think of donations made for causes like education, healthcare, and hunger relief. The first image that often comes to mind is that of vulnerable children in need of help. It’s no wonder that children’s causes received the most donations in 2022, representing 46% of donations made in the past year, according to Brazil Giving Research 2022 coordinated by IDIS.

Despite the great importance and urgency of such issues, others end up receiving less attention, becoming overlooked causes. This underscores the need for us to be bold in bringing visibility to and prioritizing these topics, regions, and organizations. This is especially true when it comes to family philanthropy, which has become increasingly strategic, going beyond isolated or charitable actions, and holding great potential for transformation.

Such boldness was the overarching theme of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023, which took place on September 14th. During the event, a session was held to discuss precisely Family Philanthropy and addressing invisible causes, featuring the presence of Ilana Minev, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Bemol, Luciana Temer, CEO of Instituto Liberta and a board member of the Movimento Bem Maior, Philippine Vernes, Senior Manager of International Partnerships at CAF, and as the moderator, Luciano Cerqueira, Project Coordinator at Samambaia Filantropias.

During the conversation, Luciana Temer, who works to raise awareness about combating child sexual abuse as the director at Instituto Liberta, commented on how many investors and companies lack interest in investing in this cause because they consider it “an ugly issue.” In other words, they do not want to associate their brand with the cause. This raises a discussion about social washing and the tendency to invest only in issues that are “trendy” in order to enhance brand value in the eyes of consumers and potential investors.

Temer compares the issue to the fight against violence against women, which was also not discussed because it was considered a matter to be dealt with privately, as the saying goes, “you shouldn’t meddle in a husband and wife’s quarrel.” She emphasizes that this mindset should be challenged and that child sexual abuse, like violence against women, “occurs within families, is silenced, and exists in all social classes.”

Despite their importance, these overlooked causes are often considered residual and non-structural, which is once again used as a justification for not taking these issues seriously and strategically. This creates a greater difficulty in engaging partners, requiring boldness to address such socio-environmental issues.

In addition to Luciana Temer’s cause, there are other equally overlooked ones. Ilana Minev works on socio-environmental issues in the Amazon region and discusses the challenges and unique aspects of working in this region. She mentions that “when you work alone, you have limitations in terms of resources, time, and engagement,” emphasizing the importance of collaborative work, one of the pillars of her approach, by cooperating with other organizations also operating in the region.

Minev emphasizes another specific characteristic of the territory, stating that “most people have a helicopter view of the Amazon. They look through the treetops and see everything as green and rivers. But it’s necessary to descend and delve into the roots and look at the 25 million people who live there and seek prosperity”. She speaks of the potential that the region holds and the importance of working in-depth, once again combatting social washing.

When it comes to territory, Luciano Cerqueira highlights another obstacle that the country faced in the past, which was the perception of funders and international organizations towards Brazil as a whole, not just the Amazon. He comments on how Brazil was seen as a rich yet unequal country, with the means to finance social causes, which led to the departure of major international funders in 2004. Luciano discusses how this perception has changed and how international organizations have started to see new partnership possibilities with Brazil, bringing a positive outlook for Brazilian organizations.

Despite the challenges raised, there are opportunities for family philanthropy to become increasingly strategic. Philippine Vernes, representing CAF, a century-old British philanthropy organization, discusses the intergenerational aspect and the transfer of wealth to future generations, which opens doors to new themes, ways of giving, and strengthening the third sector.

Therefore, there is a need to focus on institutional strengthening of organizations, looking at governance and resource mobilization. This way, private social investment can be powerful, long-lasting, collaborative, and contribute to various social causes and territories across the country, bringing visibility to all.

Check out the full session.

“Onè”, Philanthropists, “Respè”, boldly, was the call of the opening session of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023

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On Thursday, September 14th, IDIS hosted another edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum. Highlighting the theme of ‘boldness’, the event took place in São Paulo and saw the participation of representatives from various sectors in Brazil and around the world, focused on discussing how we can advance Brazilian Private Social Investment. In addition to the in-person event, the program was livestreamed, reaching approximately 1,900 people across the country throughout the day.

The first panel heated up the discussions by addressing the overall theme of the event, ‘Boldness: a cross-cutting element for transformative, diverse, and inclusive impact’, and featured prominent members: Eduardo Saron, President of the Itaú Foundation, Geyze Diniz, Co-Founder of the Pact Against Hunger, Guerda Nicolas, Co-Founder of the Ayiti Community Trust, and Rodrigo Pipponzi, President of the Board of the MOL Group, who also served as the panel moderator.

It is evident that the social sector, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, is vibrant and more active than ever. However, even though there are already numerous successful social interventions, do the magnitude and seriousness of current problems demand more boldness in our actions?

Seeking to initiate discussions around these questions, the opening panel of the Forum presented provocations from those who are not in their comfort zone and have dared in philanthropy.

What is boldness, after all? In his opening remarks, the moderator, Rodrigo Pipponzi, highlighted that:

“Perhaps boldness lies in a place where we do more and think a little less, responsibly, of course, but prioritize practice and experience to seek the innovation we need in the field”.

And that’s what the speakers brought with their examples.

On the other hand, Geyze Diniz presented the Pact Against Hunger, launched last year and co-created by her and 40 other individuals.

“It was due to the discontent of being a rich country, producing food, exporting food, having the resources, but at the same time, we have 33 million Brazilians who go hungry every day, and on top of that, we waste eight times what would be enough to feed this population”.

 

Undoubtedly, it is a bold initiative by Geyze and her colleagues, who have the goal of eliminating hunger in the country by 2030 and ensuring good nutrition for everyone by 2040. The Pact Against Hunger sought to differentiate itself from other organizations by promoting synergies among initiatives from the third sector, the private sector, and the public sector. Today, in partnership with UNESCO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Pact Against Hunger awards initiatives to bring visibility to ongoing projects.

Eduardo Saron from the Itaú Foundation emphasized the need to look at our reality and our data.

“For example, every day, a ‘Canada’ worth of students goes to Brazilian public schools. There are 35 million children from preschool to high school attending public schools. ‘A Mato Grosso’ (Brazilian state with approximately 3 million inhabitants) worth of teachers receives these students. These numbers are fantastic and very powerful”.

However, Brazil has low levels of educational quality and is progressing slowly to reverse this situation. It is urgent, then, that we adopt differentiated and transformative measures. That’s why boldness is crucial.

Coming directly from Haiti, Guerda Nicolas captivated the audience by explaining that when people meet in Haiti, it is customary for one person to say “Onè,” and the other responds with “Respè”; this is a greeting that signifies honor and respect. It is precisely with honor and respect that the Ayiti Community Trust (ACT) has been a force for transformation and is a pioneer in leveraging and empowering local people. ACT promotes a model of sustainable funding, enabling long-term planning and thus setting itself apart from traditional organizations in the country. Most importantly, ACT seeks to promote the potential of Haitian communities, giving voice to the locals and fostering a culture of ownership and pride, allowing them to chart their own paths and take control of their narratives:

“ACT believes that we can create our own ideas, and isn’t that bold? (…) We are building trust within communities. It’s a trust that black nations can lead, and that individuals can trust a black individual with millions of dollars and believe that we can truly deliver something”.

In common, the three panelists emphasized the importance of listening to everyone, considering and respecting various forms of knowledge, and looking at the potential of local communities. It is crucial to promote a participatory management model, prioritizing synergy among various individuals and sectors. Being bold means addressing critical issues related to education and hunger, for example, as everyone’s problem, never losing hope that they can be solved, and above all, daring to trust local strengths by bringing them to the center of their own decisions.

 

Want to learn more? Watch the full session:

With solidarity on the rise, individual donations to Brazilian NGOs total BRL 12.8 billion ($2.6 billion) in 2022

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Promoted by IDIS –Institute for the Development of Social Investment, the Brazil Giving Research is the broadest study on individual donation in the country. In its third edition, it features a special chapter on the Generation Z

Donating is becoming increasingly popular in Brazil. In 2022, 84% of Brazilians over the age of 18 and with a family income above one minimum wage (approximately $270), made at least one type of donation, be it money, goods, or time, in the form of volunteering. Two years earlier, the average was 66%. Donating directly to NGOs and socio-environmental projects was practiced by 36% of respondents, remaining stable despite the socio-economic crisis faced by the country. These findings are part of the third edition of the Brazil Giving Research, an initiative of IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and carried out by the Ipsos research institute.

The Research also explores the volume of resources. The median of donations reached BRL 300. It was BRL 240 in 2015 and BRL 200 in 2020. The growth was driven by higher donations over the last year. For comparison, in 2021, according to the Brazilian Benchmarking of Corporate Social Investment (BISC), the amount allocated to organizations and causes of public interest by the 324 participating companies and 17 institutes was BRL 4.1 billion ($833 billion).“Brazil is a country with many inequalities and the practice of donation is a fundamental aspect of our society. In the Brazil Giving Research, we set out to understand who the donors are, what are their motivations, what is their perception of NGOs, and what are the barriers presented by non-donors. This year, we also looked at Generation Z, the donors of the future. This is important data that helps us to strengthen the giving culture,” says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

 

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WHAT IS THE DESTINATION OF MONETARY DONATIONS?

Among the respondents, 48% said they would make some kind of monetary donation in 2022. The figure is 7 points higher than that found in 2020 and equivalent to the 2015 level (52%). Part of these funds went to NGOs, socio-environmental projects, or social campaigns, with 36% of the population making what we call institutional donations. Interestingly, however, there was a significant increase in the percentage of people who reported donating alms, rising from 6% in 2020 to 16% in 2022. This growth is in line with the increase (from 1% in 2020 to 10%) in institutional donations to organizations and projects that serve homeless people, showing the heightened sensitivity to the cause.

The Research’s figures are also a social portrait of Brazil, whose homeless population exceeded 281,000 in 2022. This means an increase of 38% over the previous three years and most of this is due to the impoverishment of the population, a consequence of the economic crisis that is plaguing the country.

 

PERCEPTION ABOUT NGOs

In 2020, with NGOs playing a leading role during the pandemic, there was a significant improvement in public opinion about civil society organizations. Two years later, the data shows a considerable downturn, but even more positive than the picture in 2015.

The biggest setbacks appear in questions relating to trust in third-sector organizations. For the statement “NGOs make it clear what they do with the resources they invest”, there was a 14-percentage point drop in agreement (from 45% to 31%); and for “Most NGOs are trustworthy”, there was a 10 percent point drop (from 41% to 31%).

“The findings begin to make it clearer which effects of the pandemic are short-lived, and which are here to stay. The image of the work carried out by the Third Sector is still quite volatile and prone to following the social context. It’s important that the sectors collaborate to strengthen the perception and engagement of society in general,” says Luisa Lima, Communications and Knowledge Manager at IDIS.

On the other hand, Generation Z, youth aged between 18 and 27 years old, are much more optimistic and positive about NGOs in all respects. The difference with the general population is especially large when it comes to the statement that ‘NGOs bring benefits to those who really need them’ (74% among Generation Z against 58% of the general population). In statements such as ‘NGOs make it clear what they do with the resources’ and ‘Most NGOs are trustworthy’, Generation Z’s agreement is around 39%, which, even though it is higher than in the general population, is still a point of attention.

 

SOCIAL CIRCLE OR DIGITAL MEDIA: WHICH ONE INFLUENCES THE DONATION THE MOST?

This edition includes a question about the main drivers of donation practices. We asked the institutional donors to choose the three most important to them from a list of possibilities. The responses showed that social interaction in religious settings and communities has the greatest power to influence a donor, followed by family, neighbors, and friends. Meanwhile, social media and digital influencers came fourth with 17%. Among Generation Z, the value of the reach of digital media and influencers grows to 25% of donors.

When asked which social media influences them to donate, both among institutional donors from the general population and from Generation Z, the most common mention was Instagram (85% and 89% respectively), followed by Facebook (33% and 37% respectively),. After the top two, we have the most significant changes: while the general population considers YouTube and WhatsApp (both with 13%) to be among their other biggest influences, Generation Z, third and fourth place goes to TikTok and YouTube. In this group, WhatsApp appears with only 4% of responses, behind Twitter. In both cases, LinkedIn was the least mentioned network.

 

CITIZENSHIP ACTION BY BRANDS AND COMPANIES

We sought to understand how the perception of the reputation of brands and companies influences consumer decisions. The result shows that people punish companies and brands that behave inappropriately (77%) much more than they reward those that adopt good social investment practices (44%). This impact is even greater among institutional donors – 85% and 49% respectively.

 

GENERATION Z: HOW DO YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 18 AND 27 DONATE?

As with the general population, the data on Generation Z shows that they are also donating more. Meanwhile, in 2020, 63% of them said they had made some kind of donation, and in 2022 the figure reached 84%, matching the national average. The highlights of donations in this section are mainly donors of goods (76%) and voluntary work (30%). When it comes to donating money to NGOs and socio-environmental projects, young people are 9 points below the general average, at 27% compared to 36% – a natural phenomenon, since the availability of money at these ages is sometimes lower than when compared to older people. On the other hand, they also tend to have a more positive view of donations and NGOs.

The Research also shows that young people who donate also tend to promote or contribute in some way to fundraising or mobilization campaigns to help other people. This was confirmed by 7 out of 10 young donors in 2022, and 20% of them say they have done it more than once.

When it comes to causes, actions related to children, health, and the fight against hunger are the most popular among Brazilians, and this is also true among young people. However, the ranking still shows a difference between Generation Z donors and the general population. Young people are more sensitive to homeless people, showing a willingness to take on more visible issues with more immediate impacts. The animal cause also has more supporters among Generation Z than in the population as a whole.

 

OUTLOOK 2023

In general, there is an optimistic outlook regarding the growth in donation practices. Among institutional donors, 45% say they will donate more the following year. In the previous edition, this percentage was 36%. The same movement appears among Generation Z donors: 52% say they are willing to donate more. It is also positive that 93% of non-donors said they could start donating, a big change from 2020 when only 57% were willing to do so. The trigger for the change in attitude, however, was mixed. 28% said they would donate if they had more money, 13% said they would like to know how the money is being used and 12% wanted to meet an NGO they trust.

 

METHODOLOGY

The 2022 Brazil Giving Research was carried out between May 3 and June 13, 2023, using a quantitative approach, with 1,508 telephone interviews. The sample is representative of the national scenario and the margin of error is 2.5 percentage points up or down.

Participants’ profile

– Men and women

– Class: ABC

– Age: over 18 years old

– Family income greater than 1 minimum wage

 

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORTERS

The 2022 Brazil Giving Research is an initiative of IDIS Institute for the Development of Social Investment and CAF – Charities Aid Foundation. Ipsos was responsible for carrying out the research and Instituto Beja, Movimento Bem Maior, Raízen, Instituto ACP, Instituto Galo da Manhã, Instituto MOL, Doare, and Instituto Phi, were the financial supporters. Philanthropists Luis Stuhlberger and Teresa Bracher also contributed.

 

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Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023: the importance of boldness for the evolution of philanthropy

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On September 14th, the 12th edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum took place in São Paulo. Organized by IDIS – the Institute for the Development of Social Investment, the event aims to accelerate solutions through connections and promote philanthropy in the country.

With the theme of BOLDNESS, the sessions covered topics such as ESG, territorial transformation, impact assessment, endowment funds, and much more. Throughout the day, more than 40 speakers from Brazil and abroad participated. There were 265 guests in attendance, and the live broadcast received over 1,800 views.

There were 13 sessions in 10 hours of programming, featuring 43 speakers. Notable names included Armínio Fraga (Philanthropist and former President of the Central Bank), Braulina Baniwa (Director of the National Articulation of Indigenous Women Warriors of Ancestry), Eduardo Saron (President of the Itaú Foundation), Gelson Henrique (Executive Coordinator of the PIPA Initiative), Geyze Diniz (Co-founder of the Pact Against Hunger), Gilson Rodrigues (President of G10 Favelas), Jean Jereissati (CEO of AMBEV), Luciana Temer (CEO of the Liberta Institute), Priscila Cruz (Executive President of Todos pela Educação), Roberto Sallouti (CEO and board member of BTG Pactual), Rodrigo Mendes (Founder of the Rodrigo Mendes Institute), as well as international guests such as Guerda Nicolas (Co-founder of Ayiti Community Trust) and Nivedita Narain (CEO of CAF India).

After an exciting opening featuring Favela Music artists, the opening panel ‘Boldness: a cross-cutting element for transformative, diverse, and inclusive impact’ set the tone for the event right away, which throughout the program brought different perspectives to the need for bold actions in Private Social Investment to address our socio-environmental challenges.

Next, in the plenary session ‘Family philanthropy: addressing invisible causes’, examples of individuals who dare to invest their resources in neglected causes, territories, and organizations, sometimes controversial in the eyes of the general public, were discussed, and how this contributes to fostering a culture of giving.

Another panel brought a discussion about a less explored topic: mistakes. It is common for us to seek inspiration only from successful cases, but the panel ‘Learning from mistakes: stories of those who took risks and didn’t succeed on the first try’ showed how looking at what didn’t go as expected can be equally inspiring.

The program also featured the participation of the 2022 winners of the ‘Social Entrepreneurship Award’ from Folha de S. Paulo and the Schwab Foundation, who were able to present their initiatives and purposes of action. The panel was moderated by Eliane Trindade, editor of the Award.

Next, Sir Ronald Cohen, considered one of the gurus of Impact Investing, participated via video, delivering an inspiring and powerful message about what he calls the Impact Revolution, encouraging everyone to do things differently and take risks to generate effective transformations. Check it out.

Fueled by the call, the next panel, ‘The boldness of philanthropy in the ESG Agenda’, brought the corporate perspective on the topic. In a scenario where the ESG agenda is advancing rapidly, it is important for companies to engage in Private Social Investment with a long-term vision and a clear understanding of the contributions of ISP to their sustainability strategy.

After the morning program concluded, the guests participated in a cocktail followed by a thematic lunch: each table had a host who proposed a conversation topic. Participants could choose from 18 options and delve into reflections on various issues.

Upon returning from lunch, Carla Reis, Head of the Department of the Industrial and Service Complex of Health in the area of Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade at BNDES, presented the ‘Together for Health’ program and showed how, through a matchfunding model, the bank is combining public and philanthropic capital to strengthen public health in the North and Northeast of Brazil.

The interview in the traditional ‘In Conversation with…’ session was with Armínio Fraga, a philanthropist, founder of Gávea Investimentos, and former president of the Central Bank. He explained the reasons that led him to Private Social Investment and talked about the projects he is currently involved in.

Next, Rhodris Davies, in a video appearance as well, offered reflections on Artificial Intelligence. As the world and organizations discover how AI can be useful (or not) to society, how can NGOs and funders, instead of adopting it passively, take the lead in demonstrating how AI can be used to promote positive changes in society? Watch the video.

Another topic of discussion at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023 was the need for a careful look at territories, their uniqueness and knowledge, and how this enhances actions in various themes, amplifying silenced voices and building a more promising future for all. This theme was explored in depth in the session ‘Unlikely Alliances: Boldness in the Defense of Causes and Territories’.

The panel ‘Shifting perspectives: from reporting to evidence-based management’, in turn, discussed how the growing demand for effective results and performance improvement has driven organizations to abandon traditional data collection and presentation practices in favor of more dynamic and evidence-based impact assessment approaches. Guests shared the experiences of organizations that have successfully made this transition.

In the panel ‘Funding models: calculated risks for transformative return’ the debate revolved around increasingly innovative financing alternatives, aiming for socio-environmental impact.

Closing the day’s program, in the concluding plenary ‘More than ever, boldness is needed to fight poverty!’, our guests, leaders in their sectors and countries, reinforced how bold and creative actions can indeed reduce social and institutional vulnerabilities in Brazil and around the world.

“When we began planning this gathering, we had doubts if we would have enough cases of boldness. As we designed the agenda, we discovered surprising stories, and seeing them together was very powerful,” commented Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, at the event’s conclusion.

Watch the full event recording here:

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT

The event was organized by IDIS – Institute for Social Development, in partnership with the Global Philanthropy Forum and the Charities Aid Foundation, with silver support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and bronze support from Ambev, B3 Social, BNP Paribas Asset Management, BTG Pactual, Itaú Foundation, José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, Sicoob Institute, Movimento Bem Maior, RaiaDrogasil S.A and Vale.

This year, the forum had again Alliance Magazine as a media partner. Based in England, the world’s largest philanthropy magazine covered the event and livestreamed it in English on its YouTube channel.

BRAZILIAN PHILANTHROPY FORUM

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum provides a space for the philanthropic community to gather, exchange experiences, and learn from their peers, strengthening strategic philanthropy for the development of Brazilian society. The event has already brought together over 1,500 participants, including philanthropists, leaders, and national and international experts. Recordings of all editions are available on our YouTube channel. Check it out!

Global crises and the power of youth: highlights from the Philea Forum 2023

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The Philea Forum 2023, one of the most important events in the European philanthropic ecosystem, took place between May 22nd and 25th in the city of Šibenik, Croatia. IDIS was present, represented by Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships.

Under the theme “A new compass for Europe: Forged in crisis, Forward in hope”, the lectures addressed the various crises that have accumulated in recent years, both in Europe and worldwide. The discussions covered significant challenges stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as a keen focus on climate change, socioeconomic inequality, and growing tensions between countries.

In the midst of this context, the Philea Forum 2023 brought together over 700 people at the heart of the Euro-Mediterranean region to discuss what they call “European values” and how philanthropy can use them as a compass to face current challenges.

The opening plenary of the event addressed the landscape of European philanthropy and the importance of collaboration within the sector itself. Among the speakers was Nada Al-Nashif from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. She emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaboration to promote change:

“Equality, dignity, and justice are what unite us. We are calling on the philanthropic community to commit and, through vibrant partnerships, promote human rights”, she declared.

A research study was also presented, conducted with the participants of the event, about their perceptions regarding the performance of civil society organizations, donors, and the European philanthropic sector. The majority of respondents indicated that EU organizations should prioritize tackling climate change, followed by inequality.

Another highly debated topic during the meeting was the role of youth, their contributions, and obstacles in the fight against climate change, with a focus on the session ‘Building infrastructure to support resilient youth movements on climate: lessons from all over Europe’.

Katie Hodgetts shared her story as a climate activist, a process that earned her admiration from her peers and a sense of personal fulfillment, but also led her to face a difficult phase of burnout and emotional exhaustion. Inspired by her own story and that of thousands of other activists who also deal with the mental strain of their work, she created ‘The Resilience Project‘, an initiative that offers emotional support to climate activists.

The session also highlighted the current role of young people, who, through risky and disruptive ideas, can be some of the most powerful voices and agents in the fight against climate change. “Why are young climate activists effective? They are agile and outraged”, says Christian Vanizette, co-founder of makesense.

Several conversations focused on philanthropy, including reflections on its real impacts amid so many demands and its ultimate goals, which tend to be forgotten along the way.

In the debate session ‘Lessons learned over more than 30 years of philanthropy by a closing foundation’, Lynda Mansson from the MAVA Foundation shared the story of her organization’s closure, which, after 12 years of operation with a focus on biodiversity conservation, concluded that its goal had been achieved, and there was no longer a need to exist.

The closing session summarized the themes highlighted throughout the three days, with an even greater emphasis on youth and the potential for change that exists in movements formed and led by this group. The stage was reserved for representatives of the ‘new generation’ of young people who dedicate their days to seeking changes and positive impacts in the world.

“You wake up every day with anxiety, expecting bad news, and yet you brush your teeth and start your day. You maintain resilience. Young people are resilient and don’t realize that, often, what they are doing is democracy”, declares Anna Bondarenko, founder and director of the Ukrainian Volunteer Service.

The participants concluded with a simple but powerful message: ‘do good’. They also emphasized the importance of starting by looking at what is around us before any large-scale movement:

“How can we change the world, how can we change Europe, if we cannot change our local community, our family, our friends, our neighborhood? It’s simply impossible”, says 16-year-old Aleksej Leon Gajica, Junior Ambassador for the EU and for Children’s and Youth Rights at UNICEF.

The event highlighted the global similarities of problems and needs to be discussed and worked on by the private social investment sector, regardless of the region you are in.

“The issues are quite similar to ours in Brazil: trust, democracy, and freedom of expression. Furthermore, it is clear that combating climate change is a priority in Europe, another recurring and extremely important cause for the Brazilian and Latin American context,” comments Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships at IDIS.

International ranking recognizes IDIS as one of the best Brazilian NGOs

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Dot Good has announced the top 50 social organizations in Brazil

On June 12, the Swiss organization The Dot Good, responsible for ranking the leading social organizations at the international level, released a ranking highlighting the 50 most prominent Third Sector institutions in Brazil. The evaluation criteria were based on transparency, maturity of governance levels, management, and strategic planning developed by the listed NGOs.

IDIS secured the 19th position in the ranking, proving our commitment to the socioeconomic development of the country and the advancement of the Brazilian Third Sector ecosystem.

Accounting for 4.27% of Brazil’s GDP, Third Sector organizations employ approximately 6 million people and have a significant impact on the social and economic landscape of the country, as demonstrated by the recent study “The Importance of the Third Sector for Brazil’s GDP,” conducted by the Institute of Economic Research Foundation (Fipe), Sitawi Finanças do Bem, and the Movimento Por Uma Cultura de Doação (Movement for a Culture of Donation).

The achieved social and economic outcomes are amplified due to the collaborative nature and networked approach in which projects of excellence and significant social impact are developed. The sector has been growing in recent years, and the effects of social actions are visible in the country’s sustainable development. The contributions of this work represent achievements in the realization of rights, and the transparency in the use of mobilized resources aligns with the highest compliance standards.

This trend of growth and qualification of the Third Sector in Brazil is a reflection of several factors, such as the commitment and dedication of organizations to improve their practices, the adoption of more efficient management models, and the constant pursuit of innovation.

“Initiatives like Dot Good contribute to bringing visibility to the great work carried out by our social organizations, with commitment, seriousness, creativity, and impact. It is another tool available to enhance trust among local and international social investors. We are happy to be included in the ranking; however, we also congratulate others who were not highlighted. Our sector is vibrant, strong, and diverse, and the contribution comes from everyone!” declares Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

 

About IDIS

We are IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, a civil society organization founded in 1999 and pioneer in technical support to social investors in Brazil. With the mission to inspire, support and promote strategic philanthropy and its impact, we serve individuals, families, companies, corporate and family-run institutes, and foundations, as well as civil society organizations, in actions that transform realities and contribute to reducing social inequality in the country.

IDIS’s actions are based on generating knowledge, offering advisory, and developing social impact projects that contribute to strengthening the ecosystem of strategic philanthropy and giving culture. We value partnerships and co-creating and believe in the power of connection, joint learning, diversity, and plurality of points of view.

 

Global CAF conference promotes network integration and discusses global philanthropy trends

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Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Global Leadership Conference brought together representatives from partner organizations in the first week of June. The event took place in London, where the organization’s headquarters are located.

Since 2005, IDIS has been the representative of CAF in Brazil, a British organization dedicated to philanthropy with 100 years of experience, supporting donors – individuals, major donors, and companies – in achieving the greatest possible impact from their initiatives. Starting this year, new members will join the network, which currently includes representatives from South Africa, Bulgaria, Canada, the United States, India, New Zealand, and Turkey.

The event is a celebration of partnerships and international collaboration in the field of philanthropy, reaffirming the institution’s commitment to the continuous growth of international giving practices.

Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, was one of the guests at the event. She was able to share some perspectives on philanthropy in Brazil and highlight the importance of collaboration in increasing international donations to our country.

Paula was one of the speakers at the parallel event, open to external guests, called ‘Powering World Giving Reception,’ where she emphasized Brazil’s position at 18th place in the World Giving Index, our challenges, and advancements in the philanthropic field. She shared the stage with Grace Maingi, Executive Director of the Kenya Community Development Foundation, who shared insights on philanthropy in Kenya, and Emma Cherniavsky, CEO of the UK for UNHCR, who contributed with a speech on the role of networks in encouraging international donations.

“I was truly inspired to hear from incredible people from around the world! I would like to thank the entire CAF team for their impeccable organization and the wonderful reception,” says Paula Fabiani.

IDIS achieves Great Place To Work® certification

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IDIS – Institute for Social Investment Development – has achieved the Great Place to Work (GPTW) seal. This certification recognizes IDIS’ ongoing commitment to creating a positive, inclusive, transparent, and ethical work environment that promotes employee well-being.

This is the result of a rigorous evaluation conducted by the consulting company Great Place To Work. The survey, which is 100% confidential, covered aspects such as employee trust in leadership, quality of work relationships, organizational culture, people management, growth and development opportunities, compensation and benefits, and employee’s perception of the company as a whole.

“This is an incredible recognition for IDIS. It reinforces our institutional values: Excellence, Learning, Collaboration, Respect, Transparency, and Sustainability, as well as our commitment to maintaining a work environment with these characteristics. An organization is made up of people, and there is no success without them,” says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

IDIS is proud to have achieved this certification, which reflects the organization’s commitment to promoting a healthy and collaborative work environment. The Institute believes that investing in the well-being and professional development of its employees is essential to achieve positive results and driving social impact.

“Having accompanied the development of the IDIS team for over 3 years is extremely gratifying. This achievement is just a validation of the sentiment that is already felt among the people at IDIS. And, of course, the survey is a way to always listen to each other and further improve our work space,” comments Mariana Côrrea, HR consultant.

The GPTW certification not only strengthens IDIS’ reputation as an excellent employer but also reinforces its ability to attract and retain talent, enhancing its capacity to generate positive social impact. IDIS will continue to cultivate an inclusive, transparent, and stimulating work environment, valuing and supporting its team of employees in their professional journey!

ABOUT GPTW

Great Place To Work is a renowned global consulting company that helps organizations create and maintain an exceptional work environment. The GPTW certification recognizes companies that excel in promoting trust, collaboration, and employee well-being, contributing to the success and sustainability of the business.

Operating Archetypes’ launch brings together philanthropists and social investors in Brazil

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On a June morning, IDIS – Instituto para o Desenvolvimento do Investimento Social (Institute for the Development of Social Investment) and RPA – Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors brought together philanthropists, members of business and family organizations, and civil society organizations for the launch of the brazilian version of ‘Operating Archetypes: Philanthropy’s New Analytical Tool for Strategic Clarity‘. The publication addresses and analyzes the main profiles of philanthropists and social investors, providing guidelines to maximize impact for each type of organization.

The study is an extension of the ‘The Philanthropic Framework’ project, promoted by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in 2019 through interviews with 75 foundations, as well as dozens of working sessions with over 200 funders, experts, and research partners in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The Brazilian version was published in partnership with IDIS, an RPA partner for over 10 years, in order to expand private social investment.

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Aligning resources with objectives for more effective philanthropy

Melissa Berman, CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and one of the authors of the publication, opened the event by presenting the goals and findings of the study. Melissa explained that the idea arose from the recognition of the need to systematize and renew existing philanthropic models in the face of emerging and growing global challenges. It was necessary for private social investment worldwide to also update itself in order to address such significant issues.

“It is not possible to solve 21st-century problems with a 19th-century philanthropy model”

The CEO of Rockefeller explained that the 8 archetypes were created with the aim of providing a strategic planning guide for organizations, bridging the gap between their ultimate goals, purposes, and available resources.

Melissa Berman, CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, presenting the publication

After the initial presentation, a panel discussion took place on the findings and their implications for the Brazilian philanthropic sector. Moderated by Paula Fabiani (CEO of IDIS), the panel included the participation of Cassio França (Secretary-General of GIFE), Thiago Piazzetta (Project Manager at Boticário Group Foundation), and Patricia Loyola (Director of Social Management and Investment at Comunitas).

Paula Fabiani (IDIS), Thiago Piazzetta (Fundação Grupo Boticário), Cassio França (GIFE), and Melissa Berman (RPA) discussing the publication in the context of Brazilian philanthropy

Piazzetta highlighted the work of Boticário Group Foundation, which supports organizations promoting biodiversity conservation in Brazil. The group was one of the featured cases in the publication and serves as an example of the so-called ‘Venture Catalyst’ archetype, a profile characterized by providing initial funding, often unrestricted, to new or less-established organizations. “We avoid funding large organizations and choose to support smaller and more innovative groups and companies”, says Thiago.

Boticário Group Foundation has already financed 1,600 non-established and innovative environmental conservation initiatives through donations and other financial instruments, including an environmental impact acceleration program to strengthen the investment capacity of the business community.

Cassio França added to the discussion the importance of organizations that apply the Venture Catalyst archetype in their actions to combat inequalities in the brazilian context. According to the Secretary-General of GIFE, this model ensures power to truly innovative and impactful organizations addressing brazilian challenges. “It is one of the most revolutionary aspects that can exist in Brazilian philanthropy”, he indicates.

França also emphasized the importance of understanding the archetypes in the process of decolonizing philanthropy. The concept is based on the understanding of the need to overcome power imbalances within the philanthropic field, so that the mechanism does not perpetuate inequalities but effectively contributes to their eradication.

In this context, Cassio pointed out the archetypes as an excellent tool for philanthropists and social investors to recognize their modes of operation, understand their potential, and contribute effectively to the mitigation of social inequality. “I see this material as a great benefit for the field because it helps organizations understand themselves”, he highlights.

Patricia Loyola enriched the discussion by highlighting the importance of collaboration with the government in enhancing philanthropic actions. She exemplified the strength of the collaboration model through the Together for Health program, an initiative by BNDES managed by IDIS, which combines private sector donations with contributions from BNDES itself for public health projects in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil.

She related this movement to the Campaign Manager archetype, a profile that seeks to bring together experts from different fields, including the public sector, in order to produce more innovative philanthropic initiatives. “The government is familiar with the field and the needs that need to be addressed. It is not possible to partner with the government without recognizing its legitimacy”, she states.

At the end of the panel, Melissa pointed out the need for a review of philanthropic practices and indicated the content of the publication as a path to achieve this transformation. “I don’t think we have a choice but to react to the changes in the world, becoming more diverse, inclusive, and transparent organizations”, she believes.

To conclude the morning of reflections, the team from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) conducted an interactive workshop on the 8 archetypes with the event participants. They had the opportunity to reflect on which profile best represented their institute’s investment model, with the assistance of the RPA team for identification, and shared their findings with everyone present.

Interactive workshop with Melissa Berman during the event

The moment sparked deep reflections among the participants and revealed members who identified their organizations within various archetypes, including the Talent Agency, which identifies and amplifies the voices of individuals and groups who experience the issues more directly and closely; the Field Builder, who strengthens institutions responsible for generating and disseminating scientific perspectives; and the Sower, a model that provides support through diverse sources for the same cause.

Get to know the 8 archetypes and also take the opportunity to understand which model best characterizes your philanthropy. Download the publication here.

 

About Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that advises and manages over $400 million in annual donations from individuals, families, corporations, and foundations. Founded in 2002, with the aim of continuing the Rockefeller family’s philanthropic legacy, RPA has become one of the largest philanthropic service organizations in the world and has facilitated the distribution of over $3 billion to more than 70 countries. RPA also acts as a fiscal sponsor for over 100 projects.

For more information, please visit www.rockpa.org.

Endowment funds: New country for an old form

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Originally published in Alliance Magazine on 06/06/2023

by Paulo Fabiani, CEO at IDIS, and Andrea Hanai, project manager at IDIS

A relatively new phenomenon on the Brazilian scene, endowment funds are strengthening social causes and organizations

With a long history behind them, endowment funds have become an effective mechanism for the sustainability of causes and organisations around the world. The first known example dates from the first century BCE, when Plato left his farm to support the Academy he had founded. Since then, many institutions have been establishing significant endowments, such as Harvard University, the University of Cambridge, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Wealthy families and individuals have also created endowments, such as Gates, Rockefeller, Mott, and others. In Brazil, the adoption of the mechanism is more recent, however, it has been expanding rapidly in this century, following the strengthening and maturity of the philanthropic environment.

The first endowments in Brazil emerged in the 1950s, as a way for families and businesses to build lasting legacies. In the absence of a specific regulation on the subject, they used the international experience as a reference to create their own governance, policies and rules to manage the endowment structures. Nevertheless, at first very few took this step, and by 2000, there were only six known endowments in the country.

In Brazil, the adoption of the mechanism is more recent, however, it has been expanding rapidly in this century, following the strengthening and maturity of the philanthropic environment.

A leap forward

However, in the following years, civil society organisations and families began to recognise the importance of endowment structures for the financial sustainability and perpetuity of their philanthropic activities, a trend which was accelerated by the work of IDIS (Institute for the Development of Social Investment) and other civil society actors to promote a better regulatory environment for endowments. A turning point was the disastrous fire at the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro in 2018, which led politicians to seek solutions to the lack of long-term financing for museums and other cultural institutions. In 2019, the endowment fund boom gained traction with the enactment of the first relevant law (Law 13.800/19), aimed at setting a regulatory baseline for the development of the endowment industry.

In the following years, civil society organisations and families began to recognise the importance of endowment structures for the financial sustainability and perpetuity of their philanthropic activities.

The legislation has contributed significantly to a more favourable environment, by ensuring visibility to the mechanism, and bringing attention to long-term strategies and sustainability. It has also established a framework, both legal and institutional, that engenders confidence in donors.

Moreover, the Law 13.800/19 has also ensured that public institutions of education, health and culture, among others, also benefit from these structures, regulating a mechanism that facilitates private donations and reduces dependence on already scarce public funds. In this context, the creation of endowments by public institutions that seek financial sustainability through an instrument that diversifies their sources of funds and increases their budgets is on the increase.

The Brazilian Endowments Outlook, published by IDIS in 2022, revealed for the first time the size and characteristics of the industry in the country. The study mapped 52 active endowment funds, 23 per cent of which were constituted after the enactment of the Law 13.800/19. Together, their patrimony totalled BRL 78.8 billion (approximately $14.3 billion). The most significant one is the endowment from Bradesco Foundation with assets equivalent to $11 billion, which puts it among the leading endowments not only in Brazil, but worldwide. Education is the chief beneficiary of this growing trend, supported by 24 Brazilian endowments, followed by culture (nine) and health (eight). Another sign of their growing popularity is that, according to the GIFE Census 2020, a survey among 131 corporate, family, and independent philanthropic Brazilian institutions, endowments were the source of 26 per cent of their budgets that year, corresponding to almost BRL 1.4 billion (approximately $300 million) in funds destined to causes and institutions, an amount which indicates the impact of endowments for the development of socio-environmental causes in the country.

The creation of endowments by public institutions that seek financial sustainability through an instrument that diversifies their sources of funds and increases their budgets is on the increase.

The challenges remaining

To explore endowments’ full potential, though, the philanthropic sector faces significant challenges: governance implementation, investment returns and fundraising capability are the main concerns. An emerging range of specialised consulting, legal and fundraising services, along with financial institutions and academic researchers, is now dedicated to supporting philanthropists, businesses, civil society organisations and public institutions in structuring their endowments. In another study, IDIS sheds light on the endowment financial performance and portfolio of investments to provide the sector with relevant benchmarking information.

Further advances in the regulatory environment for endowments are also needed. For example, despite being positive and innovative, the Brazilian endowment law does not foresee tax incentives for donors. The experience in countries like the US and the UK demonstrate that tax incentives create a fertile environment for the donations to such funds, resulting in large and long-standing endowments. In addition, the exemption from income tax on investment returns is not guaranteed by the Brazilian legislation, which cuts down endowments’ spending capability and the volume of resources destined for the causes and institutions supported by these funds.

In order to influence this environment, the Brazilian Endowment Coalition has been set up, a network that brings together 102 signatories and which urges tax incentives for donations and tax exemption of endowment funds as a way of accelerating the adoption of this mechanism and strengthening the philanthropic sector. Heading the coalition and supported by Brazilian donors and international organisations such as WINGS (with resources from the EU), IDIS reinforces its advocacy strategy by having regular communication with members of congress, monitoring bills, conducting studies and publishing case studies.

Notwithstanding the challenges, there is great potential and opportunity for endowments to flourish in Brazil. For the fourth consecutive year, Brazil rose in the overall ranking of the World Giving Index, jumping from 54th to 18th position, despite the difficulties arising from the socio-economic context and political turmoil of recent years. A giving culture is on the rise. As they become more popular, contributing to endowments provides another option for the exercise of citizenship and the promotion of socio-environmental equity and justice.

Umbrellas, Lightning Rods, and Cisterns for a More Transformative Philanthropy

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by Felipe Groba, Project Manager at IDIS

Still not very popular in Brazil, CFs stand out to support independent intermediation between investors and social organizations.

Imagine if there was a mechanism in Brazil that allows companies and individuals to allocate resources for emergencies and address highly complex socio-environmental issues in a specific territory, without compliance risks, and that also served as a legitimate instrument to advocate for causes and public policies without partisanship. Imagine if this mechanism could foster a culture of local giving and strengthen social organizations and local collectives.

These mechanisms exist. There are about 20 in Mexico, 201 in Canada, and over 900 in the United States — some with over 100 years of history — and they are commonly referred to as Community Foundations – CFs. CFs are independent civil society organizations that strengthen local philanthropy by raising resources from companies and individuals and strategically allocating them to generate impact in a specific territory, at the same time that supports the growth of formal and informal social organizations. They generate impact in a specific territory.

Visit of the IDIS team to ‘Tabôa’, Serra Grande, in Bahia.

Brazil currently has 14 organizations operating under this model in 10 states. Among this group, there are well-established organizations such as the FEAC Foundation of Campinas, the Baixada Maranhense Institute, and the ICOM – Community Institute of Greater Florianópolis, as well as younger organizations such as FEAV, operating in Valinhos, the Cacimba Institute in the São Miguel Paulista region (outskirts of São Paulo), the Manauara Community Association, and the recently formed ICOSE – Community Institute of Sergipe. All of them are part of the Transforming Territories Program, launched in 2021 by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, financed by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and with institutional support from the Brazil Foundation, Comunitas and GIFE.

Visit of the IDIS team to Redes do Bem, a community organization in Rio de Janeiro

Most Brazilian CFs already have philanthropic funds established to raise and distribute resources to organizations and initiatives within their territories. In addition, they promote campaigns such as ‘Giving Day’, initiatives to engage volunteers and offer courses and training for local social leaders and organizations. Some of them also act as spokespersons for other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the territory, advocating for the strengthening and regulation of philanthropic funds, unlocking resources, and advocating for legislative changes. The legitimacy to activate philanthropy and represent the social sector of the territory comes from the fact that CFs are not oriented towards implementing projects, but to channeling resources to local organizations that works directly with beneficiaries. Therefore, CFs become allies of local CSOs rather than competitors.

Successful experiences have brought some changes in the sector. According to the BISC – Corporate Social Investment Benchmarking research, published annually by Comunitas, 38% of the surveyed companies indicated some degree of priority to  support CFs in the 2022/2023 biennium, while 86% of Foundations and Corporate Institutes assigned medium or high priority to them. Within the industrial sector, 75% of respondents stated that they have introduced or strengthened CFs in their social investment strategy (compared to 20% in the service sector), confirming the trend of the extractive and manufacturing industry to seek local socio-environmental solutions to mitigate their negative externalities and enhance their positive ones, in line with ESG practices (environmental, social, and governance).

The potential of CFs as channels for local social investments primarily stems from establishing robust, diverse, and enduring governance, as well as a systemic approach based on the diagnosis of local potential and needs. This is achieved through listening to different voices within local civil society and engaging in constant dialogue with organizations working for the territory. These characteristics align with what companies expect to strengthen their engagement with non-profit organizations. According to BISC, 90% of companies consider “greater evidence of impact in partnerships” as a determining factor for strengthening the relationship. In comparison, 80% indicate the “need for the company to operate within a network”. These are precisely some of the main characteristics of CFs.

It is important to note that CFs are primarily important intermediaries between donors and local organizations, aiming to meet donors’ philanthropic interests while always considering the demands of the territory. An example of this is Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), which are still relatively recent in Brazil. DAFs function as “philanthropy current accounts” for individuals and companies, managed by CFs, which are responsible for investing these resources in the capital market and distributing them to social organizations according to the donors’ preferences. This ability to accumulate resources for future allocation is analogous to cisterns that store water for strategic or high-need moments.

By consolidating and managing third-party donations, CFs are responsible for due diligence, monitoring, and accountability regarding the use of these resources. This allows large companies to fund projects and smaller organizations, as well as informal movements and collectives, as CFs act as a compliance lightning rod, mitigating risks for donors by being the direct receiver of these companies’ donations. Once the due diligence for receiving the resources is completed, it is up to the CF to mentor donors on the strategic use of these resources based on their broad knowledge of the territory, its demands and potential, and its organizations and leaders.

Last but not least, this privileged and democratically  territorial perspective allows CFs to serve as spokespersons for the local social sector, advocating for rights and visibility, conducting social campaigns, or even advocating for changes in public policies without being directly exposed to authorities. CFs act as an umbrella, protecting social leaders from unnecessary exposure to political and power games.

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023: sign up to the live stream event

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The 12th edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum is happening on September 14th. Once again, in addition to the in-person event in São Paulo for guests only, the program will be live-streamed.

 

 

At the 2023 Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, we will highlight initiatives and people who paved the way for more transformative, diverse, and inclusive philanthropy and social investment. We invite you to be inspired by these stories. Create financing methodologies and models. Establish unlikely partnerships. Promote significant changes. Assume mistakes and move forward. Do differently what was already working. Innovate. Dare. BOLDNESS is inherent to humans but must be developed, experienced, and improved. It requires courage, creativity, planning, and perseverance to meet challenges and take calculated risks.

 

SING UP

Register here for the English live stream!

 

CONFIRMED speakers

Among the confirmed speakers are Armínio Fraga (Philanthropist and former President of Central Bank of Brazil), Carlos Humberto (CEO of Diáspora.Black), Eliane Trindade (Editor of The Social Entrepreneur Award of Folha de S. Paulo), Gelson Henrique (Executive Coordinator of the Pipa Initiative), Geyze Diniz (Cofounder of Pact Against Hunger), Gilson Rodrigues (CEO of G10 Favelas), Jean Jereissati (CEO of AMBEV) Luana Génot (Founder of ID_BR), Luciana Temer (President Director of The Liberta Institute), Malu Nunes (Executive Director of the Boticário Group Foundation for Nature Protection), Marcel Fukuyama (Head of Global Policy at B Lab Global), Mariano Colini Cenamo (founder and director of New Ventures at IDESAM), Priscila Cruz (Executive President of Todos pela Educação), Roberto Sallouti (CEO of BTG Pactual), Rodrigo Mendes (Founder of the Rodrigo Mendes Institute), Saulo Barretto (Founder of IPTI) and Tom Mendes (Financial Director of ID_BR).

The event will have international guests such as Nivedita Narain (CEO of CAF India) and Philip Yun (CEO of World Affairs and Head of the Global Philanthropy Forum).

 

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT

The event is organized by IDIS – Institute for Social Development, in partnership with the Global Philanthropy Forum and the Charities Aid Foundation, with silver support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and bronze support from Ambev, B3 Social, BNP Paribas Asset Management, BTG Pactual, Itaú Foundation, José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, Sicoob Institute, Movimento Bem Maior, RaiaDrogasil S.A and Vale.

This year, the forum will again have Alliance Magazine as a media partner. Based in England, the world’s largest philanthropy magazine will cover the event and live stream it in English on its YouTube channel.

BRAZILIAN philanthropy FORUM

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum provides a space for the philanthropic community to gather, exchange experiences, and learn from their peers, strengthening strategic philanthropy for the development of Brazilian society. The event has already brought together over 1,500 participants, including philanthropists, leaders, and national and international experts. Recordings of all editions are available on our YouTube channel. Check it out!

 

Get to know the 8 principles that guide the SROI Protocol

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Get to know the 8 principles that guide impact assesment based on Social Return on Investment (SROI) protocol:

PRINCIPLE 1: involve STAKEHOLDERS

Individuals and organizations involved in the project should be identified and consulted in the evaluation process. After all, they are the ones who will experience the impacts from the interventions.

PRINCIPLE 2: UNDERSTAND WHAT CHANGes

The evaluation should identify how the project generates social changes through data collected for this purpose. These changes can be positive or negative, intentional or unintentional. This process generates what we call Theory of Change (ToC), which establishes the causal relationship between the intervention and the impacts generated. The ToC serves as a map of the intervention that guides the entire evaluation process.

PRINCIPLE 3: VALUing the things that matter

The valuation process, one of the key stages of SROI evaluation, should consider the preferences of beneficiaries regarding the degree of importance among the different changes they experience.

PRINCIPLE 4: only include WHAT IS MATERIAL

Materiality here carries a financial sense, referring to considering things that are substantial and supported by evidence.

PRINCIPLE 5: DO not overclaim

The evaluator should be conservative and assign value only to the impacts that are actually caused by the intervention carried out. By doing so, they avoid overestimating the impact of a project.

PRINCIPLE 6: BE TRANSPARENT

The evaluator should ensure that the sources, foundations, and methodological procedures are clear and accessible to the general public.

PRINCIPLE 7: VERIFY the RESULT

Design, implement, and document the procedures adopted in the evaluation, ensuring that they can be reviewed and validated.

PRINCIPLE 8: BE RESPONSIVE

Make evaluation an instrument of strategic planning, guiding solutions aimed at course correction and maximizing the generated social impact.

Where do the principles come from?

The SROI protocol originates from the British organization Social Value International (SVI), which has been certifying professionals worldwide for its application for the past 15 years. Paula Fabiani, IDIS CEO, is the only Brazilian certified by the organization, and IDIS is now a reference in the application of the protocol in Brazil, with work carried out for organizations such as Amigos do Bem, Gerando Falcões, Petrobras, and Vale.

According to the social value network, “social value means understanding the importance that people attribute to changes in their well-being and using the insights we gain from this understanding to make better decisions.” In other words, the evaluation aims to inform evidence-based decision-making processes in social organizations.

Considering the challenges of measuring impact, SVI establishes a protocol for calculating the SROI index that encompasses various participatory research methodologies, including conducting in-depth interviews, focus groups with beneficiaries, questionnaires, and analysis of secondary data.

It is evident, then, that SROI is not just a numerical index but primarily the process and results of an intensive research and consultation activity involving beneficiaries of social programs.

Brazilian companies are not prepared to respond to emergency situations

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By Andre Hanai, project manager at IDIS, and Paula Gonçalo, project coordinator at IDIS

About 25% of the deaths caused by rain in Brazil in the last 10 years occurred in 2022, and social investors must prepare more than ever for emergencies.

Between January 2013 and April 2022, natural disasters caused losses of R$341.3 billion throughout Brazil, according to data from a survey conducted by the National Confederation of Municipalities (CNM). The study also shows that in just the first three months of 2022, about eight million Brazilians had already been affected by some type of environmental disaster.

Speaking of numbers, another alarming fact on the subject comes from the government transition report released in late December 2022. It shows that the public money reserved for “support for emergency mitigation works for disaster reduction” was reduced from R$2.57 million to a mere R$25,000, becoming one of the budgetary bottlenecks for 2023.

In this context, solidarity has moved individuals and companies around emergency campaigns that seek to help communities most affected by natural disasters through the donation of food, clothing, medicine, etc., with Private Social Investment being a complementary alternative to public resources. The reduced volume of financial resources available and, mainly, the lack of coordination and strategic planning of actions show that there is a huge gap between social demands and the capacity of private social investors to respond to these tragedies, which increase in frequency and severity every year.

By definition, according to the ISDR – International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, a “disaster” is a “serious disruption of the functioning of a community or society, with impacts on people, goods, economy, and the environment, that exceeds the capacity of those affected to deal with the situation through the use of their resources.” The Covid-19 pandemic, a disaster of global proportions, has revealed the important role that companies can play in efforts to address emergencies, for example.

According to the 2020 Corporate Giving Ranking produced by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, the ten companies that made the most donations and sponsorships in the world in 2020 allocated more than US$4 billion to Covid-19 response actions – equivalent to about R$20 billion. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the top ten corporate donors have given more than R$3 billion to the fight against the pandemic.

Floods in the State of Bahia in December 2021. Photo: Isac Nóbrega/PR

On the other hand, these numbers contrast with what had been observed as a trend in private social investment by companies focused on situations caused by disasters. According to the study Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy, conducted by Candid & Center for Disaster Philanthropy in 2019, although 70% of companies reported that disaster response is significant, the amount allocated to this type of action has been decreasing year by year, demonstrating that companies see this type of philanthropy as not very strategic.

The same study shows that philanthropy and private social investment could be more strategic. More than half of the resources aimed at emergencies are directed toward immediate response and relief of the initial shock caused by the disaster. At the same time, only 20% of donations support communities in becoming more resilient, promoting risk reduction and mitigation, and preparedness and readiness for emergencies.

The study “A purpose-action Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility in Times of Shock”, developed by Francisco Javier Forcadell and Elisa Aracil, corroborates these data. It analyzed the performance of 218 companies in Spain during the first weeks of Covid-19 in the country and classified them into 4 categories (symbolic, selective, reactive, and supportive), based on the company’s performance in the two main dimensions considered critical to the effectiveness of corporate interventions in emergencies: the scope of the intervention and response time.

Companies classified as symbolic or reactive have a very slow response time but differ in the scope of their actions, with the symbolic being quite restricted and the reactive being quite broad, with a greater sense of social responsibility. The selective and supportive classifications categorize companies with a quick response time to emergencies. The selective is restricted in terms of the scope of intervention, generally preferring to act only when there is an immediate need for support, while the supportive looks broadly at the scope of intervention, allowing for greater flexibility and fostering proactivity and innovation. According to the research, 42% of companies had a “selective” performance, meaning they acted quickly but with a significantly reduced scope and less strategic approach, limiting the potential impact of actions on the beneficiary public.

The City of Petrópolis in February 2022 after landslides | Photo: Clauber Cleber Caetano / PR

Companies must broaden their view of emergencies, rethinking their private social investment strategy to support society. There is room for greater impact in the medium and long term, not only to assist communities in times of tragedy but also to seek their resilience and preparedness to face these tragedies, as well as their recovery and reconstruction. To do so, companies need to ensure clear structures, policies, and governance that operate quickly in emergency cases, ensuring that actions are effective and response times are shorter.

It is a fact that we must act to prevent the disastrous consequences of floods, collapses, or fires. But it is also a fact that they will come, and will have disastrous consequences in the lives of thousands of people. Are you prepared to do your part?

IDIS participates in the global event CCW2023 with a panel on Matchfunding

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Between the 1st and 5th of May 2023, will occur the 4th edition of Catalysing Change Week (CCW). Considering the most significant global event led by civil society organizations and social entrepreneurs, this year’s theme is “Solutions from the Frontlines.”

To inspire attitudes that contribute to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) stipulated by the UN, the event – ​​which takes place online – will bring together actors who are at the forefront of socio-environmental change ecosystems. The idea is that they share, throughout the week, their experiences and knowledge with a focus on accelerating collaborative change systems. Participants include representatives from the private sector, governments, civil society organizations, and philanthropists.

The event is organized by Catalyst 2030 and has more than 250 sessions and activities proposed by people worldwide. The objective is to identify local solutions to global issues and expand the debate and knowledge about good practices developed worldwide. To access content and best practices shared at previous events, click here: Embracing Complexity and here: New Allies.

 

About IDIS participation

IDIS, a founding member of the Brazilian Chapter of Catalyst 2030, will again be at the event. This year, the panel led by the organization “Matchfunding: a strategy to Enhance the Impact of Socio-environmental Projects” will discuss the concept of Matchfunding as a powerful strategy to raise funds and expand the expected social impact.

To illustrate the strategy, the Together for Health Program case, a BNDES Matchfunding initiative managed by the IDIS team, will be presented. The objective of the Program is to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, with a focus on improving and expanding primary care services. Over four years (2023-2026), the aim is to raise BRL 200 million for health projects that operate in this part of the country.

Luiza Saraiva, Manager of the Together for Health Program, will open the conversation, which will have the mediation of Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships at IDIS.

Among the confirmed speakers is Carla Reis, representative of the BNDES, who will present the Together for Health Program and reflect on how the MatchFunding model can contribute to expanding the impact of government initiatives and strengthening public policies.

João Abreu, Executive Director of ImpulsoGov, the organization behind the “ImpulsoPrevine” Project, will also participate in the session. His initiative brings together free solutions and services for municipalities to expand the scope and quality of primary care in the SUS. The project is a potential beneficiary of Together for Health and is already ready to receive investments. Among other topics, João will address the challenges of fundraising for Health.

Maria Izabel Toro, Social Investment Manager at Grupo RD, and Andreia Rabetim, Intersectoral Coordination and Volunteering Manager at Vale, are also part of the panel of speakers for the session. From the funders’ perspective, the guests will discuss the reasons and benefits of a private company participating in a match funding style.

The week is an opportunity to engage, advocate and nurture the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. We’ll wait for you!

Registration to attend the session is now open! Register here.

 

Matchfunding: a strategy to enhance the impact of socio-environmental projects

When: May 4, 2023, from 10 am to 11:15 am
Where: Online event on the Catalyst 2030 website (Registration required to view sessions).

Opening:
Luiza Saraiva – Manager of the Together for Health Program

Speakers:
Carla Reis – Head of the BNDES Industrial Complex and Health Services Department
João Abreu – Executive Director of ImpulsoGov
Maria Izabel Toro – Social Investment Manager at Grupo RD
Andreia – Intersectoral Coordination and Volunteering Manager at Vale

Mediator:
Guilherme Sylos – Prospecting and Partnerships Director at IDIS

Brazilian delegation discusses Community Philanthropy in the Americas

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Still little known in Brazil, the model of community philanthropy has been increasingly consolidated internationally as an important institutional arrangement for social development and addressing the various demands of the territories. According to a survey carried out by the Community Foundation Atlas, there are more than 1,800 community institutes and foundations in the world. Together, these organizations handle more than USD 5 billion every year.

To discuss the different contexts, opportunities, and challenges of community philanthropy in the Americas, 119 guests from ten countries in South, Central, Caribbean and North America met in February in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Brazilian delegation included Felipe Groba, IDIS project manager, and six other representatives of Brazilian Community Institutes, all participants of the Transforming Territories – a program from IDIS: Instituto Baixada Maranhense; ICOM – Greater Florianópolis Community Institute; Espraiada and Tabôa Community Strengthening Institute.

The event, promoted by CCA – Connecting Communities in America, an initiative of CF Leads (Community Foundations Leading Change), featured panel discussions and visits to social projects supported by Corporativa de Fundaciones – the community foundation of Greater Guadalajara – and which work directly on the issues of migrants and refugees, street children and community development. With a careful eye on diversity and the importance of everyone being able to express themselves in their mother tongue, there was simultaneous translation into four languages – Portuguese, English, Spanish and French..

During the plenary and parallel sessions, the participants discussed the contexts in which community philanthropy with a territorial focus takes place in their countries and realities. It became clear that there are regulatory and donation culture characteristics that differentiate the USA and Canada from the rest of the Americas, and that imply different levels of power and financial sustainability. On the other hand, all participants reinforced the need to strengthen organizations and collectives led by minority groups such as blacks and indigenous peoples, with the role of Community Foundations and Institutes – the CFIs – to make visible and support these groups in mobilizing material and technical resources and immaterial. According to Robson Bitencourt, Manager of the Territorial Development Program for Serra Grande and Tabôa surroundings

“the trip to Mexico was an immersion of observation, learning and exchanging knowledge in the field of philanthropy with other foundations in the Americas. It is important to broaden perceptions about the similarities and differences between what we do and what other organizations have also done, as well as the challenges and opportunities. The impression was left that we have opportunities to increase networking and leverage our actions”

The consequences of climate change on vulnerable populations were also at the center of the agenda, reinforcing the point that although the solution to this issue is global, the negative impacts will always be local and specific to each community. In order to unite efforts and address structural issues, the role of the CFIs as articulators of causes emerged, by creating local and even national coalitions to address major issues such as the lack of job opportunities, rural poverty, the issue of refugees, security and advocacy for rights and social justice..

The theme of trust in civil society organizations (CSOs) and their role in expressing the plurality of voices in a territory permeated all discussions. Panelists and event participants reported successful cases of North American grantmaking foundations that have increasingly adopted the donation of free resources – free of charge and without restriction to projects – as a basis for its financial contributions, recognizing the excellence and expertise of social leaders in managing their organizations and allocating resources in order to generate more impact in the long term.

During their stay in Mexico, the Brazilian delegation took the opportunity to meet and exchange experiences with teams from Comunidar (the community foundation of Nuevo León), Comunalia (an organization that supports community foundations in Mexico) and Corporativa de Fundaciones, in addition to having visited in loco the community foundations of Morelos and Malinalco.

“The technical visits to community foundations reinforced the similarities between Brazil and Mexico, promoting numerous insights and possibilities between Brazilian and Mexican organizations. We found qualified and motivated teams working in networks to promote social justice and community development in their territories” commented Willian Narzetti, executive manager of ICOM.

 

Felipe Groba, leader of Transforming Territories, adds, recalling that the meeting contributed to the identification of development opportunities for Brazilian CFIs at different levels of maturity.

Transforming Territories Program

Transforming Territories, an initiative by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment – ​​with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to encourage the creation and strengthening of Community Institutes and Foundations in Brazil.

Brazilian Philanthropy in Perspective: sign up for IDIS newsletter

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Reinforcing our mission to inspire, support and expand private social investment and its impact, IDIS has launched ‘Brazilian Philanthropy in Perspective’, a newsletter which will bring highlights on Brazilian philanthopy and our contrbutions to its advance. Among the topics, trends on philanthropy, cases studies, articles, publications and surveys.

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ABOUT IDIS

We are IDIS, the Institute for the Development of Social Investment, a civil society organization founded in 1999 and pioneer in technical support to social investors in Brazil. With the mission to inspire, support and promote strategic philanthropy and its impact, we serve individuals, families, companies, corporate and family run institutes and foundations, as well as with civil society organizations, in actions that transform realities and contribute for the reduction of social inequality in the country.

Our actions are based on the tripod generating knowledge, offering advisory, and developing social impact projects that contribute to the strengthening of the ecosystem of strategic philanthropy and of giving culture. We value partnerships and co-creating, and believe in the power of connection, of joint learning, of diversity and plurality of points of view.

Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy is featured in Alliance Magazine

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In the Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy 2023 by IDIS – Institute for Development of Social Investment presents the current scenario, identifies inspiring actions, and points out ways for a more strategic and transformative private social investment, bringing together elements that contribute to decision making.

It second edition is features in Alliance Magazine, the biggest philanthropy magazine in the world. The article highlighted the eight perspectives that have ‘boldness’ as a common element, in addition to also pointing out the complex and current Brazilian political, social and economics challenges.

The news also addressed the contents present in the publication. Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, highlights in the introduction, the content ‘presents examples of innovations, new methodologies and financing models unexpected partnerships, significant changes, and new ways of doing differently (and better) what was already working’.

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Check out Alliance’s full article here.

Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy in 2023

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‘Boldness’ emerges as a transversal element and opens the way for a more transformative, diverse, and inclusive philanthropy in the country

 

In its second edition, the publication Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy by IDIS – Institute for Development of Social Investment presents the current scenario, identifies inspiring actions, and points out ways for a more strategic and transformative private social investment, bringing together elements that contribute to decision making. At the background, resonances of the preview’s year, marked by polarized elections and the need for organizations and entities to come out publicly and demonstrate their commitment to democracy, in apparent check. Also, the worrying return of Brazil to the UN Hunger Map, the serious situation of indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon, in addition to the record levels of deforestation.

The material, comments Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, “presents examples of innovations, new methodologies and financing models, unexpected partnerships, significant changes, and new ways of doing differently (and better) what was already working”.

There are eight perspectives that has ‘boldness’ as a common element, reflecting and showing practical examples on how philanthropists and social investors can act in a strategic, effective, and agile way.

 

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Find out what these trends are:

1. The power (and necessity) of dialogue for building bridges
Solutions will be found in interaction, require collaboration, and contemplate multiple demands and points of view.

2. Far beyond responsibility: legacy
What companies are leaving for the next generations.

3. Diversification of financing models
More than ever, optimizing and contributing to the evolution of possible sources of financing is necessary to solve challenges.

4. The number is not the finishing line
Social Impact Assessment has been increasingly debated and sought after, but once the numbers are discovered, what is the next step?

5. Environmental and Social Agendas walking side by side
The interdependence between climate, forests and people.

6. Third Sector engaged in promoting public policies
Civil society organizations strengthens democracy and accelerate systemic change.

7. Strengthening civil society organizations: trust, governance and transparency
The relevance of CSOs grow as the population’s confidence in its achievements evolves.

8. Family Philanthropy shows its face
Individuals and families make public commitments about their donation practices.

Systems Change Funding: Lessons from Funders in Brazil

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On 16 December 2022, IDIS and Catalyst 2030 co-hosted the third in a series of global conversations for funders on the future of funding systems change (read about the first salon and second salon). This series brings together funders within a country or region to share context specific feedback on the ten principles in the Urgent NGO Letter.

The Letter, led by Catalyst 2030 members, gained over 1,100 signatures from 80+ countries and marks a significant call from the social sector to shift funding practices globally. It outlines ten key calls for funders to consider in their grantmaking practices, including: giving multi-year, unrestricted funding, investing in capacity building, and creating transformative rather than transactional relationships. Read the full list of principles in the letter here. 

This Salon assembled Brazilian philanthropists and funding organisations to discuss how these principles could work in practice, and the impact they would have on Brazilian philanthropy and civil society. We are hugely appreciative of all of those that participated in this discussion and who are leading the way in open and inclusive dialogue to improve philanthropy for all. 

 

Here are five key takeaways from the conversation:
 

Recognise the impact of national context  

Grantmakers  usually have specific guidelines for their social investment. While it could be read as a sign of transparency, it also limits Brazilian funders’ ability to provide unrestricted and flexible funding. This restriction affects both funders and grantee-partner’s ability to embrace this principle as the sector is not currently set up to enable such flexible practices. This inflexibility also impacts funders ability to fund institutional needs or networks, as statutory restrictions require grantee-partners to follow traditional due diligence and accreditation processes.  

 

Foster collaboration across the sector

Although this challenge is not unique to Brazil, the group discussed how there is a need for greater collaboration among funders and civil society actors within the country. This requires both a behaviour and mindset shift across the sector; a move away from siloed work and towards funders and grantee-partners working in true partnership; collaborating with other funders, grantees, and cross-sector stakeholders to achieve systemic change. 

 

Offer philanthropists multiple entry points which recognise their variety

Embracing these ten principles will be a different journey for every organisation. It is important to respect the difference in maturity of philanthropies, different investment strategies, and different statutory and operational arrangements which may impact this journey. The group suggested taking into account the different entry points of each funder and evaluating it accordingly, ensuring a funder response recognises the need and strength of each funder’s progress and individuality.

 

Consider other tools (such as a rating) to help funders improve their practices 

It is crucial to consider which tools and resources we are able to provide in order to better improve funders’ abilities to embrace these principles. This could include incentivising funders in new captivating ways by, for example, using a rating and grading system to indicate their progress towards embracing these principles. This way funders would not only obtain a grade but also understand in which areas they can improve. We must acknowledge the fact that making a donation goes beyond its social value. Creating a public ranking in which companies will be acknowledged for their contributions and their “legacy” can mobilise other funders to join the movement, positioning these principles as a Brazilian innovation in the sector.

 

Recognise that this journey might take time and support funders along the way 

Philanthropy as a sector is relatively new to Brazil. It is important to recognise this and the time it will take to bring funders on this learning journey before they are able to fully adopt these principles. Therefore, the group discussed the importance of respecting each funder’s journey and celebrating progress along the way. Documenting this progress and creating a community of practice whereby funders can learn from best practices in the field, could provide the long-term support funder’s need to make this shift. This requires establishing strong ecosystems of funders who can turn to one another, share learnings, and grow as a sector. 

 

Where do we go next?

We are continuing to host Donor Salons to gather feedback from funders in different country and regional contexts. Our next stop in this journey is with funders in Africa. Stay tuned to hear the key takeaways from this conversation.

Together for Health: a Matchfunding initiative to strengthen the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS)

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The Brazilian Unified Health System, known as SUS, is universal, free, and a worldwide reference. Nevertheless, it could benefit even more people and perform better if allocating public and private resources.

Did you know that for 18% of the Brazilian population, especially in the North and Northeast regions, the number of doctors available in public health is less than 1 for every thousand inhabitants? The Brazilian average is 2.15 per thousand.

In addition, the average life expectancy in these regions is 3 years lower than in the rest of the country. At the same time, the infant mortality rate is 3% higher compared to the Central and South regions.

Let’s change this reality together!

 

What is Together for Health?

Together for Health Program is a donation initiative of the BNDES (National Bank of Social and Economic Development) in the matchfunding style. In other words, it will be co-financed by the private enterprise and social organisations to allocate R$ 200 million* to projects in the health area of the North and Northeast regions over four years.

R$ 1 in donations + R$ 1 BNDES = donation to strengthen public health

With these guidelines, the initiative confirms its alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 – Health and Wellness, and 10 – Inequality Reduction.

 

What is the Program’s goal? 

Supporting and strengthening the Brazilian Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions, focusing on improving the efficiency of health service provision, quality, and integration of the system as a whole.


Who will benefit from the Program?

The entities that can receive resources from the program are: non-profit private organizations (Philanthropic Health Units, for example) or public bodies that do not depend on transfers of resources from the Union for their maintenance. The health projects presented must be in line with the premises of Together for Health and will be submitted to the approval of the Validation Committee, formed by members of the BNDES and other supporters of Together for Health.

How will the resources be invested? 


Depending on the supported health unit’s needs, there will be three possibilities for investment:

– Fixed assets: equipment acquisition or execution of recovery, modernization, expansion, and construction works;

– Management: telehealth system, digital systems, regulation systems, and implementation of applied management methodologies;

– Campaigns: cost of temporary health service provision campaigns associated with the start of health infrastructure operation.

Who participates:

 

– BNDES – Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (National Bank of Economic and Social Development): promoter and financer of the initiative.

– IDIS – Instituto para o Desenvolvimento do Investimento Social (Institute for the Development of Social Investment): responsible for resource management, fundraising, and project selection that will benefit from the Program.

– Impulso Gov: author of “Impulso Previne”, a project that brings together solutions and free services for municipalities to expand the reach and quality of SUS primary care and is already eligible to receive investments.

Together for Health supporters

– Vale Foundation

– Banco do Brasil Foundation

 

Join us!
To learn more about how to get involved, visit our website or contact juntospelasaude@idis.org.br 

* On December 2022, USD 1 is equivalent to R$ 5,20

CAF launches Global Philanthropy Hub with free content from 10 countries

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The platform aims to promote the culture of giving around the world, through content on philanthropy produced by partners of CAF’s International Network

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a British organization dedicated to philanthropy for over 90 years, facilitating donations and charitie programs around the world. In Brazil, CAF has been represented by IDIS since 2005.

Nowadays, CAF International is the largest support structure for philanthropy around the world. Beyond of the UK Office, the network also includes operations in South Africa, Australia (Good2Give), Brazil (IDIS), Bulgaria (BCause), Canada, United States, India, and Turkey (Tusev).

Thinking about facilitating and strengthening this cross-border giving, CAF launched in the first weeks of December 2022, during #philanthropyweek , a  Philanthropy Hub, which brings together contents, both from network members and other partners in 10 different countries.

The Hub includes content about the themes:

  • Country Philanthropy Profiles
  • Supporting Emergency Relief
  • Enabling Private Philanthropy
  • Inspiring Corporate Giving
  • Facilitating Workplace Giving

ACESS THE GLOBAL PHILANTHROPY HUB

Hope is a discipline: highlights from the Global Philanthropy Forum 2022

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With a view to the Golden Gate, San Francisco’s postcard, the Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF) took place in November. In celebration mood, after two years without face-to-face meetings, the event brought together 160 participants over two days of programming. The Brazilian delegation, led by IDIS, was once again present, with 11 members from different organizations.

Racial and Gender equity, local and trust-based giving, and philanthropy’s contribution to the fight against climate change were some of the GPF themes present throughout many of the event’s debates.

The opening plenary had as its theme ‘Democracy under Threat’. Authoritarianism, disinformation, hate speech and attacks on human rights are evident in many parts of the world. The challenges are not few, but as speaker David Litt said, “people still want to live in a democracy” and that’s why there are so many initiatives that pave the way for a more promising future. Examples include actions to reduce polarization based on building relationships, crowdfunding and strengthening of institutions. In this session, as in others throughout the day, the importance of a helathy information spece, with independent vehicles and the safety of journalists, was highlighted.

Racial justice was the focus of the second session of the event, but it permeated a number of other conversations. Angela Glover Blackwell, activist at PolicyLink, was interviewed by Philip Yun, CEO of the GPF, and drew attention to the fact that the fight for equity is known to blacks, but whites are still not comfortable talking about racism and we must find ways for them to develop that muscle. Angela spoke the phrase that became the mantra of the event – ​​“hope is a discipline”. She reinforced that talking about racism requires discipline and that better narratives are needed, as there are many stories that can be told. She highlighted that it is necessary to change the system based on oppression to one where generosity is the engine and that it is with equity that we will all progress.

In a session that focused on impact businesses led by blacks and browns, it was stressed the importance of unrestrited giving, so that organization may invest in their priorities and eventually make mistakes. On the other had, philanthropists shoulnd´t face out. They can be close, contribute to reflections and offer training and capacity building. For the next year, the GPF announced that it is interested in bringing a session based on a study on donors of colour, carried out by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Several debates focused on philanthropy. One session addressed the role of donations in building a more equitable economy, the other a reflection on how to invest in local knowledge. There was a workshop on how to structure giving circles and encourage giving from a community perspective. And of course, a plenary session showcased innovative models. The importance of trust-based giving, and long-term support was mentioned at every table. According to Glen Galaich, CEO of the Stupski Foundation, “we waste time over complicate things, while our concern should be just donating resources”.

There were many speeches about the importance of social agents being able to invest their energy in action and not in such detailed rendering of accounts. The idea was also defended that donors should be analyzed by their grantees and receive grades for that. The issue of greater willingness to risk was sometimes related to a way of solving complex issues: it is necessary to act and failure can bring great learning and even lead us faster to lasting solutions. Degan Ati, executive director of Adeso, an organization in Somalia, brought some figures for reflection: only 12% of foundation resources are destined for the global south, and 0.076% is earmarked for youth initiatives. “Transformative philanthropy must change these numbers, while giving visibility to the generosity and small donations that happen daily among the most vulnerable,” said Degan.

Another very important aspect was the look at the donation from the local perspective. Canadian activist Yonis Hassan called attention to the change in narrative – “it’s not a charity. Donors are not helping organizations. It is the organizations that are helping donors achieve the change they want to see.” He was very emphatic about the importance of funding organizations that operate in a specific territory and strengthening leadership. The indigenous Nemonte Nenquimo, in turn, told her story of fighting for the right to land and protecting forests in Ecuador. In its movement, it brings together indigenous people affected by state action and those who still live in more isolated lands, as well as international agents that contribute to articulation.

It is estimated that the equity of American foundations invested in funds is 160 billion dollars. These resources are ‘stopped’ and that’s why the debate on management is big in the country. The #HalfMyDAF movement advocates that half of these amounts be transferred to CSOs and proposes to match everything that is donated. Along the same lines, Glen Galeich points out that “foundations today are just part of the financial system and that money is just circulating to generate more money”. Increased speed of resource transfer, transparency, accountability, blended finance and venture philanthropy mechanisms were explored. The duration of funding was also highlighted. For Carlos Saavedra, executive director of the Ayni Institute, “transformation takes time. Donations for just 1 year is nothing. Financing must be between 3 and 10 years.”

The issue of global health, based on the experiences of the pandemic, gained a specific session. “Covid was a magnifying glass, revealing the inequalities in detail,” said Chet Hewitt, CEO of the Sierra Health Foundation. The importance of social organizations at this time was highlighted, the legitimacy that local leaders had to guide the population and how they were crucial partners for the public power.

Empathy and collaboration as basic elements for the advances we want to see were present throughout the event, which included in the agenda several moments for interaction between participants. “I had the opportunity to meet people with very interesting experiences and exchange points of view. By participating in the event, I broadened my horizons and I believe that interesting partnerships may emerge.” comments Luisa Lima, communication and knowledge manager at IDIS, and also responsible for producing the Brazilian Forum of Philanthropists and Social Investors, the local version of the GPF.

Brazil at the Global Philanthropy Forum

Led by Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, and Luisa Lima, the GPF delegation had the participation of Antony Assumpção and Rodrigo Lowen (Hospital Pequeno Príncipe), Carolina Barrios (Fundação Maria Cecília Souto Vidigal), Daniela Grelin (Instituto Avon), Fernanda Quintas and Rosalu Ferraz Fladt Queiroz (Solidarity League), Guilherme Barros (Lemman Foundation), Juliana Depaula (BTG) and Nicole Rodrigues Carnizelo (Santa Plural Association). As partners of the event, IDIS annually organizes the trip, strengthening the relationship between the participants and with the global philanthropic community. Interested in participating? Contact us. The GPF does not yet have a set date, and will be released to our community as soon as it is announced.

 

IDIS is named the best Brazilian philanthropy organization

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Efficiency and excellence in management are key factors for social organizations to achieve greater impacts on the causes they defend. The “Best NGO Award” recognizes good practices in governance, transparency, communication and financing and, for the fourth time, IDIS was among the top 100 in Brazil. And this year, a surprise: IDIS was also named the best organization on the brand new category Promotion of Philanthropy, Volunteering, and CSO support, taking two trophies home.

“Receiving these awards makes me very emotional and fulfilled! We made many investments in people, processes and tools to strengthen our projects, and ending the year with this recognition reinforces that we are on the right path”, says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS. “This is the result of the dedication of our team and council, in addition to the trust placed by our partners”, she adds.

Among IDIS´s highlights are the monitoring strategic planning and indicators, investment in financial management and CRM platforms, the creation of a diversity and inclusion committee, and the growing investment in team training and development. The result was the expansion of advisory projects with new clients and the strengthening of relationships with those who were already in the house; strengthening of own projects such as endowment´s advocacy and Transforming Territories, a program to develop community philanthropy at Brazil. Equaly important was the productions in the field of knowledge, such as the 2021 Volunteer Survey, the Brazilian Endowments Outlook, the Seminar on ESG and Strategic Philanthropy; and the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum.

The selection of the prize is based on a rigorous evaluation carried out by O Mundo que Queremos Institute, the Doar Institute and “Ambev VOA”, with the support of researchers from Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Humanize Institute and of the Toyota Foundation.

We congratulate all the organizations that work every day for socioeconomic development in the most different causes and regions of Brazil and who were also recognized on this year´s edition.

 

National Bank for Economic and Social Development selects IDIS as ‘manager partner’ to improve Brazilian public health system

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The matchfunding initiative will finance new technologies to expand health service in the North and Northeast of Brazil. By encouraging the participation of private donors, BNDES – National Bank for Economic and Social Development will double any contribution made to the program. Over 4 years, the equivalent to USD 40 million will be donated.

 

The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) selected the consortium formed by IDIS and Impulso Gov as the managers for the “Juntos pela Saúde – Together for Health” initiative

Launched in June 2022, the initiative aims to increase investment in technology and equipment for the Brazilian population’s access to health, in addition to improve the Brazilian free and public health system (SUS). The focus will be the North and Northeast regions of the country.

BNDES will use the matchfunding strategy, in which it doubles the amount invested by private donors. The initiative aims to gather R$ 200 million in non-reimbursable resources, equivalent to about USD 40 million, health of it invested by the bank, which will be transferred to public and philanthropic health units that serve the SUS by the means of acquisition of equipment, IT, management improvements and health campaigns.

So far, there is already a declared intention of a contribution from the multinational miner company Vale, in the amount of R$34 million, that, as the strategy suggests, will be also matched by  BNDES. These resources will strengthen primary care in the municipalities surrounding Vale’s operations in the State of Maranhão, with the expansion of the successful experience of the “Ciclo Saúde” (health cicle), project by Vale Foundation. 

The Bank’s resources come from the BNDES’ socio environmental fund.

The contracted manager will be responsible for supporting fundraising and carrying out public selection of projects and/or structuring projects eligible for support, in the minimum amount of R$2 million. All proposals will be submitted to a validation committee, with equal participation of BNDES and donors.

The project manager will also have the attribution of receiving funds from BNDES and other supporting institutions and passing them on to the contemplated projects, following up on the application and monitoring the results. The management of “Juntos pela Saúde” will follow all the corporate governance and compliance requirements, with the establishment of measurable goals, contracting of external audits, dissemination of results and public selections. In addition to improving access to healthcare, the initiative has as goals the efficiency and transparency of the investments.

“IDIS is very proud of this achievement. Our experience in managing donations and creating robust governance structures, such as the Emergency Health Fund – Coronavirus Brazil and the Private Social Investment Fund for the End of Violence against Women and Girls, was certainly decisive in demonstrating our ability to deliver such an important and complex project”, comments Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

Founded in 1999, IDIS is considered one of the pioneering organizations in advisory for social investors in Brazil. ImpulsoGov, on the other hand, has the mission of improving health policies through the intelligent use of data and technology.

The expectation is that the selected consortium will be hired in December, after technical and legal analysis by the BNDES, and that, in 2023, it will start working on the selection and structuring of projects.

Volunteering in Brazil: Two Decades of Transformation

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In 2001, when the United Nations – UN established the International Year of Volunteers, amid the many celebrations at the time, the first Brazilian Survey on Volunteering became a landmark to know the profile of Brazilian volunteers.

Ten years later, in 2011, on the celebration of the Decade of Volunteering, the 2011 Survey “Volunteering in Brazil” expands its scope to better understand the volunteers.

Since 2011, Brazil experienced important events, such as the evolution of corporate volunteering, the holding of major events, humanitarian emergencies, and especially the impacts of the pandemic.

In a year deeply marked by the reinvention in the way voluntary work is done, the Survey “Volunteering in Brazil” becomes one of the main contributions to society.

This is a collection of papers to celebrate volunteering in Brazil, containing opinion papers whose purpose is to present the writer’s point of view.
They are diverse in terms of themes, characters, and styles, written by authors who kindly accepted our invitation to tell inspiring stories and bring relevant data capable of showing us how the Brazilian citizens, with creativity and perseverance, build a better and fairer society through volunteer work.

These sensitive reports show and record the important role of volunteer work in building a nation of citizens and solidarity.

The 2021 Survey “Volunteering in Brazil” legitimizes the work of thousands of volunteers in building a better Country, now and for future generations. In its third edition, the Survey brings a Brazilian portrait of the topic, points out to trends, and analyzes the changes in the last two decades.

It was prepared and coordinated by Silvia Maria Louzã Naccache, with the support of the consultants Kelly Alves do Carmo and Felipe Pimenta de Souza. The Institute for the Development of Social Investment – IDIS and Datafollha are responsible for the implementation.

To access the full Survey, CLICK HERE

Volunteering at Brazil: what companies have to do with it

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By Luisa Gerbase de Lima, communicaton manager at IDIS

 

The “2021 Volunteering at Brazil Research” shows a positive scenario and points the way to evolution through the participation of companies! In just two decades, the number of people who have done some volunteer work at any time in their life has more than tripled, from 18% to 56% of the population.

The number of active volunteers is also remarkable – more than one-third of the population (34%). In other words, there are 57 million Brazilians who donated, in 2021, their time, talent, and energy for a cause they believe in, and who made a difference in the lives of those who benefited from the action. And why do they do it? The greatest motivation was solidarity, indicated by 74% of the volunteers.

We are thrilled with the numbers, but we cannot say they are surprising – they match the findings from other surveys that show the strengthening of the Culture of Giving and volunteering. In the World Giving Index 2021, a global study by the British Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), promoted by IDIS, Brazil was ranked 54th among 114 nations. This solidarity ranking contemplates attitudes such as donating money, helping strangers and volunteering, and in absolute terms, we moved up 14 positions compared to 2018 and 20 positions compared to the average of the previous 10 years.

Another study, the Brazil Giving Research 2020, conducted by IDIS and with an emphasis on individual donations of money to causes, shows that despite the drop in donation rates, there is a tendency for society to mature – more than 80% of interviewees agree that the act of donating makes a difference and, among nondonors, this agreement reaches 75%. The concept that donation is good for the donor also grew significantly between 2015 and 2020, from 81% to 91% of the population, reaching an almost absolute majority. Another positive aspect is that the idea that the donor should not talk about donating is losing strength. In 2015, the statement had the agreement of 84% of the population, and in 2020, the percentage dropped to 69%. This is an especially important point because talking about donations stimulates their practice, brings inspiration, clarifies fears, and arouses interest in other people.

It is in this context that volunteering is developing in Brazil, and it can be noticed that, despite the pandemic and social isolation have shaken structures, requiring quick readjustments, we were capable of meeting these challenges – 47% of the volunteers started to be more dedicated, and 21% have started to carry out online volunteer works such as psychological support and actions linked to education.

Such advances are by no means spontaneous. They are the proceeds from the work
and investment of countless organizations and individuals. Studies and research
generated data and considerations; practice enabled us to learn from successful
experiences and also from mistakes; the enhancement of the regulatory environment brought more solid bases and technology enabled us to exceed barriers and contributed to connecting people and knowledge.

The “2021 Volunteering at Brazil Research” provides a portrait of where we are, indicates points of attention, and possible paths to continue evolving. Keeping the number of volunteers growing is always desirable, but the great challenge is to turn this trend into a routine practice – we currently have 34% of Brazilian volunteers, but only about onethird of them do it on a regular basis, with a defined frequency. The answer to this transformation is in another figure – only 15% of volunteers say they participate in business programs, an indication of the huge potential that can be explored.

When we unite corporate social investment with individual desires, we find a fertile field for solidarity actions by companies with their internal stakeholders, and that is where the corporate volunteering programs come from. Possible results of this merger are many, going beyond the social impact generated and the creation of an action routine. Improvement of the organizational climate, increase of the feeling of belonging, an opportunity for the development of competencies, strengthening of ties between employees, deepening of the relationship with the company’s community, contribution to the impact strategy and private corporate social investment, attraction of talent, and contribution to the brand reputation with other stakeholders are some of the benefits of solidarity actions involving employees. Such programs are also an integral part of the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) agenda, which is increasingly being considered in investor decision-making. By promoting corporate volunteer programs, everybody wins.

Generosity in the world increased, especially in economies with the most vulnerable people. This movement of caring for others and making donations, whether of time or resources, needs to continue if we are to confront the perverse effects of the pandemic and accelerate the improvement of the well-being of those who need it most. We are going in the right direction and we will move forward.

The “2021 Volunteering at Brazil survey” was promoted by Institute Datafolha and IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, and was coordinated by Silvia Maria Louzã Naccache and the consultants Kelly Alves do Carmo and Felipe Pimenta de Souza.

View philanthropy as a borderless endeavour

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By Atti Worku at Alliance Magazine

Looking back on the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2022 brings me a sense of joy and excitement. When IDIS invited me to join the panel to discuss collaboration in philanthropy, there was no way I could pass up the chance to join forces with my fellow panelists to highlight the importance and impact of localising philanthropy.

My introduction to IDIS came about a year ago by way of the Alliance magazine team. I’ve always been impressed with their work and was reaffirmed during the conference as I learned more about the multi-pronged and progressive approach they take in their work in the philanthropic space. While I initially didn’t know what to expect, I was confident that the event would be well-run given the thorough and friendly preparation process of the IDIS team.

I landed in Brazil a few days before the event. I was lucky enough to spend that time exploring São Paulo, and I found the city to be immensely beautiful and fun. From the MASP’s Black and Indigenous art to the stellar sushi restaurants, I fell in love with the small slice of this stunning city. I also joined other panelists for pre-conference dinners and had the pleasure of connecting with Matthew Bishop, a renowned economist who shares a similar vision to mine for modern philanthropy. I’ve admired his work for a while, so it was really special to meet and sit with him on a panel.

To continue reading click here.

Global generosity growth as more people donate and help strangers

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Brazil reaches record and is among the 20 most supportive countries in the world

More people donated money to charity and helped a stranger last year than in any year of the previous decade, according to the Charities Aid Foundation’s – represented in Brazil by IDIS, World Giving Index 2022.

Around the world, 3 billion people helped someone they didn’t know last year, increasing by approximately half a billion compared to prior to the pandemic.  Around 200 million more people also donated money to charity worldwide, with donations rising by 10% in high-income economies.

The World Giving Index is one of the biggest surveys into giving ever produced with nearly 2 million people interviewed since 2009. This year’s Index includes data from 119 countries, representing more than 90% of the global adult population. People around the world are asked three questions: have they helped a stranger, given money or volunteered for a good cause over the past month? Produced by CAF, the World Giving Index will launch during the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, at an event in New York to discuss the role of the private sector in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

For the fifth year in a row, the world’s most generous country is Indonesia, followed by Kenya in second place. Many high-income countries returned to the top 10, having seen a steep decline in volunteering and giving since 2018 which accelerated during the pandemic. In addition to the United States in third place, Australia (4), New Zealand (5), and Canada (8) join the world’s most generous countries.

The United Kingdom ranks 17th overall, up from 22nd in 2020, largely due to many lower-income countries also increasing their scores and rising the Index.

Ukraine came out 10th in the Index, rising from 20th in the previous year, and is the only European country occupying a place in the top 10. The high score from data collected prior to the 2022 conflict reflects the new ways to engage with charity which emerged in Ukraine, along with an increase in living standards and the need that was created by the pandemic.

Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said:

“Giving takes different forms around the globe, and even the definitions of what constitutes charity and generosity differ across cultures. Our World Giving Index aims to measure generosity as expressed through three human behaviours. Encouragingly, the overall Index score has increased, indicating that people around the world have been engaging more in generous actions than during the previous year.

“Against an uncertain economic, social, and political backdrop, the World Giving Index improves our understanding about global giving. Covid-19 has affected the world’s poorest and vulnerable the most, which has also disrupted progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Private donors and businesses are likely to be called upon to fill funding gaps and charities will need to work out how best to direct their limited funding for the greatest impact. However, in the wake of two difficult years and with further challenges likely to come, we continue to see great instances of global generosity.”

 

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SURVEY

 

World Giving Index 2022 Top 20 countries:

 

 

Overall
Ranking Score
Indonesia 1 68%
Kenya 2 61%
United States of America 3 59%
Australia 4 55%
New Zealand 5 54%
Myanmar 6 52%
Sierra Leone 7 51%
Canada 8 51%
Zambia 9 50%
Ukraine 10 49%
Ireland 11 49%
Thailand 12 48%
Czech Republic 13 48%
Nigeria 14 48%
United Arab Emirates 15 47%
Poland 16 47%
United Kingdom 17 47%
Brazil 18 47%
Guinea 19 47%
Philippines 20 47%

 

Collaboration, capacity, and change at the 2022 Brazil Philanthropy Forum

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by Agustín Landa at Alliance Magazine

After three years since the last national reunion, the philanthropic sector of Brazil came together on 15 September in Sao Paulo at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum organized by the Institute for Development of Social Investment (IDIS).

 

More than 200 guests attended in person, and many more joined the conference virtually. With 11 sessions and presenters from around the world, the Forum explored the topic of collaboration. It was very inspiring to see many young participants and future philanthropists in the venue among more seasoned people.

Opening with Paula Fabiani – Forum IDIS 2022

Collaboration in action

A fascinating first dialogue was with Celso Athayde, the Founder of Central Unica das Favelas, Neil Heslop, CEO of CAF, Monica Sodre, CEO of RAPS – and moderated by Atila Roque, Ford Foundation Brazil. All of them were from very different backgrounds and used the space to host a dialogue around the factors that need to be addressed for collaboration in the sector to reach far, as well as fast.

Forum IDIS 2022. São Paulo. Picture: Andre Porto

The panellists stressed that cooperation is not the same as collaboration. Trust, honest dialogue, an openness to diversity, and empathy were among the factors that need to be a part of working in collaboration. But it must also be accompanied by a systemic focus to obtain a shared goal.

Monica Sodre reflected especially on how democracy is being attacked and should take care of. Democracy she said is a value, cannot be underestimated, and is a very recent conquest of society.

To continue reading click here.

The ‘S’ of the Brazilian ESG will not evolve without dialogue with CSOs

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The B3 (Stock Exchange in Brazil) revealed last year that it would have new rules for its Corporate Sustainability Index. The changes in the ranking stemmed from pressure from investors so that the companies evaluated became increasingly attentive to ‘ESG’ actions (Environmental, Social and Governance).

Following the announcement, B3 started to openly publish the scores of the 73 organizations participating in the index. Dimensions such as human capital; corporate governance and senior management; business model and innovation; social capital and environment were all disclaimed.

Among the top 10 companies, the dimension with the lowest average rating was human capital, which includes issues such as diversity and labour rights – followed by the social capital index, which covers the topics of private social investment and community relations. Both represent, not only, but essentially, the ‘S’ within ‘ESG’.

The findings reveal a weakness in materializing actions, measuring achievements, and an unclear commitment to social transformation. A study by BNP Paribas (ESG Global 2021) revealed that 51 per cent of investors surveyed considered the ‘S’ the most difficult to analyse and incorporate into investment strategies. Another analysis, carried out by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in partnership with Deutsche Bank, shows that only 14 per cent of the ‘social’ ratings compiled by the GRI are aimed at investors. In contrast, 97 per cent of environmental ratings and 80 per cent of governance ratings have investors as their primary audience.

The next step for Brazilian companies

Facing this scenario, what should Brazilian companies do to evolve on the social agenda in their ESG practices? The answer is not simple, nor is it unique. Among the options, there is a great opportunity for companies to rethink the way they dialogue with communities, and the role of grantmaking and strategic philanthropy, promoting social transformations aligned to the business.

As a trend, we see a raising involvement of CSOs in companies’ initiatives and, more than that, a transfer of knowledge from the social organizations to their investors, instead of the other way around. Projects are developed in collaboration, and direct investment is made on CSOs, which can increase their influence and capacity for execution and transformation alongside beneficiaries.

The pandemic showed that in the most difficult moments, problems are concentrated in the most vulnerable populations, whether due to the precariousness of the system or to the lack of work and income. At the same time, the experience made it clear that they were the ones most capable of finding the best solutions. Proofing points are the gigantic mobilizations conducted by community leaders during the emergency, such as those carried out by CUFA (Central Única de Favelas), which provided basic needs such as food and PPEs and promoted entrepreneurship in favelas across the country.

The connection between the ESG Agenda and philanthropy can no longer be invisible or ignored. A Census conducted by Gife in 2020 registered an increase of 11 percentage points in the number of social investors focused on ‘strengthening civil society’ in relation to the 2018 survey. Instead of creating new and promoting their own projects, companies should choose to strengthen grassroots organizations, which are more likely to act faster, more precisely and promote the changes we long to see.

Renato Rebelo was the Project Director at IDIS.

Brazilian endowments outlook

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The first registered endowment in Brazil dates from 1956. The model, however, was not adopted by many organizations, and only in the decade of 2010 it started becoming more popular. The first law that regulates endowments was created in 2019 and since then the debate around them has been rising.

Little by little, there were news about new endowment, but there was no information about their number and sizes, or where they were located and causes they beneficiated. These are some of the questions that we at IDIS often hear. And the problem is that there was no data to answer them. Despite seeing the fruits of our efforts, we were not sure about the size of the endowment fund field in the country, nor its characteristics.

It was the urge to answer these questions, and many others, that led IDIS to develop the BRAZILIAN ENDOWMENTS OUTLOOK. After more than ten years of advocating for the regulation of endowment funds in our country, providing technical support for the creation of more than ten funds, and launching six publications on the subject, we wanted to have a clear picture of how far we have come.

The challenge was easy, as endowment fund managers are not used to disclosing numbers, let alone talking about their own difficulties. To our surprise, some traditional funds were willing to participate promptly, and this attitude spurred others to do the same. We gathered information on 58 endowment funds, six of which are still in the planning or structuring phase. In this publication, we have gathered the highlights we consider most important for the international public and those who are interested in learning more about this important aspect of philanthropy in Brazil.

Click here to download the Brazilian Endowments Outlook

Live Stream: Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2022

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The 11th edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum already has a date: September 15th. This year, in addition to the in-person event in São Paulo exclusively for guests, the program will also be broadcast live, both in Portuguese and in English.

 

 

Philanthropy is increasing its presence in the Brazilian news and society demands commitment and results. There´s been a move forward, solutions were accelerated through connections and challenged the saying ‘alone you go fast and together you go far’.

Brazil has never advanced so far, and in so little time. The mobilization caused by the pandemic showed the potency of collaboration. Public authorities, companies of all sizes and segments, civil society organizations and individuals joined forces. They intensified pre-existing partnerships and created new bridges.

Therefore, this year’s theme is COLLABORATION. At the Brazilian Forum of Philanthropists and Social Investors 2022 the audience will see how it is possible to go ‘fast and together’. Discover the complete agenda here.

Register here for English live broadcast

Carregando…

Register here for Portuguese live broadcast

 

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

Among the speakers already confirmed are Ana Buchain (Executive Director of People, Marketing, Communication and Sustainability at B3), Flavia Rosso (Social Impact Manager at Ifood), Atila Roque (Director at the Ford Foundation in Brasil), Celso Athayde (founder of CUFA), Marcilio Pousada (CEO of RaiaDrogasil) and Mafoane Odara (Human Resources leader for Latin America at Meta).

Among the international guests we´ll have Atti Worku (Co-CEO of the African Visionary Fund), Agustín Landa (Founding Director of Lanza and Representative of the Alliance Magazine in Latin America), Melissa Berman (Founder and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors), Neil Heslop (CEO of the Charities Aid Foundation), and Sonali Patel (partner at the Briedgespan Group).

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum is promoted by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, in partnership with the Global Philanthropy Forum and the Charities Aid Foundation, and has the silver support from Ford Foundation; and bronze support from de Ambev, B3 Social, BNP Paribas Asset Management, Arymax Foundation, José Luiz Egydio Setubal Foundation, Sicoob Institute,  Movimento Bem Maior, RaiaDrogasil and Santander.

The event´s media partner is Alliance Magazine, the world’s largest philanthropy vehicle – who will cover the event and broadcast the event live in English on its YouTube channel. The sessions will happen from 1 p.m. at 10 p.m. (BST), with English translation.

 

 

ABOUT THE EVENT

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum aims to provide an exclusive space for the philanthropic community to gather, exchange experiences and learn with peers, enriching the strategic philanthropy in order to promote the Brazilian society’s development. The event has already brought together over 1,500 participants, including philanthropists, leaders and national and international experts. Watch the 10 year aniversary video to see what is said about it!

See you soon!

Culture of giving in Brazil: Brief scenario

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It is not possible to talk about innovation and trends in giving in Brazil without first looking at the landscape of the donation culture.

According to the World Giving Index 2021, an initiative of the British organization
Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) carried out since 2009, Brazil occupied the 54th
position among the 114 countries covered in 2000, rising 14 positions in relation
to 2018 data and 20 positions in relation to its average position in the last 10 years
(Charities Aid Foundation, 2021). The index is composed of the answer to three
questions made to a sample with national representation: in the last month, (1) did
you help a stranger, (2) did you donate money to a social organization, or (3) did you
do some kind of volunteer work? In a year of socioeconomic crisis and lockdown
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping out a stranger was the variable that
evolved the most in Brazil, showing that empathy and solidarity are on the rise.

Another study also helps us understand how the culture of donation has been
transformed in the country: Brazil Giving Research 2020, the most comprehensive
survey on the practice of individual donation in the country, promoted by the
Institute for the Development of Social Investment (IDIS). Its second edition,
carried out by Ipsos Research Institute between January and June 2021, shows that
the landscape of the donation culture has changed in the country in the past five
years since the first edition of the survey in 2015 (IDIS, 2021).

Part of the change was an evolution in the positive perception of giving and of
civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as an increase in their credibility. There
was also a great advance in the way Brazilians understand what citizenship
is and engage in solving problems, with a greater awareness that social and
environmental challenges in Brazil must be addressed by civil society and not
exclusively by the government.

An aspect of Brazilian culture that has an impact on the donation culture is people’s
resistance to publicizing or commenting on a donation made to others. Brazilians
understand that saying that they donated means expecting some compensation or
something in return, or promoting themselves, and this is socially disapproved. This
attitude, however, is beginning to change as a result of assertive communication
campaigns and concrete actions by a local movement to foster the culture of giving
in Brazil. When talking about donations, influence grows, and so do donations.

Taken together, these elements are indicative of a more mature society.

In the five-year period from 2015 to 2020, donating in cash was the most popular
way of giving, chosen by 53 percent of the respondents, and only 17 percent said
they had made some kind of online transation. However, there was also a great
development of technological tools for donation, such as giving platforms, taxfree instant bank transfer methods (PIX), social media to promote giving with live
broadcasting and giving buttons, and even a timid emergence of crypto giving.
These developments resulted in advances in two directions: accountability and
operational ease of donating. From the perspective of CSOs, it is easier to publicize
their performance and be accountable, even though the third sector requires
a general improvement to become more professional and have a more robust
management structure.

From the donor’s point of view, it is easier to follow what is done with the donated
resources, meaning the effective destination of the money. Regarding operational
ease, faster and more practical mechanisms for donation emerged with donation
buttons on e-commerce and social media, PIX, and so on. Combined, these effects
are beneficial to further boost donations in Brazil.

With cultural changes and technological advances, an increase in the volume of
donations in the country would be expected, but it has not happened. In 2020, 66
percent of the Brazilians said they made some kind of donation, while 37 percent
confirmed they actually donated money for a CSO. Together, they summed a total
of BRL 10.3 billion (equivalent to a bit more than USD 2.1 billion in 2021, adjusted
for inflation). In 2015, the total donations from the Brazilians reached BRL 13.7
billion (equivalent to over USD 4.7 billion in 2021, adjusted for inflation).

In these last five years, Brazilians had to deal with the effects of one of the worst
socio-economic crises in their history, and then faced the worsening of this
situation with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the World
Inequality Report 2022, Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in the world:
the top 10 percent captures 59 percent of the total national income while the
bottom half of the population takes only around 10 percent of the national income
(World Inequality Lab, 2022). The pandemic has further accentuated this scenario.
The World Bank estimates that its effects drive up to 49 million people into poverty.
According to the Brazilian Instituto for Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the
country reached its highest unemployment rate since 2012 on April 2021, when
14.8 million people were looking for a job and the survey published by Oxfam in
January 2022 presents an estimate that, between April 2020 and April 2021, 377 Brazilians lost their jobs per hour, and that more than 600,000 companies
went bankrupt (Barros, 2021). The impact was felt in other areas as well. A survey
carried out by the Brazilian Research Network on Food and Nutrition Sovereignty
and Security pointed out that Brazil had at least 19 million people suffering from
hunger in that year (Gandra, 2021). The number of Brazilians who went hungry in
the new coronavirus pandemic doubles what was recorded in 2009, with a return to
the level observed in 2004. Before the country starts to recover and restructure its
economy, the tendency for this crisis is to worsen.

The figures show that average Brazilian in 2020 was poorer and more
concerned about their future than they were in 2015 (IDIS, 2021). Therefore, it
is understandable that part of their willingness to donate has been nullified by
uncertainty and economic insecurity, justifying the decrease observed in 2020 in
the proportion of donors of any nature, whether of money, goods, or time. Many
donors have probably become grant beneficiaries. On the other hand, classes with
greater purchasing power have responded, and donated more in 2020 than before.
As Brazil Giving Research 2020 shows—while the national average of donors was
37 percent, 58 percent of the people who earned between 6 and 8 times of the
minimum wages donanted in 2020—7 points higher than in 2015 (IDIS, 2021).

In Brazil, according to a sector mapping carried out by the Institute for Applied
Economic Research (IPEA), there are more than 800,000 active CSOs that
respond to the most diverse of causes (IPEA, 2021). The impact they generate is
increasingly communicated, contributing to the understanding that Brazilian CSOs
are closely linked to problem solving. Brazilians are empathetic and supportive,
and this cultural trait is receptive to the appeals of philanthropy. These are solid
foundations, and when the economic situation improves, a consistent recovery in
donations is expected. With knowledge and an understanding of new models for
enabling donations, it will be possible to go even further.

What Brazilian philanthropy learned from pandemic giving

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Paula Jancso Fabiani CEO of IDIS and Luisa Lima Communications Manager at IDIS. 

Collaboration and strengthening civil society organisations are key to tackling Brazil’s social inequality, a new report from the Institute for Development of Social Investment asserts.

It’s easier to make a fortune than to give money away wisely, Andrew Carnegie said in the 19th century. More than 100 years separate us from that statement, but it´s still an idea that philanthropy reckons with as year by year, it tries to evolve. While global trends are helpful to anyone working in the sector, a local understanding is crucial.

In this article, we share some perspectives on philanthropy in Brazil from our research, which we hope are useful to anyone interested in contributing to development in our country or their own.

The pandemic and philanthropy in Brazil

Brazilian philanthropy had been characterized by a project-making vocation for many years, but when the pandemic struck, the sector had to quickly work to respond to the moment’s urgency. Many philanthropists realised it would be more efficient to finance projects led by civil society organisations (CSOs) than to try to build solutions themselves – CSOs had more knowledge about the problems, were close to the beneficiaries, and had implemented solutions. Corporate giving in Brazil reached its peak in 2020, and most of the resources for dealing with the effects of Covid-19 were allocated to third parties.

In this context of increasing grantmaking, another trend was strengthened. Besides the success of the projects funded, philanthropists became also concerned with the survival of CSOs. The deficiency of project focused grantmaking was more visible during the pandemic, when hundreds of organizations, were prevented from continuing their activities, having, sometimes, no resources to maintain their own structures. Many received donations of food for distribution but could not find donors to support them pay the rent or the electricity bill. This logic is slowly changing in the country with the emergence of philanthropic entities focused on the institutional strengthening of CSOs, meaning good management, capable teams, and a financial structure with reserves to face adversities.

Philanthropy in Brazil was developing towards long-term investments. Strategic philanthropy, planning aimed at systemic changes and influence on public policies increased as a practice, as well as the importance of endowments and impact assessment. This transformative approach was leading the way towards the search for more definitive answers to problems.

Nonetheless, the health crisis and its consequences boosted emergency actions, such as direct distribution of food, basic supplies and even cash transfers. Urgency required immediate reaction. During this period, unemployment, hunger, and poverty grew in Brazil, deepening the inequality gap. The societal demands have expanded because the pandemic has shown, for instance, that those who do not have access to internet cannot study and miss opportunities for health care.

Expanding the learning from pandemic response to other causes

During this moment, some causes gained new attention. Racial equality, fighting climate change, and access to technology and connectivity have particularly stood out. And other urgent causes were reinforced such as the fight against poverty, the protection of democracy, and the struggle for human rights and equity for other minority groups.

When putting a light on corporate giving, some factors have contributed to a higher engagement. Many became involved for the first time in 2020 and some decided to continue the practice, even after the most dramatic moment of the pandemic. As reported in the 2020 GIFE Census, 60 per cent of the donating companies declared that they intend to maintain or increase the total amount of social investments in the years ahead. This positioning is consistent with the pressure from investors and consumers.

On the investors’ side, the ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) agenda gained relevance. Nevertheless, Brazilian companies still invest relatively little in following ESG guidelines. The room for development is immense, and there´s a growing understanding that philanthropy is a path to strengthen the ‘Social’ pillar of the acronym.

On the consumer side, there is increasing pressure for companies to take a stand and intercede when the government does not solve society’s problems. According to Edelman Trust Barometer 2021, more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of the population agrees with this statement, and 59 per cent of Brazilians expect CEOs to speak out publicly about social issues.

Above all, no single institution or sector, in isolation, has the solution to the complex problems that we face nowadays. The world in general, and Brazil particularly, are experiencing intense polarisation that fray the social fabric and makes dialogue difficult. Philanthropists, however, can build partnerships helping to connect CSOs, companies and government. If we had to choose only a word to summarize all that is needed, it would be collaboration. The pandemic has made it clear that we get further when we walk together and, contrary to the saying, we can get there faster too.

Article originally published at Alliance Maganize’s blog (click here) on June 4th

An Urgent Invitation to Shift Funding Practices

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Catalyst 2030, a global network that works to make the world better and fairer for all, has launched an open letter aimed at donors and funders of non-profit organizations with an appeal for changes in their practices, making them more effective and improving sustainable social impact.

The action aims to gather 1,000 signatures worldwide, drawing attention to this important issue. As of May 25th, more than 500 organizations from 60 countries have signed the petition.

We at IDIS signed the letter and invite you, a member of a non-governmental organization, to join us in this call. This is an opportunity to accelerate social change by making financing practices more effective for the sector.

“To have any hope of making the world a better place by working towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must more effectively address the root causes of problems through transformative changes in systems. A growing number of funders and organizations have realized that now is the time to advance global progress and find new ways to support change by changing current practices and norms of funding in the social sector.” Catalyst 2030. #ShiftingFundingPractices

Read the full letter

We are now in a stage of our civilizational journey where our world faces a cascading and interrelated set of global challenges that threaten the future for people and the planet. From endemic poverty, racial and gender inequity, species extinction, and deforestation, to growing fascism, and the climate crisis, the combination of these co-occurring and overlapping challenges signals that we urgently need to fundamentally transform the entrenched systems underlying these major problems.

To have any hope of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reversing the destructive trajectory facing people and the planet, we must more effectively address root causes of complex problems, rather than treating symptoms. This is possible if we transform policies, practices, customs, mindsets, power dynamics and resource flows to achieve a lasting impact on a local, national, and global level. This is the work known as systems change. It is a comprehensive approach to social change that seeks to address the complex, large-scale, and deep characteristics of social issues.

A key aspect of systems change is sustained collaboration. True systems change occurs when multiple players across sectors, disciplines, and social groups – including funders and movement leaders – work together towards common goals over extended timeframes.

While we encourage funders to explore different opportunities to finance projects that can lead to social good, including those that offer some financial return to investors, achieving effective systems change, particularly the many aspects that need grant funding, will require a powerful shift from traditional philanthropic approaches where:

  1. funders tend to rely on sources of expertise to understand social impact that may not center the leadership and lived experience of those who are closest to the issues we seek to address;
  2. most funding goes toward alleviating symptoms of failing systems rather than towards the longer-term work of understanding, addressing, and mobilising change to address root causes;
  3. project-specific funding is given in short-term allotments, which also often involves excessive paperwork, transactional power dynamics, and an overreliance on short-term metrics to evaluate success; and,
  4. application processes and criteria can lead to unhelpful competition among organisations instead of incentivising the types of collaborations that are needed to change systems.

An increasing number of funders and organisations are discovering that there is a real-time opportunity to advance global progress and model new ways of supporting change by shifting current funding practices that finance the social sector. These needed shifts span across multiple types of funders, including funding from private philanthropy, governments, and multilateral bodies.

The following principles outline what we, a large group of civil society organisations and systems change innovators, as well as many philanthropic thought leaders and funder allies, believe to be the most critical and effective practices funders need to adopt as we tackle the complex problems facing our world today.

We invite you to consider adopting the transformative grantmaking practices below. Given the powerful role of funders and donors in influencing the work and scope of organisations working on systemic issues, these shifts will better enable and empower the social sector and will foster multi-sectoral collaborations that work towards the types of systems changes that are urgently needed.

Principles

  1. Give Multi-Year, Unrestricted Funding: Addressing root causes of inter-connected systemic problems requires continuous adaptation and learning over the long-term. Trusting organisations with general operating funds for multiple years (at least three to five years, and preferably longer) allows them the flexibility to take the necessary long-term, iterative approach to tackling big, complex, systemic problems. This type of flexible investment frees up organisations to adapt to changing conditions and enables nonprofits to focus on their mission-critical work rather than focusing on where next year’s grants may be coming from.  If a funder can only offer restricted project grants, make them multi-year and ensure they cover the actual direct (including staff salaries) and indirect costs of delivering impact (such as office rent and equipment).  Consider providing more than enough for these costs to enable nonprofits to grow a surplus and reserves.
  2. Invest in Capacity Building. Good ideas are not enough. Help your programme partners to build core organisational capacity and be responsive to what they say they need most. Nonprofits need to build a diverse set of capacities, either in their organisation or through their partners, to bring collective strength and sustainability to their work over time.  Funders who put restrictions on overhead costs constrain organisations ability to achieve optimal social impact.
  3. Fund Networks: Networks are tools in our social change toolboxes that support stakeholders to take collaborative action and to develop strategic initiatives that include multiple players who are part of the solution.  Networks are also an excellent source for capacity building for those participating, incentivising collaboration, experimenting with new approaches, and allowing course corrections to happen quicker and more efficiently.  Invest in infrastructure and coordination capacity for organisations to collaborate, build networks, and work together more efficiently and effectively.
  4. Create Transformative Rather than Transactional Relationships: We need to evolve from the corrosive power relationships that have characterised many interactions between funders and grantees to date. To achieve transformational change, we need to practice a partnership model where we all bring assets and gifts to the change at hand. Money is one of those assets, as is community knowledge, people power, relationships, expertise, economic power, and political clout. Effective systems change work relies on all of these assets. It also requires shared sensibility for listening, learning, humility, and collaboration. Funders can give up some of their power to build our collective power for impact.
  5. Build and Share Power: Non-profits and movement leaders have traditionally not been present in rooms where governments and corporations make big structural decisions. This is especially true for black-, indigenous-, and people of color-led organisations, as well as those led by women, young people, and people with disabilities. Funders can help rebalance these inequities. They can achieve this by sharing power with and building power for the social sector, giving more resources directly at the local level to organisations with local leadership and local ownership, and making more robust investments in organizations led by proximate leaders of color.  More inclusive decision-making structures and spaces need to be designed. These spaces should encourage general operating and capacity building support to help leaders win policies and practices that advance the SDGs in their arena of influence.  It is also important that funders are open to funding newer, early-stage social entrepreneurs and young entrepreneurs.
  6. Be Transparent and Responsive: Bring humility to your grantmaking and recognise the power imbalances in your relationships with programme partners. Communicate your equity journey with your grantees. Be crystal clear about your priorities and expectations. Be swift to say no if it’s not a good fit, and respond in a timely manner. The urgency of our challenges requires no less of us all.
  7. Simplify and Streamline Paperwork: Nonprofits spend too much time writing grant proposals and reports to satisfy funders’ requirements, while doing the difficult work of systems change and meeting regulatory conditions. Funders can help give time back by streamlining application processes, coordinating with other donors on due diligence and reporting, and aligning reporting with a systems change mindset. Reporting on systems change work is often more complex and nuanced than listing short-term outputs tied to individual projects.  As additional methods of evaluating impact, funders can be more open to stories as examples of progress. They can ask grantees what shifts in the system they are seeing over time, and they can talk to grantees about what’s working in their efforts and what is not.
  8. Offer Support Beyond the Check: Funders have more to offer than money alone. Be a connector. Make helpful connections for grantee partners to other possible funders and peer organisations, be curious and responsive to their needs, and create opportunities to showcase them and their work in channels to which you have access.  Support networks that build strong connections and provide platforms for collaboration rather than competition.
  9. Collaborate With Other Funders: Just as non-profits need to weave together networks to achieve scale, funders need to build ecosystems of investors in systems change work. Share knowledge, connections and expertise with other donors; enhance efficiencies through coordinated action; open doors for your grantees and walk through them together as partners. Connect with funders that are investing in similar areas and hold one another accountable for thinking broadly about your funding ecosystem and being intentional to include leaders and organisations that have historically and systemically had a hard time accessing funds from donors.
  10. Embrace a Systems Mindset in Your Grantmaking: Funders should embrace a systems change mindset with their grantees to address their chosen priority problem(s). The overall goal is to meaningfully shift the conditions that hold the problem in place.  This involves identifying, understanding, and addressing root causes of the problem(s) you are tackling.  This mindset also extends to thinking differently about evaluating and understanding impact over a longer-term horizon.

Many funders can point to some of these principles where they are leading or making progress.  However, partial progress, while worthwhile, won’t be enough if we are to respond to the urgency of the complex needs facing us.  We call upon philanthropic sector leaders and different types of funders to commit to adopting all of these principles in meaningful ways within their organisations, so that our shared commitment and ability to achieve lasting social change is accelerated.

Specifically, we ask for funders to commit to the following concrete, practical steps to show your support for these principles:

  1. Take the Funder Diagnostic on funding systems change, found here https://www.notion.so/Systems-Change-Funder-Self-Assessment-545c4fe1196f4fca8247d5060b055481. This is a comprehensive tool designed to support and inform the journey of shifting towards more systems change philanthropy. Develop concrete actions you will take based on the recommendations in the tool, work to improve your score over the next year or two, and commit to re-taking the Funder Diagnostic again to assess your progress.
  2. Make shifts towards the key elements of funding systems change, such as increasing funding given to groups that use systems change approaches, increasing the percentage of your grants that provide unrestricted core support, and increasing the percentage of your grants that are multi-year funding commitments.
  3. Revisit and streamline your grant-making processes. Identify at least one way that you can incorporate more perspectives or information from proximate leaders to help you shape your grant decisions.
  4. Hold yourself accountable to these principles by inviting feedback from your grantees on a regular basis, either through an anonymous grantee survey that you develop, a Grantee Perception Report, a staff survey, or other feedback mechanisms that you create to invite input.

*Many of the principles in this letter are derived from three sources: Embracing Complexity, a collaborative report authored by Catalyst 2030, Ashoka, Co-Impact, Echoing Green, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the Skoll Foundation, and McKinsey & Company that reflected the perspectives of many social entrepreneurs across the world; The Trust Based Philanthropy Project; and principles of Racial Equity-Based Philanthropy.

We look forward to working with you our shared journey to create lasting solutions to many of the biggest problems facing people and the planet today.

  • Signed by 1,191 organisations.

IDIS participates on report focused on the impacts of the pandemic on philanthropy

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Candid and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) released a new report, Philanthropy and COVID-19: Examining two years of giving, that details COVID-19-related philanthropic funding in 2021. Candid and CDP’s third assessment of COVID-19 philanthropic data notes a concerning decline in giving by large U.S. foundations even as communities face decades-long efforts to recover from the compounding effects of the pandemic.

One of the chapters of the report is dedicated to pointing out how the pandemic impacted philanthropy in other countries, one of them Brazil. IDIS contributed with its expertise and point of view and the project Emergency Health Fund – Coronavirus Brazil created by IDIS, BSocial and Movimento Bem Maior in 2020 and which raised R$ 40.4 million to help hospitals in 25 Brazilian states against COVID, was highlighted as a case study.

Check out the main highlights of the report:

Candid and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) released a new report, Philanthropy and COVID-19: Examining two years of giving, that details COVID-19-related philanthropic funding in 2021. Candid and CDP’s third assessment of COVID-19 philanthropic data notes a concerning decline in giving by large U.S. foundations even as communities face decades-long efforts to recover from the compounding effects of the pandemic. The new report highlights the need for more philanthropic support for long-term recovery, and CDP provides actionable steps funders can take to invigorate their COVID-19 giving strategy, including:

  • Increase support to marginalized communities.
  • Provide flexible funding to grantees.
  • Implement trust-based philanthropy.
  • Fund as locally and grassroots as possible.
  • Commit to transparency by sharing grants data with Candid.

In previous reports, CDP and Candid noted the record amount of disaster-related funding for the pandemic. The new report includes analysis of Candid’s coronavirus data set (as of December 15, 2021) to illuminate funding trends among U.S. foundations, corporations, and high-net-worth individuals. To date, Candid has recorded $1 billion for COVID-19 in 2021. Additional key findings from the report include:

  • 18% of COVID-19 funding was explicitly designated as flexible funding or general support.
  • 17% of funding was coded for policy, advocacy, and systems change.
  • Health, human service, and education organizations received the highest shares of funding.
  • U.S. donors allocated 22% of funding dollars to recipients based outside the United States.
  • For U.S.-focused domestic funding, 27% of dollars was explicitly designated for racial and ethnic identities. Of this, 71% didn’t indicate a specific identity, but instead, was broadly designated for “racial equity” or “communities of color.”

This report also examines data from Candid’s Foundation Giving Forecast Survey, which surveys large U.S. foundations about their grantmaking. This year’s survey asked respondents about their total grant payments in FYE 2020 and 2021 and also sought to find out how much of this funding was specifically for COVID-19-related support. Results show:

  • An 11% increase in overall grantmaking, but a 31% decline specifically for COVID-19-related funding in FYE 2021.
  • Corporate foundation funding for COVID-19 decreased by 76%; community foundations’ funding decreased by 43%; and funding by independent foundations decreased by 24%.
  • COVID-19 funding accounted for 7% of total giving in FYE 2021, compared to 12% in FYE 2020.

“Overall, surveyed funders did not maintain their COVID-19 support in the second year of the pandemic,” observes Grace Sato, director of research at Candid. “But defining COVID-19 support can be challenging. Since there isn’t a universal definition of COVID-19 funding, survey respondents used their own criteria to estimate how much of their grant payments were allocated for COVID-19. Many may not have considered increased general support or increased flexibility as part of their pandemic funding.”

Chart: Covid-19 support as share of total grant payments FYE 2020 vs 2021

To illustrate funding flows outside the U.S., country and regional experts described the philanthropic response in their localities. The report presents snapshots of COVID-19 funding in 11 countries, including case studies of how philanthropy responded to the crisis in India, Brazil, and Ukraine.

The report also provides information about CDP’s approach to disaster grantmaking. In 2021, CDP granted nearly $2.6 million in 2021 to address psychosocial health and wellbeing needs after disasters.

“We strongly believe that mental health is an area that will need ongoing funding to support global COVID-19 recovery,” said Regine A. Webster, vice president of CDP. “Our communities—especially communities of color—are going to feel the impacts of the pandemic for decades to come. We need to keep the momentum in ensuring that frontline organizations have the financial resources to address immediate needs and root causes to help all community members thrive.”

Philanthropy and COVID-19: Examining two years of giving is available here.

New research series details emerging trends in digital and other innovative charitable giving practices across the globe

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Analyses of philanthropic activity in Brazil and the United Kingdom identify expanded donor expectations for transparency from charitable organizations and significant growth in digital giving

 INDIANAPOLIS – Today the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI launched its new research series, Digital for Good: A Global Study on Emerging Ways of Giving. The series will chronicle findings and insights regarding emerging trends in charitable giving, with a focus on how innovative giving methods such as mobile giving, crowdfunding, online volunteering, social impact initiatives and others are shaping giving in various countries.

Click here to download the material. 

 

The series, which builds on the school’s Global Philanthropy Environment Index and Global Philanthropy Tracker, will be released in phases over the next five months and feature profiles of eight diverse countries, beginning today with analyses of giving trends in the United Kingdom and case studies of non-traditional ways of giving in Brazil. Profiles of China, India, Kenya, Singapore, South Africa and South Korea will follow. For each country, the research team collaborated with in-country partner organizations or individual experts to identify specific trends, shape data collection, and develop report findings. The study series is based on research funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

“Expanding on our global philanthropy research by introducing these studies allows us to better understand philanthropy’s ever-evolving trends and to examine them in countries with varied philanthropic landscapes,” said Una Osili, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research and International Programs at the school. “By identifying and understanding emerging ways in which people are giving, we can equip leaders of charitable organizations to better secure, shape and deliver much-needed aid and relief.”

 

The first two country profiles examine philanthropic engagement in Brazil and the United Kingdom prior to and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Both countries report an expansion of various types of channels for donations, while researchers noted the necessity of new, technology-based ways of giving for philanthropy’s continued growth in each geographic area.

 

Both country profiles focus on emerging and expanding ways of giving: online giving and crowdfunding in the United Kingdom, and charity rounding up, crowdfunding, and social impact publishing in Brazil. Social impact publishing involves the production of inspiring, revenue-producing editorial content in which a portion of the revenue generated is given to nonprofit organizations.

 

Key findings in the Brazil profile feature analysis of three relevant case studies and include:

 

These include donating through rounding-up for a charity at checkout, crowdfunding, and social impact publishing, practices which all encourage smaller, more frequent donations that accommodate charitable contributions on modest household budgets. From 2013 to 2020, donations collected through rounding-up for charity via Arredondar increased exponentially from just BRL 1,091 in 2013 (equivalent to USD 590 in 2021, adjusted for inflation) to more than BRL 1.6 million in 2020 (equivalent to USD 330,186 in 2021, adjusted for inflation). The social impact publishing house Editora MOL also experienced growth on the donations made through its editorial products: nearly one-sixth of all donations it received since 2008 were made during 2021. And in 2020 alone, the use of the giving platform BSocial skyrocketed from 600 registered donors to about 15,000, resulting in a four-fold increase in charitable contributions.

 

“The three initiatives shared in this report highlight innovative ways that people are engaging in philanthropy in Brazil over recent years. Interestingly, these models are not digitally based; they evolved with no digital component, but digital will now contribute to their growth and expansion, and we hope they will inspire more ideas to promote philanthropy,” said Luisa Lima, Communications Manager at IDIS, the Institute for the Development of Social Investment, the Brazilian organization that conducted this research.

 

The most successful initiatives prioritize transparency and accountability in giving. In Brazil, as in many countries, charitable organizations face distrust or skepticism from donors about the use and impact of their donation. New giving initiatives that emphasize transparency and accountability can create more comfort for all donors with the nonprofit sector overall and can invite everyday donors to actively participate in a more inclusive civil sector.

 

“Transparency and accountability are crucial to the development of philanthropy in Brazil,” Lima added. “Although Brazilians are empathetic and supportive, there is an underlying attitude of distrust toward institutions that receive donations. Transparency is central to shifting these attitudes and building renewed trust within the philanthropic environment.”

 

Key findings in the United Kingdom profile feature results of an online survey of nearly 3,000 individuals and include:

 

Online giving has increased, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of donors giving via cash declined significantly during the United Kingdom’s first lockdown in March and April of 2020 and remained at levels much lower than usual even after many restrictions were lifted. Simultaneously, online giving showed a significant increase during the pandemic. On average, donors interviewed between May and July 2021 reported that 60% of their gifts in the past 12 months had been made online. Donations through a third-party app proved to be the most common way to donate online, with over half of respondents who donated online in the past 12 months noting that they had made gifts through applications like JustGiving or Virgin Money Giving.

 

A quarter of people gave via crowdfunding in the past 12 months. The most common reason to support a fundraising request via crowdfunding was to contribute to charity (30%). Findings suggest that 23% of people gave to crowdfunding ventures established for or by a friend or family member or those set up by a friend of a friend or an acquaintance, while less than 17% contributed to a crowdfunding effort established by someone they did not know. Notably, while a substantial portion (33%) of donors who gave via crowdfunding or social media sites said that they responded to requests posted by a friend, family member, or acquaintance, very few donors (4%) indicated being motivated to give by a social media “influencer.”

 

Online and offline solicitations often reinforce each other, making hybrid ways of giving the new normal in charitable giving. Researchers found that 63% of people who used social media to request donations also made requests in person.

“For the UK, the future for fundraising looks digital, but with a strong human element,” said Alison Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of Charity Services at the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which conducted the United Kingdom research. “Though donations may be conducted online, requests for support are often made by a friend or family member in person or via social media.”

This phenomenon highlights the continued importance of interpersonal connection when engaging would-be donors.

“The results of the first two country profiles suggest an evolution in giving practices and highlight a significant expansion of digital giving practices and peer-to-peer giving,” said Amir Pasic, Ph.D., the Eugene R. Tempel Dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. “While these findings are the first in a series, the documented growth in digital giving and shifting donor expectations in the UK and in Brazil reinforce existing evidence that digital practices can help democratize the practice of philanthropy. Digital innovation makes philanthropy accessible and fosters greater transparency and accountability for how gifts lead to impact.”

 

About the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

The Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI is dedicated to improving philanthropy to improve the world by training and empowering students and professionals to be innovators and leaders who create positive and lasting change. The school offers a comprehensive approach to philanthropy through its undergraduate, graduate, certificate and professional development programs, its research and international programs and through The Fund Raising School, Lake Institute on Faith & Giving, the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy and the Women’s Philanthropy Institute. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram and “Like” us on Facebook.

 

About Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)

Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) is a leading charity and bank seeking to connect vital organizations, institutions and individuals working to ensure everyone has a stake in the future. We exist to accelerate progress in society towards a fair and sustainable future for all. For over 95 years, we’ve acted as a meeting point for companies, private philanthropists, fellow foundations, governments, charities, and not-for-profit enterprises. Our independence, expertise and international reach enable hundreds of millions of pounds each year to move across sectors and borders and arrive safely with thousands of charities to make a greater impact. We also lead an international network of like-minded charitable organizations. We collaborate to inspire innovation, share best practices, and improve cross-border giving in support of civil society.

 

About IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment

IDIS – Institute for Development of Social Investment is a civil society organization founded in 1999 and pioneer in technical support to social investors in Brazil. With the mission to inspire, support and promote strategic philanthropy and its impact, IDIS serves individuals, families, companies, corporate and family run institutes and foundations, as well as with civil society organizations, in actions that transform realities and contribute for the reduction of social inequality in the country. Our actions are based on the tripod of generating knowledge, offering advisory and developing social impact projects that contribute to the strengthening of the ecosystem of strategic philanthropy and of giving culture. We value partnerships and co-creating, and believe in the power of connection, of joint learning, of diversity and plurality of points of view.

Perspectives for Brazilian philanthropy in 2022

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Societies are more complex. Problems to be faced too.

In the 19th century, one of the great names of philanthropy, the entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie, said it was easier to make a fortune than to give money away wisely. More than a century separates us from that statement, and since then societies have become more complex, as have their problems. And the challenge faced by philanthropists, who want to generate the greatest possible impact with their donations, has grown considerably, after two years of the pandemic and its consequent economic and social crisis.

Thinking about the decisions which Brazilian philanthropists will face in 2022 that IDIS prepared this article, bringing some perspectives we see in our daily work, both in Brazil and abroad. Perspectives work like windows opening onto different landscapes, and in each one something different is happening that can influence the way the private social investor understands the context in which he/she is inserted, the various possibilities within his/her reach, and the effects of his/her resolutions.

It should be clear that IDIS have never intended to draw a complete picture of reality and of what should be considered by a philanthropist when reflecting on how he or she intends to make donations. But we do have the intention of enriching this moment and, somehow, contributing so that the social investor has more elements to collaborate with in order for his/her decision to be the best for him/her, the best for the beneficiaries, and the best for Brazil.

Check out: Perspectives for Brazilian philanthropy 2022

Study highlights leading companies in corporate giving in Brazil and worldwide in 2020

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Unprecedented research carried out by IDIS points out the organizations that allocated the most resources to social initiatives on the first year of the pandemic

IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, as a request from Itaú Unibanco, accomplished a survey on social investment carried out with companies around the world. The Corporate Giving Ranking reveals which are the 10 Brazilian and 10 international companies that contributed the most to socio-environmental actions, through donations and sponsorships, on 2020, first year of the pandemic.

In Brazil, the best-placed company is Itaú Unibanco, with a total invested amount of USD 350 million. The bank also stood out in the global ranking, classified in 8th, only behind US giants companies and a large Chinese organization. In the international ranking, the highlight was Microsoft, with USD 2.3 billion invested. Check out the rankings below:

 

Brazilian Corporate Giving Ranking in 2020

COMPANY

VALUE OF DONATIONS (USD)

NET PROFIT (USD)

DONATIONS/NET PROFIT
# 1 Itaú 350.007.709 2.903.064.174 12,1%
#2 Vale 213.534.615 4.496.146.153 4,7%
#3 Bradesco 182.219.230 3.741.923.076 4,9%
#4 Cogna Educação 62.855.769 -1.116.499.615 n/a
#5 JBS 60.788.461 884.288.461 6,9%
#6 Rede D’Or 43.096.538 88.350.576 48,8%
#7 Banco do Brasil 39.625.000 2.670.000.000 1,5%
#8 Claro 29.532.692 668.435.192 4,4%
#9 Ambev 28.847.746 2.327.750.000 1,2%
#10 Petrobras 27.990.961 1.201.153.846 2,3%
TOTAL 1.038.498.721 – –

Font: IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment

 

International Corporate Giving Ranking in 2020

COMPANY

VALUE OF DONATIONS (USD)

NET PROFIT (USD)

DONATIONS/NET PROFIT
#1 Microsoft

 2.328.500.000

44.281.000.000

5,3%
#2 Salesforce

1.531.000.000

126.000.000

1.215%
#3 Walmart

1.443.000.000

15.201.000.000

9,5%
#4 Google

1.112.000.000

40.269.000.000

2,8%
#5 Wells Fargo

511.412.000

3.301.000.000

15,5%
#6 Cisco Systems

511.000.000

11.214.000.000

4,6%
#7 ByteDance

425.000.000

(45.000.000.000)

n/a
#8 Itaú

350.007.709

2.903.064.174

12,1%
#9 Tencent

330.061.350

23.176.645.161

1,4%
#10 Mastercard

257.168.000

6.411.000.000

4,0%
TOTAL

8.799.149.059

–

–

Font: IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment

 

The criteria for positioning the companies took into account the financial volume of donations and the percentage that this value represents in the net profit of each corporation. In addition to financial donations in cash, the ranking considers donations of products and services, sponsorships carried out through incentive laws (in the national case), donations reported together with other companies (provided that the value of each one is specified), and the portion referring to the contributions of the sponsoring company by income from the equity funds to the Business Institutes and Foundations.

In addition to the quantitative assessment, IDIS considered in the study the strategic alignment of the actions with the company’s business and also whether the amount made available to combat the pandemic was only on an emergency basis or if there was a history and forecast of maintenance of the contributions of resources.

All values ​​used in the research were obtained from public sources of information related to philanthropy. They are: Giving USA 2021, CANDID-Philanthropy and Covid-19 Measuring One Year of Giving, Foundation Maps – Philanthropy’s response to coronavirus, Foundation Directory Online, Investor Relations Reports, ABCR Giving Monitor, GIFE, Tax Incentive Laws and Integrated Annual Reports – Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility and ESG.

This Corporate Giving Ranking complements the recently released findings of the GIFE Census and BISC Report. The studies, which include a considerable part of the most important companies in the country, estimate a volume of USD 1.3 billion related to private social investment in 2020. Considering methodological and sample differences, the total investment of the 10 companies that make up the ranking by IDIS is USD 1 billion, showing a high concentration of investments in a few companies.

“Data is essential to guide our action. It is clear that corporate social investment is still very concentrated and that it is necessary to engage more and more organizations. This is a journey that begins with the understanding that companies are part of the solution to our socio-environmental challenges and continues through a long-term commitment to transformation. Another important point to consider will be the behavior of these companies in the coming years, how much the increase seen in 2020 will influence their corporate social investment strategies and policies, as well as the effect on the sector in general”, comments Renato Rebelo, IDIS Consulting unit director.

 

Download the full publication here (content available in Portuguese only)

IDIS is among the first organizations in the world certified by CAF America

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The digital credential is an initiative of the North American representative of the Charities Aid Foundation; the objective is to validate CSOs around the world to receive US investments

Since 2005, IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment is the representative in Brazil of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), a British organization dedicated to philanthropy and with over 90 years of experience. CAF supports donors – individuals, large donors and companies – to achieve the greatest possible impact from their donations.
In December 2021, IDIS received from CAF America, one of the partner offices of the CAF International network, an unprecedented digital badge, which recognizes its suitability and exemplary work carried out in Brazil. The certification provides US investors with the assurance that we are a solid civil society organization that has been assessed against the risk of fraud, money laundering or other illicit activities.
With the objective of increasing the number of internationally validated organizations, CAF America will count on the involvement of local partners. With extensive experience in this type of validation of CSOs in Brazil, IDIS, from its office in São Paulo, will be involved in this process as a validating agent, also serving CAF’s international clients operating in the region and offering global services to social investors. Brazilian private companies.
To learn more, click here.