IDIS launches the 3rd edition of the Endowment Performance Yearbook

The discussion regarding the significance of endowments, as well as their legacy and enduring influence on socio-environmental initiatives, is gaining momentum in Brazil. In an edition that encompasses a historical series from 2019 to 2023, IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment launches the 2023 Endowment Performance Yearbook, presenting a sample of 74 out of 107 eligible funds, which together total BRL156 billion in assets (around USD 26 billion).

Profile of the sample of endowment funds analized in the Endowment Performance Yearbook between 2021 and 2023.

 

The survey, aimed at endowment managers, reveals that in 2023 funds achieved an average return of 10.6%, the highest since 2020, and that most funds prefer investments in fixed income, cash and equivalents, categories that concentrated 81% of financial investments in endowment funds.

The publication’s foreword comes from Senator Flávio Arns, responsible for drafting Bill 2.440/23, created as a complement to Law 13.800/19 on Philanthropic Endowment Funds. Arns emphasizes that “endowment funds are essential for the social development of our country, as they promote projects and causes that transform the lives of Brazilians.”

According to the Monitor of Endowment Funds in Brazil, a project coordinated by IDIS, 115 Brazilian endowment funds have been mapped, and eight of these were created just this year. Endowment funds bring together a set of private assets with the aim of using income to provide long-term funding for the institutions and/or causes they support. In other words, the creation of an endowment fund perpetuates in the work of an institution or in support of a cause.

The Endowment Performance Yearbook provides a panorama of information on cash flow, allocation, returns, investment policy and the governance of endowments. According to the publication, R$3.5 billion was redeemed in 2023 alone, of which R$3.2 billion (around USD 550 million) was allocated for causes and R$270 million (USD 46.6 millions) was destined for expenses.

Five main causes supported by endowments analyzed by the Endowment Performance Yearbook 2023.

 

Education continues to be the cause that receives greatest support with 47 funds allocated to the sector. This was followed by research and knowledge, inequality/ economic and social development and social assistance. Most of the funds are concentrated along the Rio-São Paulo axis, with São Paulo accounting for 69% of the total number of participants in the survey.

“The Yearbook presents parameters and references for the work of managers. Now in its third edition, the publication is recognized as a guide for decision-making and has been fundamental to our advocacy actions in search of improved public policies in Brazil,” states Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

Regarding the number of donations received, in 2023, the 74 endowments received a total of BRL 517 million in donations, but the average amount granted per fund remained stable, dropping slightly from BRL 9.3 million in 2022 to BRL 8.8 million in 2023. Also noteworthy is the concentration of donations in just a few funds, confirmed in this edition by the fact that the five funds most engaged in fundraising received 75% of the donations. It’s no surprise, then, that fundraising continues to be the biggest challenge facing managers, especially those responsible for funds with assets of less than BRL500 million.

Another discovery revealed by the survey concerns the low ethnic and racial diversity in governance bodies. Representation from the black, brown and indigenous population on councils and committees is very low and did not exceed 8% of the members in any of the cases analyzed. The information presented in the publication was collected through an online questionnaire, answered directly by the managers of the equity funds.

Check out the full launch event (available only in portuguese):


Main findings of the publication

Bringing together five years’ worth of data (2019 to 2023), the survey confirms trends among several of the points presented and also highlights new developments.

 

Total donations to endowment funds have grown, but the average remains stable

For the second year running, the total volume of donations to endowment funds has grown. In 2023, the endowments received BRL517 million. Yet this increase may have been caused by the larger sample, since the average amount donated to each one remained stable, with a slight drop, from BRL 9.3 million in 2022 to BRL 8.8 million in 2023.

 

Assets grow fueled by donations

Between 2022 and 2023, the funds in the sample saw their assets increase by an average of 37.6%, a much higher percentage than the average rate of return, which indicates that the growth is largely due to donations.

 

The biggest slice of donations goes to a small group

The tendency for donations to be concentrated in a few funds is confirmed in this edition. The top five funds received 75% of the donations. This percentage is very close to that of the previous edition, which was 74%.

 

Endowment funds contributed BRL 3.2 billion to causes in 2023

The total redemption volume reached the expressive number of BRL 3.5 billion, driven by large funds (with assets of over BRL 500 million) which accounted for 90% of withdrawals. Of the total amount redeemed, BRL 3.2 billion was earmarked for the causes and BRL 270 million was used to finance the funds.

 

The Rio-São Paulo axis still dominates endowments

More than 80% of the endowment funds analyzed are based in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with São Paulo alone accounting for 69% of the sample. However, there are representatives from all regions of Brazil in the sample, encompassing 11 states.

 

Adherence to the Endowment funds Law model is still low

Only 19% of funds operate within the parameters established by Law 13.800/19, known as the Endowment Funds Law. The main reasons for not adhering are the lack of tax incentives and complex governance, both of which were cited by 13% of respondents. Taking into consideration that 70% of the organizations managing the funds in the sample enjoy immunity or exemption from taxes, not adopting the Law’s model could also be linked to a fear of losing their tax status.

 

Education remains the favorite cause

Education remains at the top of the ranking of favorite causes, with 47 endowment funds in support. Also among the top five are Research/Knowledge (2nd place) and Science and Technology (5th place), two causes also tied to Education. The third and fourth places are occupied by Combating poverty and inequality/economic and social development; and Social Care, both of which each receive support from 15 funds.

 

NEW ISSUE
Endowments contribute little to the funding sources of supported institutions

Among endowments created for the benefit of the managing organization itself, half contribute less than 10% of the funding sources of the supported institution, while 25% account for all funding. Among the funds that serve an institution other than the managing organization, 96% contribute with less than 10% of the supported institution’s sources of funding.

 

Portfolio allocation prioritizes fixed income and liquidity

The data confirms fund managers’ preference for fixed income, cash and cash equivalents. These categories concentrated 81% of the financial investments of endowment funds in 2023, maintaining a more or less stable level over the last five years, and giving the portfolio a high degree of liquidity, since 53% of the investments can be redeemed within 30 days.

 

Average return of 10.6%, the highest since 2020

The average return on the funds in the sample in 2023 was around 10%, with no major variations between the different asset sizes. This is the best figure since 2020, surpassing IPCA by more than 5 percentage points (4.62%), but around 3 percentage points below the CDI (13.04%).

 

Achievement of return targets in 2023 has the highest percentage in the period analyzed
Of the sample of 74 funds, only 43% adopt a return target. Among them, the IPCA + 5% is the most common target. In 2023, 66% of them achieved their goals, the highest percentage in the period analyzed by the Yearbook.

 

In-house financial management remains the preferred model for managers
Almost two-thirds of funds (63%) practice exclusively in-house financial management, and this model is more common among those with lower assets.

 

Funds with external financial management performed better in 2023

Contrary to the experience in 2021 and 2022, when the scenario of rising interest rates benefited the more conservative investment options usually preferred by in-house managers, in 2023, funds that adopted exclusively external management, or even those that adopt both management models combined, showed superior returns, far exceeding the IPCA and almost touching the CDI.

 

Responsible investment policy is more intention than practice

Only 23% of the funds in the sample adopt a responsible investment policy and implement it. Seven percent declare they follow the policy but admit that it is not yet taken into account across all decisions. Of those that do not have a responsible investment policy, two-thirds say they have plans to implement one.

 

Most funds have well-structured governance

Most of the funds analyzed have well-organized governance, 78% have Advisory Boards, 66% feature Fiscal Boards and 62% have Investment Committees.

 

Women are present in governance bodies, but in low numbers
Opening space to a variety of genders on boards and committees is a reality for most endowment funds. Women are represented in 83% of the general meetings, in 90% of the boards of directors, in 74% of the investment committees and in 60% of the supervisory boards. However, when the total number of women is compared to the number of men, we see that women don’t even occupy half of the seats and, in the case of investment boards, account for only 7% of members.

 

NEW CHALLENGES
Ethnic and racial diversity in governance continues to present a challenge

While women have already managed to win seats on most councils and committees, this continues to be a distant reality for the black, brown and indigenous population (BIPOC). They are represented in 43% of the general meetings, in 36% of the boards of directors, in 11% of the investment committees. However, the BIPOC presence is numerically very low and in none of the instances does it exceed 8% of members.

 

Fundraising continues to be the principal challenge

The greatest concern for equity fund managers continues to be fundraising, except for those with more than BRL 500 million in assets, for whom profitability is the main challenge. Profitability is also a concern for other funds, almost always appearing in second place, except for foundations with assets of up to BRL 10 million, which cite their own consolidation as the second-biggest challenge.

 

Managers expect to receive more donations in 2024

When asked about the outlook for 2024, more than half (56%) expected to raise more funds, and 41% said they expected an increase in the amount allocated to causes. Managers were more conservative on investment performance, with 38% forecasting an increase in gross profitability in 2024 and nearly half (48%) expecting last year’s figures to be repeated. But few were willing to risk pursuing profitability, as 88% of managers stated that the portfolio continues to present the same level of risk as in 2023.

Get to know IDIS projects in 2025 and find out how to be part of them

The generation and dissemination of knowledge is one of the pillars for achieving our mission. Through publications, technical notes, articles, courses, training and events, we inspire, support and promote private social investment and its impact.

And we can go even further, and generate even more positive impacts, if we go together. Check out the main knodwledge projects planned by IDIS to be carried out in 2025.

 

Giving Culture

 

Fourth edition of the largest and most in-depth quantitative study on the behavior of the Brazilian individual donor. The special chapter will focus on the influence of emergency donations in the giving culture.

Launch forecast: August 2025

 

 

Philanthropy and Private Social Investment

 

14th edition of the most important event aimed at the Brazilian philanthropic community. The program, which includes national and international speakers, will be held in a hybrid format. In 2025, the event is scheduled to take place on September.

Launch forecast: September 2025

 

Family Philanthropy

Brazil has a great potential for more strategic family philanthropy. In a workshop with active philanthropists, we will create a theory of change for engaging new people, identifying motivations, the necessary conditions for change and defining activities and interventions necessary for this to happen. The result will be systematized in a publication and widely disseminated.

Launch forecast: June 2025

 

 

Endowments

Advocacy action to positively influence the regulatory environment and increase the knowledge of society in general about the mechanism, through communication and knowledge actions. The initiative includes the Coalition for Endowment Funds, formed by organizations and people who support the creation of endowments in Brazil. The group, which today has more than a hundred signatories. The project runs throughout the entire year.

 

Philanthropy and Private Social Investment

 

Resumption of the regional agenda, taking concepts, trends and practical cases beyond the Rio-São Paulo axis. With the aim of inspiring philanthropists and strengthening regional philanthropic communities, we hope to bring together 50 guests in person in Manaus for a morning of debates.

 

 

Come with us! Contact us at comunicacao@idis.org.br to learn more and support the projects.

 

IDIS celebrates 25 years at the MASP in São Paulo, bringing together the Institute’s collaborators and partners

On October 3rd IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, celebrated 25 years in an event in São Paulo. The celebration took place at MASP – Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, and was attended by collaborators and former collaborators, as well as many colleagues, partners and friends who are a part of the institute’s history. This was another stage of the campaign ‘Social Investment is about people’, celebrating not only the many years of IDIS’ history, but also all the people who have helped build and continue to do so with us.

Audience at the celebration in the MASP auditorium. Credit: Paula Miranda.

 

The anniversary started with the moving presentation by Maestro João Carlos Martins for an audience of more than 270 guests. He gifted the public with a performance of Playing Love, by Ennio Morricone, followed by a surprise presentation of the brazilian version of ‘Happy Birthday to you’, both on the piano. 

Maestro João Carlos Martins at IDIS 25 birthday celebration. Credit: Paula Miranda.

 

The event was followed by speeches from Luiz Sorge, president of IDIS board, Marcos Kisil, IDIS founder, and Paula Fabiani, current CEO of IDIS. 

“Today we’re here to celebrate IDIS’ 25th anniversary. But more than that, we are here to celebrate each and every one of us. To recognize everything that we have accomplished together and to bring new energies to continue our journey. […] It is about people because there is an empathetic approach. It is about people because it involves dialogue, collaboration, disagreements, consensus, mistakes and success, and it moves us”, said Paula during the opening of the event. 

Then it came the time to talk about the future of private social investment in the country. The philosopher and economist Eduardo Giannetti stepped onto the stage to talk about the role of philanthropy in the current scenery. He commented on the complexity of today’s world, which presents us with major global challenges, and highlighted hope as a key mechanism to ensure that young people engage in a better world. 

“I think we have to show young people how a life dedicated to others and to relevant causes can be beautiful and can bring an element of motivation”, said Giannetti in his opening speech. 

 

Check out the video of the opening session (available only in portuguese):

 

Afterwards, a tribute was then paid to Lírio Cipriani, founder of the Avon Institute, and our longest partner. In 2002, IDIS supported the creation of the institute and, since then, we have been following its journey ever since. The history of IDIS has been written so far side by side with the one of the Avon Institute – currently named Natura Institute. The moment represented a tribute to all our partners who have also helped to build this history with us. 

The programming also included the participation of a wide-ranging panel that dealt with the future of social investment through the eyes of the ones who support philanthropy as well as the ones who benefit from it. The session included Alcione Albanesi, President of Amigos do Bem; Benjamin Bellegy, Executive Director of WINGS; Carlos Pignatari, South America Director of Social Impact at Ambev; Claudia Soares Baré, Executive Director of Podáali Fund; Neca Setubal, President of the Tide Setubal Foundation; Raí Oliveira, Founder of Gol de Letra Foundation, who participated in video; and Selma Moreira, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at J.P. Morgan.

The panel ‘The future of social investment: the view of the ones who support philanthropy and the ones who are benefited from it’. Credit: Paula Miranda.

 

One of the main points discussed during the panel was the central role of those supported by philanthropy. 

“When we talk about the future of philanthropy, to Podáali [Fund], the future of philanthropy is to make indigenous people the main characters of their philanthropy. […] The name Podáali means sustainability, giving, because we already did this without knowing we were practicing philanthropy. […] If there is no respect, we are not making philanthropy, it is just one side trying to always be right”, says Baré.

Check out the video of the entire event (available only in portuguese):

Over the last 25 years, IDIS has closely witnessed the development of private social investment and, consequently, of society as a whole. Everything we have achieved has only been possible thanks to the commitment, collaboration and collective work of different people with a common goal: building a better world with more equity. That is why we finish our celebration with a big toast to what we have achieved so far and all that we are yet to build! 

IDIS Team. Credit: Paula Miranda.

IDIS is chosen as the best Brazilian philanthropy NGO of 2024

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 second time around, IDIS received the title of best NGO in Philanthropy, Volunteering and Support to Civil Society Organizations in Brazil. Besides the award in this special category, for the fifth time, IDIS was recognized as one of Brazil’s top 100 NGOs.

Being part of the top 100 social organizations in the country is an even more special achievement after a year so full of lessons, victories and good news. We have dedicated ourselves intensely to improve our work, always searching to inspire, support and expand private social investment and the positive change it generates”, says Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

Guilherme Sylos, Prospection Director, at the award ceremony of the “Best NGOs 2024 Award”.

Throughout the year, IDIS has made multiple investments to strengthen the Institute and its projects. Among the results achieved are the constant monitoring of indicators, the investment in management platforms and the increased training and development of the team. This resulted in the creation of the Promoting Philanthropy Endowment, the expansion of advisory projects with new clients, as well as the strengthening of relationships with those who were already partners; the strengthening of social impact projects such as Advocacy for Endowments, Transforming Territories, Together for Health and Commitment 1%; in the creation of Promoting Philanthropy Endowment; and in important productions of knowledge, such as ‘Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy 2024’ and  ‘Private Social Investment: Strategies that leverage the ESG Agenda’. 

We congratulate all the organizations that work daily to promote socio-economic development in multiple regions in Brazil and who also received this award. 

Check the full list here (only in portuguese).

IDIS, FEAC, and FEAV participate in conference with global community leaders in England

By Rosana Ferraiuolo, Project Manager at IDIS

Organized by UK Community Foundations (UKCF), the event ‘Foundations for the Future – Investing in Communities’ brought together organizations participating in the Transformando Territórios program with community foundations and institutes from various countries.

Community Foundations and Institutes have enormous potential to drive the development of the territories in which they operate, strengthening local communities in a systemic, legitimate, and sustainable manner.

This was the central theme of the UK Community Foundations (UKCF) Conference, an organization that brings together community foundations from the United Kingdom, which took place between October 8 and 10 this year. The conference hosted over 300 representatives and community leaders from various regions and countries. The discussions centered on the future of community-based philanthropic investments and their role in building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable communities.

To represent Brazil and the Transforming Territories program, members of the initiative traveled to Harrogate, England. Present at the event were Eliane Macari, president of FEAV – Forum of Assistance Entities of Valinhos, Jair Resende, socio-educational superintendent at the FEAC Foundation, and Rosana Ferraiuolo, IDIS manager and Program Manager of Transforming Territories.

The FEAV and the FEAC Foundation are part of the Transformando Territórios Program, an initiative of IDIS in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. The initiative was created to foster the creation and strengthening of Community Foundations (FICs) in Brazil, engaging donors and civil society, sharing knowledge, and providing technical support.

“Participating in the Conference was definitely worthwhile! It is the real and true concept and application of community foundations and territories. It’s clear that the Community Foundations in the United Kingdom are organized to support this, whether they are small, rural, or large”, said Eliane Macari, president of FEAV.

 

A Look at the Future of Community Philanthropy

During the three-day event, community philanthropy experts from around the world gathered to delve into topics such as strategic philanthropy, social innovation, climate and environmental justice, youth collaboration, social justice, artificial intelligence, and other relevant issues. The central theme of the conference was “Foundations for the Future: Investing in Communities.”

“We had the opportunity to see many topics being discussed, things we aren’t even thinking about here. One of the things that really impressed me was the use of artificial intelligence as a decision-making tool, helping with document systematization, indicators, and so on”, said Jair Resende, socio-educational superintendent at the FEAC Foundation.

The program, which encouraged the exchange of experiences among participants, provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on common challenges and opportunities while being inspired by each other’s work. The integration among community leaders also fostered knowledge sharing between representatives from countries such as the United Kingdom, Africa, Romania, Serbia, Germany, Argentina, and others.

This approach highlighted fundamental aspects of collective development in networks and the strengthening of relationships with communities, such as the importance of collective insights and building relationships based on trust and listening.

“Representing the Transformando Territórios Program at this conference was essential for strengthening our connection with Community Foundations from various countries. Sharing Brazil’s experience and learning directly about their practices and inspirations, both in sessions and in individual and collective conversations, was an enriching opportunity that gave us inspiration for the development of FICs in Brazil”, said Rosana Ferraiulo, manager of the Transformando Territórios Program.

 

About Transforming Territories

The Transforming Territories Program is an IDIS initiative, in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, for promoting the creation and strengthening of community institutes and foundations in Brazil, with the engagement of donors and civil society, knowledge sharing and technical support.

Learn more about the program and the participants at www.transformandoterritorios.org.br

African Philanthropy Forum and the role of the Global South in the transformation of philanthropy

In October, the African Philanthropy Forum 2024 took place in Marrakesh, Morocco. The event, a partner of the Global Philanthropy Forum – as well as the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum – attracted over 200 participants over two days of intense programming. Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, was one of the speakers at the event.

Under the theme ‘A New Agenda for African Philanthropy: Catalyzing Resources to Accelerate Africa’s Transformation’ the discussions covered topics such as emergencies, education, climate, income generation, technology, and gender, as well as the role of the Global South in transforming family, individual, and corporate philanthropy, as well as in impact investing.

Paula participated in the session ‘Philanthropy Driving Transformation: Lessons from the Global South’, alongside Antonio Bweme from WINGS; Marie-Louise Gourlay from Forward Global; Naila Taji Farouky from the Arab Foundations Forum (AFF); and Mosun Layode from the African Philanthropy Forum.

“Learning, hospitality, and energy were highlights of this event in a country full of aromas, colors, and history. It was an unforgettable experience!”, said Paula.

IDIS participates in ‘Impact Minds: Beyond Frontiers’ event, organized by Latimpacto

The ‘Impact Minds: Beyond Frontiers’ event, held annually by Latimpacto, took place this year from September 9th to 12th. Guilherme Sylos, Director of Prospecting and Partnerships at IDIS, attended the event along with 70 other Brazilian participants. The event was hosted in Oaxaca, Mexico, where approximately 650 impact investors from 36 countries gathered.

The event focused on several key themes aimed at reflecting on the gaps that Latin America faces in relation to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over the course of the three-day meeting, discussions covered various important topics, including the role of businesses and high-net-worth families in generating greater positive socio-environmental impact, the systemic changes in today’s world, and how to tackle the challenges posed by the current global scenario. Additionally, the event explored the value of philanthropy in assuming more risks and diversifying portfolios, as well as cross-cutting themes like climate action, education, innovative finance, and blended finance.

In addition to lectures and roundtable discussions, participants also had the opportunity to join eleven learning visits to local communities and territories, accompanied by local actors such as the Oaxaca Community Foundation and the Secretariat of Economic Development.

One of the key highlights of the event was the presentation of significant initiatives led by Latimpacto, including the launch of the STEM Fund. This pioneering fund was created in partnership with Lenovo and Doug Miller, the founder of Latimpacto. Based on a successful collaborative philanthropy model led by AVPN, the STEM Fund aims to expand access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education for marginalized students in both Mexico and Brazil.

The transformation that 1% may cause

*By Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment

Private social investment – the voluntary and strategic allocation of resources for the public good – is essential for resolving deep gaps in the socio-environmental development in the country. Although the State plays a crucial role, there is no way around it. There are several challenges when it comes to providing what is necessary for everyone’s well-being, whether due to Brazil’s continental dimensions or the enormity of the country’s problems that need solving. And that is where private social investment may and must act: contributing to reducing inequalities and mitigating environmental damages. Only with the collaboration between government, companies and society will we be capable of addressing effective and everlasting solutions.

When we talk about private social investment, we’re talking about BRL 4.8 billion in corporate donations, that is, donations made by companies, according to the GIFE census 2023. A significant amount, but still below the figures recorded in 2020, during the peak of the pandemic, when the private sector’s donations exceeded BRL 5.3 billion. The historical figure reinforces that the private sector can invest more – and better.

Through this vision and inspired by the North American movement, Pledge 1%, IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and Instituto MOL launched Commitment 1% in Brazil.

Launching event of Commitment 1% which happened in São Paulo in PwC Brazil’s headquarters.

The movement has the purpose of gathering companies that already donate at least 1% of their annual net profit, as well as those that have committed to reaching this amount of donations in up to two years. Cyrela, fama re.capital, Gaia Impacto, MOL Impacto, Pantys, PwC, RD Saúde and TozziniFreire Advogados are the first signatories of the commitment, as well as other organizations who are already at an advanced stage in the process of their adhesion.

Designed for companies of all sizes and sectors, Commitment 1% has the goal to drive companies’ involvement with the present and future of society, so that they will invest in projects and organizations who need resources to continue their journey. These are donations for essential organizations that transform the realities of communities in which they are inserted through education, culture, sports, healthcare, environmental and income-generating actions.

With private social investment, companies only stand to gain. Beyond the financial advantages, since it becomes easier to raise funds on the market, companies also improve their reputation, with bigger engagement from collaborators and a more solid relationship with suppliers and clients. It’s an ecosystem that positively impacts all stakeholders.

Creating possibilities for the growth of private social investment and promoting the habit of giving in the country is, without a shadow of a doubt, a path to strengthening organized civil society as an agent of positive socio-environmental changes. This journey can only be traced to people and businesses who believe in the mobilizing and sustainable power of strategic philanthropy and commit to the generation of positive impact. Just start by committing to 1%.

After all, it is now up to us to repair the mistakes of the past and build a future for those who will come. 

What has to happen for Brazilians to see donations as more than just a response to crises?

Article originally published at Folha de S.Paulo in 09/04/2024

By Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, and Luisa Lima, communication and knowledge manager

 

Altruism means spontaneous regard for the welfare of others. In broader terms, it refers to one’s ability to devote oneself to something or someone without expecting anything in return, moved solely by compassion for a cause or situation. When it comes to altruism, we are also talking about donations.

In Brazil, the act of giving is widespread and socially acknowledged, especially in times of emergencies, as the one we recently saw in the floods that hit Rio Grande do Sul – a Brazilian state – in May of 2024, leaving 497 municipalities impacted and 150,000 people displaced. However, we still face many barriers, such as the donors’ distrust of the destination of donations and even the lack of alignment with certain causes and types of organizations. 

What has to happen for Brazilians to see donations not only as a response to crisis, but also as a path for a more just, equitable and generous world?

The recently launched World Giving Index 2024, one of the biggest researches about donations ever produced, with millions of people interviewed in the entire world since 2009, reveals a scenario that may look optimistic at first, but shows that we still have a long journey ahead when it comes to generosity. 

In this edition, WGI included data from 142 countries. Participants were asked if they had taken three types of actions in the last month: helped a stranger, donated money to a charity or volunteered their time to an organization. 

Brazil climbed three positions compared to the previous year and now occupies the 86th place in the ranking. The report points to a slight 3 percent increase in the amount of people donating money to civil society organizations. Helping a stranger is still the predominant behavior, practiced by 65% of respondents.

The survey carried out between September and November of 2023, does not capture the donations made due to the climate tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul.

In 2022, with the country still under the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, we were among the top 20 most solidary countries in the world. At the time, the study highlighted that 3 out of four Brazilians helped a stranger. 

However, since then, we have dropped more than 60 positions in the ranking. From this angle, it appears to be a discouraging result. But, in terms of absolute score, this was Brazil’s second biggest result since 2009.  

The research also presents inspiring world parameters for Brazil. In the last two years, many countries registered meaningful growth in their levels of generosity. Indonesia ranked as the world’s most generous country for the seventh year in a row, with 90% of the population donating money to social organizations and 65% volunteering their time.

Interestingly, among the top 10 most generous countries, only two are between the world’s biggest economies (Indonesia and the United States of America), while Gambia, one of the world’s poorest countries, occupies the 4th place.

Public policies designed to promote philanthropy, such as tax incentives, individual donations matching, and benefits to the practice of corporate volunteering, have had positive effects in Singapore and can be an example for Brazil.

The potential of the Brazilian donor in critical situations and emergencies is unquestionable. However, to strengthen the generosity and giving culture in the country, the practice of donating must become regular.

It is necessary to transform the act of giving into a continuous expression of citizenship and commitment, capable of generating positive and lasting socio-environmental impact in our society. True altruism manifests itself when the donations go beyond the immediate need and become a part of daily life. 

Intertwining lives. Weaving the future.

By Aline Herrera, project analyst at IDIS

There is a place for everyone at the table to promote social change. This was how Julia Brindisi, Head of Philanthropic Investments for the Americas at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) started the closing session at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024.

Interlacing the last loose ends that united the event, the final panel discussed the collaboration between different actors and different perspectives to promote a fairer and more prosperous world. The panelists, Grace Maingi, Executive Director of Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF); Cláudia Soares Baré, Executive Director of Fundo Podáali; and the aforementioned Julia Brindisi, presented different perspectives and tools that, laced together, are able to strengthen each other.

 

Watch the entire session

 

 

Governments, communities, individuals, philanthropic organizations and native populations can (and should!) work together to weave a better future. The cross-sector coordination was highlighted as a key element for the reduction of inequalities and the promotion of social justice. For Claudia Baré, the responsibility for the development of a proper living is a collective responsibility:

“We’re not able to live properly. Living properly is not only living well, living properly is making all of us, regardless of being Indigenous people or the quilombolas or non-indigenous populations, but it’s also for all of us to have a quality of life and for us to be able to make everyone have air that we can breathe in with quality. But all of these responsibilities are placed on the indigenous populations because of the forests, because of the Amazon where we are inserted. And I would like to say that it is not a responsibility of the Indigenous populations, it’s a responsibility that we all have: the Indigenous people, the representatives of companies and organizations that are here, all the citizens and especially the government, because the Brazilian government has the duty of guaranteeing our rights”, says Claudia.

Philanthropy is not any different: the community spirit drives us to strengthen together an ecosystem that looks out for one another. Grace Maingi said during the session that “true philanthropy is the one capable of promoting systemic change”. For her, philanthropy must speak the language of the communities and integrate itself comfortably into the local reality, serving as a mobilizing instrument. Thus, social investment can support people and communities so that they can become the protagonists of their future.

Beyond getting to know the work done by the three organizations present, the public of the closing panel was able to realize how the interlacing for the construction of a better future passes through, not only collaboration between different groups, but also through the combination of different tools. If, on one hand, TBI invests in advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to reach equity, Fundo Podáali values the traditional knowledge of indigenous people, and KCDF focuses on communities with the same goal. Even though they all seem like completely divergent approaches, reuniting them allows combining innovation and ancestral wisdom, creating new development perspectives capable of reinventing relations.

“In terms of the future of philanthropy, I think it’s important for us to recognize that technology will be central to it, to innovation. So, young people, the way we define philanthropy has to make sense to the people who are working and living with communities, it cannot be defined from a foreign land, it has to be understood. I’m a strong believer that we are all philanthropists in one way or the other, we don’t have to have large sums of money to be philanthropists, and really, it’s all about us giving hope.

Generosity is not equal to the wealth that we have or the size of our pockets, but it’s the richness of your heart, so if you are generous from your spirit, from your soul, then you’re able to give and to share and to shape. Philanthropy, I believe, needs to address system change. We need to be able to see the role of the support that it’s given to addressing some of those systemic barriers and challenges, otherwise, then we’re just continuing the ‘hamster’s wheel’. And just from some of the other conversations that happened earlier, is that if we do not then address inequality using philanthropy, we are just enabling a system that is not addressing some of the challenges of the world”, comments Grace Maingi. 

Whether it’s encouraging governments, communities or indigenous populations, philanthropy shows its potential to generate systemic transformations. By constructing a philanthropy that will be more inclusive, collaborative and sensible to local realities – central themes of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024 –, together, we will transform realities and untangle the knots of world inequality.

 

Photos by: André Porto e Caio Graça/IDIS.

Listening and collaboration: creating systemic changes

By Joana Noffs, project analyst at IDIS

Life stories and experiences trace paths that can help us face complex collective challenges. When it comes to philanthropy, one of the knots faced is the concentration of the resources and the power of decision making in the hands of few. What can we do so that more voices are heard? Should the ones who donate talk about the practice of philanthropy?

These where some of the questions that interlaced the session ‘In conversation with…’ at the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024. Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, invited three women whose philanthropic practices have standout in terms of innovation and collaboration to share a little bit about their paths: Cristiane Sultani, founder of Beja Institute; Ticiana Rolim, founder of Somos Um; and Marlene Engelhorn cofounder of Taxmenow, a movement that advocates for the taxation of large fortunes, who participated through video.

The conversation began with Marlene’s deposition, which brought some provocations that helped shape the debate. A multimillion-dollar heiress, the young Austrian chose to donate the biggest part of the money she received in the “birth lottery”. The decision came after she questioned herself how she could redistribute her wealth, once her country does not tax inheritances – what, according to her, would be the democratic and transparent way of proceeding. The solution she found was to create a council with the participation of 50 people, chosen randomly at first, and then by representative criteria, who were responsible to collectively allocate 25 million euros to chosen causes.

 

See Marlene’s entire deposition

 

In her speech, Marlene highlighted the need for long-term changes so that the people being currently supported by the donations can stop depending on the power and wealth holders to establish a collective decision process to allocate the resources.

“Ask the people that are affected by the decision that I take, to be the ones to take the decision. (…) We don’t have to remain classical philanthropists. We can redistribute power, we can step back as wealth holders, learn to listen and become one of many, such as it should be in a democracy”, she states.

Reinforcing the importance of acting collectively and hearing different actors, Cristiane Sultani talked about how, in her philanthropic path, meeting, listening and collaborating with people were the key aspects that transformed her journey in the field. Since she founded Beja Institute, in 2021, she has tried ‘to philanthrope’, as she likes to say, in a strategic and collaborative way, although she recognizes that she is not always able to do so. The hearing of the sector’s demands, researching global philanthropic tendencies and inspirational success stories helped her along her own process. “I chose to to help the philanthropic sector through a mindset change”, she says.

Cristiane also uses her time, influence and abilities to support advocacy actions that favor the regulations for philanthropy in Brazil, as well as supporting causes such as racial and climatic justice. She states that the process of hearing throughout the articulation with different actors is a key element for the development of trust.

For Ticiana, the transition from a position at the family business to philanthropy was marked by a constant inconformity with social inequalities and the place she occupied. “I made myself this brave question: what is my role in the world? What can I do with these privileges? How will I be an instrument? How can I use this to serve society?”. Influenced by economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, she chose social business as the way to fight against poverty, creating Somos Um, an impact business coordinator. This choice also considered the potential of countless existing projects, with a focus on collaboration.

“Nothing about us without us”. This is a motto used by the movements fighting for the rights of people with disabilities, which Ticiana uses to illustrate the importance of including those affected by decisions in the co-creation of solutions and joint action, also aiming to scale its impact. “From this place of privilege, we sometimes arrive in vulnerable territories or in some project full of certainties. And today I say that is arrogant and ignorant on our part.”

Another challenge that Ticiana, from Ceará – a northeast Brazilian state – set to herself was, on one hand, to bring the northeast of Brazil to the center of the philanthropic debate and, on the other hand, to bring the debate about systemic philanthropy to the northeast of Brazil.

 

“I understood that I can be a bridge, inspiring people in the northeast, where inequality levels are very high, and they many are not questioning it. They are doing charity work, which is important, is urgent, is necessary, but will not solve the social problem because it does not bring social justice, and then we preserve this place of power, which is not ideal, that we want to change and let people free, with the power of choosing for themselves”.

 

Ticiana cofounded Zunne, which drives social impact businesses in the North and Northeast, in partnership with TRÊ and Yunus Social Business Brazil.

 

Watch the entire session 

 

 

In addition to being essential to listen to those affected by the decisions, discussing philanthropy in an open and accessible way was also considered a crucial aspect. Ticiana highlights her role in inspiring and mobilizing people by sharing her experiences and initiatives. Cristiane emphasized the importance of openly discussing issues such as racial equity, promoting transparent narratives to engage more people in the causes she embraces. Marlene, assertive in her positions, is one of the figures who brings to light in public debate criticisms of distributive models that exacerbate and sustain wealth inequalities, as well as environmental, gender and racial inequalities. The stories of the three philanthropists highlight the need for cocreation, participation, and collaboration to produce lasting changes.

 

Photos by: André Porto and Caio Graça/IDIS.

Emergency and Resilience: philanthropy strengthening communities

By Beatriz Barros, project intern at IDIS

Social investment is about people. Prevention and care are also about people. At the 13th Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, with the theme ‘Interlaced Philanthropy’, the session ‘Emergency and Resilience: philanthropy strengthening communities’ discussed the imminent climate and sanitary crisis, talking about how emergency funds and donations can ease and prevent possible disasters. Present in the session were Giuliana Ortega (Sustainability Director at RD – Raia Drogasil), Karine Ruy (General Coordinator of the Gerações Foundation) and Marijana Sevic (Head of International Strategic Partnerships at Charities Aid Foundation), as well as Vinicius Barrozo (Social Value Analyst at Globo and responsible for the donation platform ParaQuemDoar) as the moderator. 

 

Watch the entire session

 

 

The discussion about the recent climate and sanitary actions, besides the increase in armed conflicts, highlighted the urgency of creating plans, strategies, and investments that can prevent possible crises. Karine Ruy talked about the work made by Gerações Foundation in the floods that hit Rio Grande do Sul – a Brazilian state – in May of 2024, leaving 497 municipalities impacted and 150,000 people displaced. The institution created ‘Fundo Comunitário Porto de Todos’ to aid those affected by the event. She emphasized the importance of listening to the demands of the community for the reconstruction and mitigation of risks, as she says in her speech:

“We understood that our role at that moment was to be a coordinating organization, building bridges between different actors in the ecosystem that had this operational capacity, but mainly identifying – through a very careful hearing process – what were the demands of the communities and territories”, she said.

Another relevant aspect commented was the role of Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in countries such as Ukraine and Morroccos, that faced different types of emergencies: the first, an armed conflict, and the second, an earthquake. Marijana Sevic commented on the demand for donations in these cases, which are quick and must be met efficiently and safely, an activity CAF has expertise in operating in more than 170 countries.

Another highlight was the actions taken by RaiaDrogasil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Giuliana Ortega shared that, at the time, the company created an investment fund, together with the Institute for the Development of Social Investment (IDIS), to offer infrastructure to small and medium hospitals, ensuring that those structures would endure long after the crises. The company also supported  mass vaccination in different cities through the ‘United for Vaccination’ movement. These actions led RaiaDrogasil to reflect on the donation of their own resources which made them establish their own Theory of Change, highlighted by Giuliana:

“Since 2021, we have established a policy and started investing 1% of our net profit in health actions in communities and society in general. […] Therefore, we had these new resources to think about and so we decided to institute our Theory of Change because the resources were increasing. We were going to channel this effort, and our main goal was to promote health”.

Further on in the session, Vinicius Barrozo presented the platform Para Quem Doar (For Whom to Donate, in english), which had a key role in integrating and directing donations during the pandemic and the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. The app connects donors  and organizations simply and securely. In order to encourage giving culture, a partnership between Globo, IDIS, and Instituto MOL was announced through the ‘Find Your Cause’ campaign, which helps the donner identify the areas most aligned with their own values and convictions. 

However, there are still some loose ends to interlace, such as the lack of commitment to donations and the delay of the planning and creation of emergency lines for climate and sanitary crises. It is crucial to encourage a giving culture that goes beyond disasters; to have a strategic view for the middle to long-term  reconstruction period, when the initial commotion subsides and, therefore, so do the investments; and to highlight  the crucial role of communication in emergencies, announcing in a clear and captivating way the purpose of the donation. These paths can help to untangle some resistant knots and strengthen ambition and strategies. 

 

Photos by: André Porto and Caio Graça/IDIS.

Lack of collectiveness: the major ‘knot’ to be untied in (and by) philanthropy

By Daniel Barretti, project manager at IDIS

 

“What is the difference between living in a world that is a mess and a world that is messy?”. This was how Philip Yun, Head of Global Philanthropy Forum, started the opening session called ‘Philanthropy: untangling the knots of the world’, during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024.

The idea is that society is not essentially a mess, but rather is living in a planetary mess created by itself. The positive part of this is that the mess, therefore, can be tidied up, and philanthropy can and should have an important contribution in this. For that reason, philanthropic actions should be efficient in comprehending the current challenges and proposing solutions as they arrise.

Amongst the many meanings of the Portuguese polysemic word ‘nós’, one of the most commonly used is to say ‘us’. But the panelist’s speeches pointed out a meaning of the word contrary to this word: the lack of collectivity – maybe the main challenge we must face in contemporary society. Sergio Fausto, General Director of Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso, says: “Spaces that should be plural and democratic are far from being spaces that privilege the debate and public interest”.

The ‘knot’ of the absence of collectivity is that which implies a lack of dialogue, a lack of plurality of people, ideals, skills and practices.

To Renata Piazzon, Managing Director of the Arapyaú Institute, one of the main ‘knots’ to be untangled nowadays is the climate agenda. However, it does not stand alone.

The environmental issue is interconnected with an extreme lack of collective sense, where the false dualism of man and nature prevails. According to the panelist, philanthropy must first understand climate issues from an integrated development perspective where, for example, heat waves, drought, and alarming fire outbreaks are not restricted to environmental concerns but also to agriculture, public health, and economy. After all, the interrelation between these phenomena is clear. The scenario of severe drought and fires directly impacts the population’s health, as well as the loss of agricultural crops. The unraveling of this chain reaction also leads to rising food prices, inflationary pressure and the consequent loss of purchasing power and deterioration of the population’s diet.

 

Watch the entire session 

 

 

Philanthropy should promote network action, articulating and mobilizing diverse social actors: the connectivity and collectivity as a solution to complex systemic problems.

If one of the main ‘knots’ to untangle is the absence of collectivity in society, this also seems like a challenge philanthropy itself must deal with.

Cida Bento, cofounder of the Center for Studies on Labor Relations and Inequalities, reinforces the importance of collectivity through the establishment of networks, and she goes even further defending a change in the power structure, bringing more diversity and, therefore, plurality of voices and interests to philanthropy. The search for solutions and the decision-making process lacks perspective from the part of the population that has been historically marginalized, the one’s who suffer with social, economic and environmental challenges in the current reality.

“[Collective and plural spaces] enable a more conscious decision-making and, therefore, generate a bigger impact”, completes Sergio Fausto.

A movement known as ‘trust-based philanthropy’ works in this path, advocating that funders should establish their relationships with benefiting partners through trust and collaboration, instead of conformity and control.

 

Rethinking the future of philanthropy

The educator and philosopher Paulo Freire once said that it was because of his love for the people and the world that he fought for social justice to establish itself before charity. It is not about demeaning charity itself, but rather knowing that by promoting charity as a consequence of a structure of privileges, there is a great risk that it serves as an instrument of maintenance, and even as an alibi for inequality.

Philanthropy differs itself from charity precisely through its strategic nature, capable of better allocating, qualitatively and quantitatively, private capital resources to public and collective causes. The question we must ask ourselves is: has it been effectively strategic? If the major ‘knot’ of the lack of collectivity, emphasized by the speakers, is present both in the current problems of society as well as in the way philanthropic actions have been carried out, this seems to indicate that the philanthropic sector also runs the risk of reproducing social power relations.

May harmony, reciprocity, collectivity and plurality be interlaced with a more powerful philanthropic thinking and acting process able to address current challenges, which are currently governed by almost exclusively private and economic interests.

Maybe it is time for society to rethink the subject of philanthropy (the white men, holder of financial resources and a certain professional prestige). After all, it seems urgent for us to look around and ask ourselves: who has the more to give and who has the more to receive and learn nowadays?

 

Photos by: André Porto and Caio Graça/IDIS.

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum reflects on the challenges and responses of philanthropy nowadays

Credit: André Porto and Caio Graça.

What loose ends can philanthropy help interlace? In what way can the use of data, technology and artificial intelligence promote social transformations? What influence does family philanthropy have? How can philanthropy help reduce inequalities? These and many other questions conducted the panels in the 13th Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, that happened on September 4th, organized by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment, with the presence of influential people from brazilian and world philanthropy and organized civil society.

With the theme ‘Interlaced Philanthropy’, the Forum is organized in partnership with Global Philanthropy Forum and Charities Aid Foundation. “This is a space for learning, reflecting and exchanging experiences. Each year we seek to bring major issues to the debate, bringing together perspectives from different regions of Brazil and the world, and bearing in mind that it is these networks and knots that spread in our society the hope for a more equitable country”, emphasized Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, in the event opening. 

IDIS also celebrated its 25th anniversary with the participation of the Institute’s founder, Marcos Kisil. “I realized the lack of technical support for active philanthropists as well as for those that might come. This was the motivation that originated IDIS”, he explained.

“Philanthropy has to engage with the multiple Brazilian realities”. With this warning, Cida Bento, the author of ‘O pacto da branquitude’, started her speech in the panel that discussed the impacts of philanthropy in reducing social inequalities, next to Renata Piazzon from Arapyaú Institute, Sergio Fausto from Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and moderation from Philip Yun from CCWA and Global Philanthropy Forum. 

“Brazil needs an environment in which people from different sectors talk more among one another. We need to get together and understand that ‘whiteness’ it’s not transparency, it’s a worldview. It’s a way to seek for a solution. We need black people to be a part, not only of the group who receives the projects’ support, but also of the group who thinks in which direction we must go”, continued Cida. According to Yun, “We need to be aware of the fact that the world has changed forever. What used to work in the past, won’t work in the future”.  

When it comes to the influence of family philanthropy, José Luiz Egydio Setúbal highlighted the importance of the dialogue between wealthy families for the resolution of social issues. “Philanthropy will not be the one to save Brazil or end inequality, but the ability of interacting and exchanging with multiple sectors will. In the case of family philanthropy, there is a big capacity to influence in the three different sectors: governments, companies and society”, he defends. 

The relevance of philanthropy for the provision of public health services was highlighted by Carla Reis, Chief of the Industrial and Services Complex Department within the Productive Development, Innovation, and Foreign Trade Area of BNDES. Today, in Brazil, philanthropic hospitals are responsible for around 60% of the high and medium complexity care services provided by SUS. 

Philanthropy and technology

“Do today’s technologies reach vulnerable territories?”, with this question Daniel Paixão, Founder of the NGO Fruto de Favela and of Hub-Periférico, discussed technology as a drive to social change. “We realized we were established in a city with one of the biggest technological complexes in the country, ‘Porto Digital’, but the most vulnerable communities were not being included in it”, he explained about his motivation to create the Hub. 

Credit: André Porto and Caio Graça.

Luana Genót, founder and executive director of ‘Instituto Identidades Brasil (ID_BR)’, addressed the launch of Deb, an artificial intelligence program that answers your questions about inclusion related themes. “Deb helps us expand what we have been doing with impressive numbers, but we want everyone to be able to ask their own questions without fear of being canceled”. Beatriz Johannpeter, director of Instituto Helda Gerdau, was also present in the debate, and she presented investments made on social impact businesses, with the moderation of Alex Pinheiro, co-founder and CEO of ‘Ecossistema Square’.

 

Commitment 1%

The event also presented the official launch of Commitment 1%, a movement envisioned by IDIS and Instituto MOL, this initiative aims to engage companies to donate at least 1% of their annual net profit to civil society organizations and social causes. Twelve companies have already pledged to Commitment 1%: AB Mauri, brazilian affiliate to the international group Associated British Foods, Agência Métrica, Cyrella, fama re.capital, Grupo Gaia,  KPMG, Mattos Filho, MOL Impacto, Pantys, PWC, RD Saúde e Tozzini Freire Advogados.

‘Unraveling the S in the ESG Agenda’ follows the narrative that highlights the importance of corporations to drive social and environmental change. The session had the contribution of Luciana Morelli, executive director of the Office of Equality at Salesforce for Latin America, Liane Freire, founder and CEO of BlendGroup and Mônica Gregori, COO at Global Compact Network Brazil, with the moderation of Tarcila Ursini Corporate Advisor and Co-Chair of the System B Council. 

The Forum’s closing session proposed a debate that would intertwine life stories to weave the future, with the participation and deposition of Cláudia Soares Baré, executive director of Fundo Podáali, Grace Maingi, executive director of Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) and Julia Brindisi, head of Philanthropic Investments for the Americas at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, with the moderation of Paula Fabiani. Other issues were also discussed throughout the day, such as emergency response, the use of data as raw material, the role of intermediary organizations and the role of philanthropy in strengthening communities. 

The event as a whole received 57 panelists and specialists in 11 different sessions, with an in-person audience of 294 people. Also, the live broadcast through YouTube received 1,398 viewers throughout the day. The event was made with Movimento Bem Maior as Master partner, RD Saúde as Silver partner, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Fundação Grupo Volkswagen, Fundação Itaú, Fundação José Luiz Egydio Setúbal, Instituto Aegea and Instituto Sicoob as Bronze partners, as well as UNICEF Brazil as institutional partner. 

Watch the full event here:

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 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.

The power of SDG 17: collaboration as the base of a resilient future

The article was originally published on the website ‘Um Só Planeta’ 

by Guilherme Sylos, Prospection Director at IDIS; and Marcel Fukayama é  Co-founder of Sistema B Brasil and Member of the Board at IDIS.

Collectivity has always been an important value for society’s advancement. No wonder, it is part of the popular imagination in children’s tales and fables and through sayings like ‘unity makes strength’. It is not surprising the almost intuitive effort of adults to teach young people from an early age the importance of collectivity, as life in society is intrinsically linked to collaboration and mutual support. That principle, as basic as it may sound, needs to be constantly reinforced so that we can reach common resolutions for shared problems.

The United Nations (UN) considered this when defining the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The concept is heavily reflected in SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, which highlights the importance of partnerships as a means to accelerate and ensure sustainable development. It is precisely this last SDG that underlies and strengthens all the others.

However, data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (in portuguese, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística – IBGE), reveals that, of the 24 indicators monitored by Brazil related to SDG 17, only six have been fully elaborated so far, while thirteen of them are under development or analysis. With only six years left to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda, partnerships could be our answer to find part of the missing solutions by combining resources, knowledge, and experiences.

Creating connections between governments, companies, and organized civil society generates the strength to face challenges that would be insurmountable individually. Let’s consider, for example, strategic philanthropy. As the name itself suggests, it involves the strategic allocation of private resources for public benefit. These resources strengthen initiatives and solutions that would not always be feasible solely through state efforts, in addition to being more flexible, allowing the use of experimental approaches and the development of creative solutions to complex problems. The practice, in itself, is already very powerful when it comes to social impact.

It turns out that strategic philanthropy can be even more effective when supported by strong partnerships with other sectors, rather than remaining closed in on itself. Collaborations enhance the impact made by initiatives, making them more long-lasting and sustainable. 

While governments hold regulatory power and public sector resources, philanthropic organizations contribute with a strategic view, agility, and private resources that promote social impact. Civil society, on the other hand, brings a direct perspective from the community, guiding the final allocation of resources and ensuring that solutions are truly aligned with the needs of the population.

One example that highlights the success of this type of partnership is Together for Health. Launched in 2023, the Program is an initiative of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) managed by IDIS. In partnership with private donors, the Program seeks to gather funds to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. The perspective is that, by 2026, approximately BRL 200 million non-reimbursable (BRL100 million from partners and BRL100 million from BNDES) will be allocated to health projects that aim to benefit care activities for populations living in these regions of the country, including primary care services; medium and high complexity; urgent and emergency services and diagnostic support. For every real donated by other institutions, BNDES contributes with another real, in a matchfunding style.

The challenge is not simple, since managing these many stakeholders is a complex operation. To achieve the goal of Together for Health, it was necessary to create multiple connections between the private initiative, the public sector (Ministry of Health, municipal and state health departments) and civil society organizations that will be responsible for executing the projects supported by the Program. So far, the program has already allocated approximately BRL 96 million in resources, aimed at three projects that, together, will reach more than 300 cities.

Another great brazilian example of collective action and networking on behalf of structural changes is the global Catalyst 2030 movement, composed of about 127 social entrepreneurs and innovators committed to improve the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). In Brazil, the group joined in 2023 the ‘National Strategy Committee for an Impact Economy ’ (in portuguese, Comitê da Estratégia Nacional para Economia de Impacto – ENIMPACTO), to which it presented a proposal letter of how the network can contribute even further with public policies and the strengthening of the solutions. 

An additional example highlights how the partnership between the corporate sector and the social sector can create new paradigms. In 2023, three B Corps: real estate developer MagikJC, insurance company Gaia Group and venture builder Din4mo, created the Organized System for Affordable Housing (in portuguese, Sistema Organizado para Moradia Acessível – SOMA), a non-profit organization that aims to offer social housing in urban centers.

The project has raised BRL15 million in an operation in São Paulo’s Stock Exchange Market (B3) in a real estate receivables certificate (in portuguese, certificado de recebível imobiliário – CRI) with investors such as Gerdau, Votorantim, Dexco, Movida and P4 Engenharia. The resources raised enabled the construction of a building in Largo do Arouche and is now providing social living services to vulnerable families. 

We must recognize the essential role of joining forces and resources as well as collaborative work so that we can move towards a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative future.

Record levels of global generosity: Brazil ranks 86th, with Indonesia leading the ranking

Around the world, a record 4.3 billion people helped someone they didn’t know, volunteered their time, or donated money to a good cause in the previous month, according to the World Giving Index 2024. Indonesia, Kenya, and Singapore lead the ranking.

The world’s most generous country is Indonesia for the seventh year in a row, where 90% of the population donated money to social organizations and 65% volunteered their time. Kenya is the second most generous country, rising from third last year. Singapore has risen 19 positions into third place, increasing its overall index score from 49% to 61%. Singapore’s positive results are a result of recent government initiatives to strengthen philanthropy and volunteering.

To Neil Heslop OBE, Chief Executive at Charities Aid Foundation, “The generosity of people around the world is evident in CAF’s latest World Giving Index, with the global index score at its joint highest level, only previously matched during the pandemic. The research demonstrates how people from all continents and cultures remain ready to help those in need, during a year of continued economic and humanitarian challenges.”

Brazil climbed three positions compared to the previous year and now ranks 86th. The three indicators remained stable, with a slight improvement of 3 percentage points in money donated to civil society organizations. Helping a stranger is still the predominant behavior, practiced by 65% of respondents. The survey carried out between September and November of 2023, does not capture the donations made due to the climate tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul. Although Brazil has ranked higher in previous years, this was the second-best score – 38%. The highest ranking happened in 2021, still under the effects of the pandemic, when generosity was high and forms of participation, whether through donations or volunteering, were more evident.

According to Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, “The stability of giving culture in Brazil is not surprising, but it’s  interesting to see how public policies designed to promote philanthropy, such as tax incentives, individual donations matching, and benefits to the practice of corporate volunteering, have had positive effects in Singapore and can be an example for us.”

The World Giving Index is one of the largest surveys on giving ever produced,  with millions of people interviewed worldwide since 2009. This edition includes data from 142 countries, in which people were asked if they had engaged in three types of actions in the past month: helping a stranger, donating money to a charity, or volunteering. This is an initiative of the British organization Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), represented in Brazil by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment.

The CAF World Giving Index 2024 also reveals:

-> The top 10 ranking countries only include two of the world’s biggest economies (Indonesia and the United States of America), while one of the world’s poorest countries – The Gambia – ranks 4th place.

-> Morocco saw the world’s largest year-on-year increase in donating money, with interviews conducted after the devastating earthquakes that hit the central part of the country in September 2023. Only two percent of people donated money to charities in 2022, but this rose to 18% last year, and volunteering rates doubled from 8% to 16%.

-> Greece is this year’s biggest riser, having consistently improved its ranking since 2013.  It has a particularly high score for helping a stranger – significantly above the European average and particularly high among young people.

-> In the last decade, Ukraine, Indonesia, Chad, Russia, and China are the countries that most improved, each having recorded an increase of 25 points or more. 

The top 10 giving countries of CAF World Giving Index 2024:

  1. Indonesia
  2. Kenya
  3. Singapore
  4. The Gambia
  5. Nigeria
  6. United States of America
  7. Ukraine
  8. Australia
  9. United Arab Emirates
  10. Malta

Download the report
World Giving Index 2024

Commitment 1% calls on companies to boost engagement in donations to social projects in Brazil

This august, Brazilian companies announced their pledge to Commitment 1%. Envisioned by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment and Instituto MOL, this initiative seeks to promote donations made by companies to civil society organizations. Amongst the companies that confirmed their commitment to the movement are Cyrela, fama re.capital, Gaia Impacto, MOL Impacto, Pantys, PwC, RD Saúde and TozziniFreire Advogados as well as five other organizations are already at an advanced stage in the process of their adhesion.

 

Inspired by Pledge 1%, movement in the United States that gathers more than 15 thousand signatories, Commitment 1% aims to gather Brazilian companies that already donate at least 1% of their annual net profit and those that commit to reaching this donation level within two years. According to the publication Corporate Social Investment Benchmarking, in 2022, Brazilian companies donated R$4,026 billion. That value equals to about 1/3 of the total donated by individuals, according to IDIS Brazil Giving Research 2022. During the same period, donations made by individuals reached R$12,8 billion.

 

“The goal 

of this commitment is to contribute to the progress of private social investment in Brazil and encourage the longevity of donations as a strengthening strategy of organized civil society. The third sector plays a crucial role in reducing inequalities. Here, we have serious organizations that have been working for a long time in a meaningful way, and financing the work and strengthening of these initiatives is what will assure social transformation in the medium to long-term in the country. And this progress is the company’s responsibility as well”, emphasizes IDIS’ CEO, Paula Fabiani.

 

To the signing parties, the benefits of committing to the movement will be seen in several areas: access to a community of exchanges and knowledge, visibility to the actions taken and reputational gains with stakeholders and becoming an influential agent in your acting market.

 

“The companies that are committing with the 1% are providing and excellent example for others to follow the same path. As Ralph Waldo Emerson says: “Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” – Aron Zylberman, Instituto Cyrela

At the same time as the recurring and strategic practice of philanthropy contributes to accelerating positive social change and strengthening civil society, companies can develop better relations with their contributors, suppliers and consumers. There is also potential impact on fundraising in the financial market (the strengthening of the S in the ESG helps drive valuation).

 

Launching event of Commitment 1% which happened in São Paulo in PwC Brazil’s headquarters.

The adhesion process includes the confirmation of the donations conducted and can be made online in the commitment’s website.

“Commitment 1%

 is an ambitious and impactful project, capable of driving and accelerating the way that companies commit to the present and future of society, investing to strengthen relevant projects that need resources to keep going”, emphasizes Rodrigo Pipponzi, cofounder of Instituto MOL.

 

Access the Commitment 1% website here, available only in Portuguese.

1% changes the world!

Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, is now PhD on strategic corporate philanthropy. Check out the full thesis!

Nowadays, it is increasingly relevant for companies to take measures that take into consideration social and environmental consequences of their actions. According to the ‘Corporate giving by the FTSE 100’ report made by CAF (Charities Aid Foundation), 69% of the public believe businesses have an obligation to support their local communities.

With that in mind, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, is now a PhD, having completed a thesis in which she researched about the Corporate Donation Chain approach and the potential it has to enhance strategic corporate philanthropy.  She completed her Ph.D. in Operations Management and Sustainability at Fundação Getúlio Vargas / São Paulo School of Business Administration.

 

“Academia has the power to transform. Through scientific rigor, which lends credibility to the academic world, research and publications have the potential to contribute to the creation of a better world. This is precisely one of my commitments: to always seek a deeper understanding of issues that can contribute to our society […] Through the lens of stakeholder’s engagement, I tried to help corporations to adopt a more strategic approach to their philanthropic activities”, says Fabiani.

The full thesis can be accessed in full here.

Internacional ranking recognizes IDIS as leader in social impact advisory in Brazil

The French agency Leaders League, specialized in the creation of rankings and in-depth analysis widely used by entrepreneurs and executives in their decision making process, released the ranking for leading Brazilian organizations in social impact advisory. The evaluation criteria was based on the collection and analysis of data. 

 

IDIS conquered 1st place in the ranking, demonstrating our commitment in the support of social investors that are dedicated to the generation of social impact in Brazil. 

 

In regards to strategic advisory, we offer technical support to families, companies and social organizations that wish to start or enhance their social investment. We provide customized and participative advisory in six axis: strategic planning and governance; ESG agenda; endowment structuring and long-term strategies for financial sustainability; project design; implementation and organizational capacity building; development of calls for proposals and portfolio management; in addition to Monitoring and Assessment. 

 

“Initiatives such as Leaders League contribute to give visibility to the excellent work done by Brazilian organizations that generate impact through strategic advisory made with commitment, seriousness, creativeness and efficiency. This ranking is yet another tool to increase trust with social investors, both local and international. We are happy to lead the ranking, but also to congratulate the other organizations featured in it. The social impact advisory ecosystem in Brazil is vibrant, strong and diverse, and everyone contributes to it!”, comments 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 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.

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024: how to participate

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum’s 13th edition has already set a date: September 4th. Once again, besides the in-person event in São Paulo that is exclusive for guests, the event will also take place online. 

 

In the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2024, when IDIS commemorates its 25th anniversary, we celebrate achievements and look forward to inspiring, supporting, and amplifying private social investment and its impact.

 

Inequalities, Hunger, Education, Health, Productive Inclusion, Climate, Environment. Complex, interconnected causes. Amid this tangle, philanthropy, presenting paths, testing solutions, and interlacing loose ends. In this space dedicated to the community of philanthropists and social investors, we bring together leaders, organizations, and experiences that offer concrete and effective answers.

 

As a result, INTERLACED PHILANTHROPY is the theme of this year’s Forum. We invite you to be inspired by the stories that will be presented.

 

REGISTER HERE FOR THE LIVE STREAMING

 

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

 

Among the confirmed speakers are Aline Odara (Executive Director of the Agbara Fund), Beatriz Johannpeter (Director of the Helda Gerdau Institute), Cida Bento (Co-Founder and Board Member of the Center for Studies on Labor Relations and Inequalities), Cristiane Sultani (Founder of Beja Institute), Giuliana Ortega (Sustainability Director at RD – Raia Drogasil), José Luiz Egydio Setúbal (President and Founder of the José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation), Luana Génot (Founder and Executive Director of the Instituto Identidades do Brasil), Mariana Moura (President of the Family Council of Baterias Moura), Patrícia Villela Marino (President of the Humanitas360 Institute), Renata Piazzon (Managing Director of the Arapyaú Institute), Sergio Fausto (General Director of Fundação Fernando Henrique Cardoso), Tarcila Ursini (Corporate Counselor and Co-Chair of the Board of Sistema B Brazil) e Ticiana Rolim Queiroz (Founder and President of Somos Um).

 

In addition to international guests such as Grace Maingi (Executive Director of the Kenya Community Development Foundation), Marijana Sevic (Head of International Strategic Partnerships at CAF), and Philip Yun (Co-President and Co-CEO of CCWA and of GPF). 

 

ORGANIZERS AND PARTNERS

 

 

The event’s organization is a joint initiative by the Institute for the Development of Social Investment (IDIS, in Portuguese), alongside the Global Philanthropy Forum and the Charities Aid Foundation, as well as the master partner Movimento Bem Maior; silver partner RD Saúde; and bronze partners Aeage Institute, Volkswagen Group Foundation, Itaú Foundation, José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Aegea Institute and Sicoob Institute. Unicef Brasil is our institutional partner. Alliance Magazine is the media partner. 

 

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

 

BRAZILIAN PHILANTHROPY FORUM

 

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum offers a space for the philanthropic community to come together, exchange experiences, and learn from their peers, strengthening strategic philanthropy to promote the development of Brazilian society. The event has gathered more than 1500 participants among philanthropists, leaders, and national and international specialists. On IDIS’ YouTube channel, playlists are available with recordings from all previous editions. Check it out!

IDIS 25 years: social investment is about people

Let’s be honest, 25 years don’t come every day. In September, we’ll reach this milestone and, of course, we couldn’t let it pass without celebrating. It’s not just about the years of history, but especially about all the people who have built and continue to build it with us.

Throughout this journey, we have closely followed the evolution of Private Social Investment in Brazil and the world – its movements, advances, challenges. And everything we have achieved has only been possible due to the commitment, collaboration and collective work of different people with a common goal: to build a better world with more equity. In this celebration, we knew who should be at the center of the story: all the people who think, act, and drive social investment in forward. They are the protagonists – or rather, we are.

Some recognize us as a knowledge-generating institution. Others, as a advisor. Some know us for the projects we execute and nothing else. And there are those who define us as an intermediary organization. We are all of this, but above all, we are people who make all of this happen.

As we celebrate IDIS’s 25 years, we also celebrate the power of community, the strength of collaboration, and the unlimited potential of organized civil society. Social investment is much more than just a strategy; it is an expression of our shared humanity.

Therefore, we launch the campaign ‘Social Investment is about people’ and you are our special guest in this celebration.

Follow along and participate. After all, all of this has been built by us and by you, collectively.

Warm regards,

IDIS team

Pursuing the Common Good: check out the June edition of Alliance Magazine

Alliance Magazine, a media partner of IDIS and one of the world’s foremost philanthropic media outlets, has released its latest edition focusing on the concept of the common good.

This edition delves into how philanthropy plays a crucial role in revitalizing the notion of the common good, particularly in times when it may seem elusive. Leaders from civil society and philanthropy share insights on how the common good is perceived in their respective countries and regions, and the ways in which philanthropy contributes to shaping it.

Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, offers a Brazilian perspective in this edition, adding depth to the discussion.

Learn more about this compelling topic in the latest issue of Alliance Magazine.

Study indicates a correlation between good practices of Private Social Investment and the ESG agenda

Since aspects related to socioenvironmental impact and risk assessment started to integrate into the business strategy of an increasing number of companies, we have seen the market turn upside down and the subject gain strength and scale. It’s evident that the idea of sustainability and corporate social responsibility is not new, but the market logic has certainly changed since it was suggested that resources allocated to socioenvironmental projects of public interest should no longer be seen as expenses, but rather as investments that bring short, medium, and long-term returns. This is what we call private social investment – or strategic philanthropy, integrated into an ESG agenda.

We understand that private social investment practices have high penetration and can substantially enhance a company’s socioenvironmental actions. In other words, when done well, social investment can help unlock various other aspects of a corporate sustainability agenda. Empirically, the Third Sector has been working for years to demonstrate the impact that private social investment can have on an organization’s ESG metrics, especially in the social field.

To prove this hypothesis, IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment undertook to analyze the correlation between private social investment and the scores of the brazilian stock exchange’s Corporate Sustainability Index (in portuguese, abbreviated as ISE B3). Established in 2005, it is currently the largest sustainability index in the country and was the fourth to be created globally, undergoing periodic revisions and analyses according to societal and market demands.

The companies included in the Index are chosen annually based on a ‘best-in-class’ process — a term used to describe practices or processes considered the best compared to market standards. The Index questionnaire is based on SASB Standards and maintains consistency with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), one of the world’s leading ESG measurement standards.

The survey analyzed the 2022-2024 triennium of companies included in the index, and during the evaluation period, it was very rewarding to identify that the practice of private social investment consistently ranked among the top ten topics most correlated with the ISE B3 score. In other words, companies that perform well in strategic philanthropy tend to excel in overall corporate sustainability.

It is also interesting to note that private social investment practices are aligned with aspects such as ‘foundations of corporate sustainability management’, ‘business ethics’, and ‘trends and purpose’. The alignment with topics that naturally have greater cross-sectional relevance indicates the tactical nature of private social investment in formulating and implementing integrated corporate sustainability strategies.

A private social investment strategy aligned with an ESG strategy helps to materialize the organization’s purpose for its stakeholders, generating tangible results for both the company and society. A company’s investment in socioenvironmental projects can be a good way to engage different stakeholders and initiate collective agendas with the government and organized civil society, promoting benefits for both society and businesses. Furthermore, it helps companies clearly and robustly demonstrate their socioenvironmental commitments, signaling to the market and consumers a real commitment to different causes.

Despite seeming logical, this alignment is not an easy task. In addition to connecting actions with business challenges and brand purpose, strategic action must consider material business aspects and a thorough mapping of stakeholders and different ways to engage them. Moreover, socioenvironmental actions should complement efforts undertaken by the Third Sector, promoting exchanges that enrich the performance of all actors. Study data shows that this is a relevant task that should be given importance by the private sector, as it is highly correlated with comprehensive corporate sustainability management.

 

Other findings

Regarding the scope of this study and the adoption of private social investment practices, some results stand out. For example, the most adopted actions in 2024, representing 93% of the 85 companies that responded throughout the triennium, were:

–  Considering collective agendas, such as SDGs, as a general reference for defining social investments;

–  Working in partnership with the community and other stakeholders in the formulation or execution;

–  Valuing the leadership of local actors and strengthening civil society;

–  Contributing to the participatory construction of public policies and/or collective sustainable development agendas.

Additionally, it was identified that the performance in private social investment topics is slightly better, both in average and median, in companies that operate, where applicable, through philanthropic vehicles, such as a foundation or corporate institute with its own structure. There was no statistically significant difference in total ISE B3 score performance between companies operating via philanthropic vehicles and those that do not. We can establish that scoring well in corporate sustainability is possible even in the absence of specific philanthropic vehicles. However, these vehicles remain important structures (alongside endowments, another modality capable of fostering co-investment) that mark firm corporate commitments in the face of numerous social dilemmas and issues. They will be even more effective if they can connect their areas of focus to the business, constituting important elements to boost the growth of a broader and deeper ESG agenda linked to purpose that permeates the entire organization.

In topics involving consultation with stakeholders to define investment priorities and maintaining open channels with the community, the difference between companies that claimed not to adopt such practices and those that do was more than 10 points. Companies that emphasize the leadership of local civil society actors in their private social investment actions demonstrate considerably superior performance compared to those that do not consider this aspect. Local dialogues, consistent positive social impact aligned with the company, open channels, and transparency in private social investment move the needle and demand new perspectives from companies. However, companies need to further advance this agenda, seeking ways to engage with local actors, working in partnership with the Third Sector in a complementary manner. Private social investment plays an important role: by building relationships focused on the community and surroundings, in line with internal company guidelines and demands, socio-environmental investment strategies are more assertive, targeted, and promote improvements in territories.

Another discovery is related to the practice of impact assessment by companies. Companies that assess the results of initiatives supported through private social investment have a higher performance in the ISE B3 and also showed a relatively high increase in performance between 2022 and 2024. In practical terms, systematic collection of impact indicators allows for reflective and strategic examination of the efficiency of a given social intervention, thereby enabling periodic review and improvement aimed at maximizing the desired and generated social benefits. Often, social projects end up generating unintended positive impacts that would go unnoticed without an evaluation that takes into account, for example, the beneficiaries’ perception of the changes in their lives.

In summary, we empirically know that by connecting the concept and practices of private social investment with the organization’s purpose and institutional values, considering the economic bias of the business and the perspective of key stakeholders regarding the socio-environmental value to be created by the company, it is possible to enhance the organization’s capacity to generate positive impact for society and real value for the business. This relationship is now quantitatively proven, considering an extremely relevant sample of Brazilian companies.

IDIS maintains the view that to catalyze lasting social transformation, Private Social Investment must be accompanied by a robust strategic planning, grounded in specific data and indicators, implemented with precision, and accompanied by monitoring and evaluation of its results and impact.

Access the full study, available only in portuguese here.

Socioenvironmental: the integration of social and environmental spheres

The pursuit of sustainability has become a fundamental goal for organizations, considering its value to society and the preservation of natural resources and the environment, as well as its benefits for organizational development and growth. This pursuit encompasses the economic, social and environmental spheres, which, although often addressed separately, are highly interconnected.

The current trend towards adopting sustainable practices is further driven by the urgency of climate change. According to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change is undeniably caused by unsustainable energy use, land use changes, unequal consumption and production patterns, and lifestyles, resulting in high greenhouse gas emissions. These changes have already caused a 1.1ºC increase in the planet’s average surface temperature compared to pre-industrial levels. Their impacts range from human health and well-being to biodiversity and ecosystems.

 

But how do the environmental and social spheres intersect?

In general, it’s true that all economic activities have some environmental and social impact. With the evolution of corporate sustainability, now incorporated into the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) agenda, organizations seek to mitigate their impacts within the social and environmental spheres through initiatives ranging from diversifying product and supplier portfolios to engaging stakeholders and implementing private social investment (PSI) actions. The complexity of the correlation between the social and environmental spheres necessitates equally complex initiatives.

While the environment is commonly understood as the natural world elements (water, air, soil, plant and animal biodiversity), its concept is broader. It typically includes not only these natural elements but also the relationships between people and their living environment, considering political, economic, cultural, and health aspects. Thus, addressing environmental initiatives inherently involves an integrated approach that also considers the social dimension.

Changes in the social sphere often correlate with environmental impacts at various levels, and vice versa. Among the various possible impacts and correlations, the following example focuses on water-related impacts, specifically alterations in water resources:

The interconnected functioning of these spheres is evident through this example. But could an environmental project operate, even in a remote location, without direct interactions with society? Initially, it may seem possible; however, considering the systemic impacts of the environment — namely, the natural environment and its relationships with society — it becomes clear that the interdependence of these concepts is inherent. The same applies to social projects; it is necessary to consider environmental factors.

Therefore, the need for a joint approach to these spheres is evident. Failing to consider the socio-environmental interconnectedness within projects and initiatives diminishes their effective impacts and their ability to reach broad audiences. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has emphasized the importance of integrating all sectors of society and implementing cross-cutting actions that address the complexity of interdependencies among climate, ecosystems, biodiversity, and human societies, particularly concerning climate change. This also applies to socio-environmental integration.

 

The role of philanthropy and Private Social Investment

The interdependence of spheres and, consequently, the causes associated with each of them, form a complex issue in which philanthropy and private social investment are already well equipped to act, without losing focus on the beneficiaries, namely those most affected by socio-environmental damage.

In our material, Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy 2024, we address the poly-crisis generated by this interdependence of spheres, highlighting the cross-cutting nature of causes and responses, and emphasizing the incorporation of these themes into our ecosystem’s strategic approach. Including connections, stakeholders, causes, and consequences in projects enables more informed decisions for generating structural changes.

This cross-cutting approach can be observed, for instance, in the Water Grant from the Mosaic Institute, which encourages community projects focused on water resource management and sustainable agriculture.

In the 2024 grant, the Institute offers up to R$45,000 for at least 12 projects contributing to SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – of the UN’s Agenda 2030. Projects aim to promote best practices in water resource management, increase access to water and sanitation, expand sewage and water treatment systems, preserve and restore water-related ecosystems, provide professional development for civil society organizations, and foster intersectoral cooperation.

 

IDIS in promoting socio-environmental action

Through well-planned and monitored private social investment, companies can navigate the interplay between Social and Environmental aspects, demonstrating their socio-environmental commitment to key stakeholders. Furthermore, they can engage stakeholders in collaborative processes to address complex social and environmental issues.

IDIS provides technical support to families, companies, and social organizations looking to initiate or enhance their private social investment with an integrated view of Environmental and Social aspects. We operate in a customized and participatory manner across six areas of action.

For more details, please contact us at comunicacao@idis.org.br

How to create a consistent Theory of Change for your impact assessment?

by Isadora Pagy, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst at IDIS

Theory of Change (ToC) is a highly valuable tool for both strategic planning of an initiative and impact assessment. The process of constructing it can be challenging and raise many questions, so we have compiled a series of tips to assist you.

First and foremost, it is essential to understand what Theory of Change is, its purpose, and how to systematize it.

When we use ToC to evaluate the impact of a particular initiative, it supports a deeper understanding of the causal relationships within the project or program in question. It provides a summary of the target audiences that benefited from the initiative, the activities that were carried out, the expected impacts, and the strategic objective to be achieved.

Understanding who the stakeholders are

Thus, the systematization process begins with mapping out the stakeholders or interested parties involved in the project. We seek to understand who the direct beneficiaries, indirect beneficiaries, implementers, partners, and investors of the initiative were. With this information, we define who will be consulted in constructing the Theory of Change (ToC).

1 – Differentiate between direct beneficiaries and intermediary actors. For example, many education projects conduct activities with schools but aim to impact the children attending classes. It’s possible that educational managers are intermediaries in benefiting students but not direct beneficiaries. Many projects struggle due to a lack of information and data on their direct beneficiary audience, stemming from not clearly defining their primary audience early in the intervention, which in turn hinders effective data collection and monitoring essential for impact evaluation.

 

The importance of a well-defined scope

Next, we move to defining the activities carried out by the project. It’s crucial to analyze the project’s materials and documents to gain insights into what was initially proposed versus what actually occurred. In alignment with this, interviews with the initiative’s technical team are conducted to understand how the activities were implemented and if there were significant deviations.

2 – Be curious! Understand what happened in practice beyond what is documented. Question the data and seek a deeper understanding of the project.

3 – Have a well-defined scope. If there were significant methodological changes, it may not be feasible to include all of an organization’s initiatives. Not all initiatives may contribute to achieving a single, consistent long-term objective.

 

Active listening

Once the activities are defined, we investigate what changes occurred in the lives of those who participated in the project or program. At this stage, interviews with beneficiaries are conducted to delve beyond immediate outcomes and explore medium- and long-term impacts generated by the intervention. Pay attention to the following:

4 – Practice active listening. Create a comfortable space for interviewees to openly discuss the impacts they experienced and avoid influencing them by presuming impacts that were not mentioned.

5 – Beware of double counting. Particularly in evaluations involving monetization, avoid counting the same impact twice by structuring a causal chain between mapped results and impacts. For example, in an initiative aimed at generating employment and income through vocational training, participants report increased technical knowledge in computing and higher income from jobs obtained through this new knowledge. Monetizing both changes (knowledge and employment) would double-count the impact of the same causal chain, thus overestimating the project’s impact.

Finally, we understand the strategic objective that the initiative attempted (and possibly achieved) through its activities. This can be achieved by reviewing previously collected data and addressing key questions: What was done? For whom? Why? With what ambition?

The technical team may not always share the same vision regarding the strategic objective, but by consulting key stakeholders and answering these questions, the objective-setting process can be facilitated. This leads to the final tip:

6 – Don’t forget to validate your understanding with the executing team. Presenting the ToC to those who implemented the project on the ground is crucial. It ensures everyone is on the same page and facilitates a well-defined scope, which will ease subsequent steps in your impact evaluation.

The process of constructing a ToC is as important as its outcome. By following these steps, evaluators gain better insights into beneficiary access and project data availability, allowing for the reassessment of scope and evaluation design. This reduces the likelihood of future setbacks that could strain evaluation in terms of time and resources.

Having completed these steps, we can systematize the Theory of Change visually and use it as a guiding tool for the remainder of the evaluation, whether conducting qualitative or quantitative research, for instance.

Responsibility and Trust: Get to Know Trust-Based Philanthropy

By Aline Herrera, Letícia dos Santos, and Luiza Helena, members of the consultancy team at IDIS

Brazilian social investors who primarily focus on financing projects and initiatives of third parties represent less than 25% among institutes, foundations, and companies, according to the latest GIFE Census. Among social investors considered as hybrids – that is, those who both execute and finance projects (41% of the survey sample), the majority – about 55% – have a profile more oriented towards project execution than financing.

The volume of resources transferred to third parties in 2022 accounted for 37% of the total private social investment volume, equivalent to R$1.8 billion. More than half of these resources were received by civil society organizations (CSOs), chosen mainly for their reliability, transparency, and expertise in their areas of operation. When reporting the difficulties in investing in CSOs, social investors point to challenges in monitoring and evaluating initiatives, as well as the fragility in management or low capacity of CSOs seeking support.

On the other hand, the Peripheries and Philanthropy research: The barriers to accessing resources in Brazil, available in portuguese, conducted by the PIPA Institute in partnership with the Nu Institute, shows that 95% of respondents, responsible for implementing socio-environmental initiatives in the periphery, reported difficulties in accessing financing. These obstacles imposed on civil society organizations lead us to the following question: how can private social investment go further in addressing social inequalities?

One of the answers already on the radar of those considering the limits and advancements in the philanthropy field is simple: trust. In the text ‘Deepening the conversation about the importance of trust’, activist Joana Mortari indicates that there is recognition within the sector of the need to develop trust; however, it is necessary to move on to the next step, to develop the exercise of trust.

Thus, this text brings reflections on the role of private social investors, especially as grantmakers – that is, those who provide resources to third parties – in this path of more innovative and horizontal relationships, based on the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy.

The Context of Trust-Based Philanthropy

 

“We believe that teams with frontline experience of challenges will know best how to put the money to good use”.

Mackenzie Scott

The highlighted excerpt is taken from a reflection by philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, following yet another of her billion-dollar donations. The American, who owns 4% of Amazon’s shares, is known for making substantial and unrestricted donations to nonprofit organizations around the world, totaling over $16.5 billion.

This model of donation began to strengthen in 2020, during the pandemic, for emergency relief funds aimed at supporting victims and extended to civil society organizations that work for communities, which historically face more difficulties in accessing financial resources.

The pandemic laid bare (not only for Mackenzie Scott) the need for philanthropic action worldwide, especially in the face of the numerous scenarios of calamity and social urgencies triggered by the spread of Covid-19. The scenario catalyzed the discussion of the need for simplified donation to gain even more strength, seeking to redesign the relationships and bonds between organizations and investors.

According to the Trust-Based Philanthropy: Self-Reflection Tool proposed by GIFE, the adoption of Trust-Based Philanthropy values ​​starts with an internal analysis around four central points: the investor’s organizational culture, their decision-making processes, the structures through which they operate, and, finally, their practices. Therefore, we will discuss paths to begin this journey towards trust.

 

How Trust-Based Philanthropy Can Change the Game

To change the rules of the game and make philanthropy a more democratic and inviting action, Trust-Based Philanthropy redefines positions, bringing greater parity between the roles of the actors involved in the fight for social equity.

The most widespread practices of this grantmaking modality consist of promoting a ‘trust-based donation’ (not tied to specific projects), unrestricted (without budget allocation restrictions), and multi-year. At the grassroots level, practicing philanthropy based on trust requires an exercise of active listening to the needs of the beneficiaries. Values ​​such as flexibility and transparency are essential to ensure that demands and limitations are understood from both sides of the relationship. Here, it also involves building closer and more humanized relationships between donor and beneficiary, simplifying workflows and starting from the premise of Trust-Based Philanthropy that there should be a shift in the relationship with the funder, moving from a position of ‘boss’ to being a partner. Thus, a good alternative involves creating feedback mechanisms, as 67% of donation-receiving organizations report that even if this practice occurs, it is not institutionalized.

Another possible action is not restricting the donated resource. It is common for the transfer of resources to be strictly directed towards costs directly related to the project, without considering the sustainability and structuring of the organization that executes it. In this sense, thinking about a free and unrestricted donation ensures autonomy for organizations to manage their resources based on what they identify as most critical, taking into account their survival, project expansion, and scalability. Here, it is also the responsibility of donors to proactively understand the organization’s priorities and possible additional support opportunities.

Also for this purpose, a good practice is the promotion of technical training, provided voluntarily and free of charge, for supported organizations, guiding them on tools that can assist in project management and continuity, such as Theory of Change and indicators. Also, according to the Peripheries and Philanthropy research by the PIPA Initiative, 95% of social organizations in peripheral territories indicated that they would like to receive training on financial and project management and believe that training impacts their ability to raise financial resources.

 

What are the challenges for this practice?

As pointed out by the Charities Aid Foundation in the World Giving Index 2023, strengthening a robust philanthropic ecosystem requires not only the adoption of good practices by governments and international funders but also ongoing work by civil society organizations regarding their governance and transparency to gain full public trust.

At this point, it is evident how the practice of trust-based philanthropy works in a two-way street, where both funders and organizations need to trust each other, as well as listen to the people and communities impacted. It is also essential for this practice that the donation-receiving organization is willing to share key information about its strategy and actions, thus ensuring horizontal and co-construction between the involved parties, both in receiving and transferring resources.

For many social investors, investing in organizations with their projects is still seen as a risk, whether due to lack of transparency or unfamiliarity with the trust-based methodology. In this sense, the growth of the practice is exponential: the more it is executed and publicized, the more widely diffused the methodology becomes, and the greater the tendency for adoption. Causes originating from social movements that already advocate for representation and equity are opening up frontiers in this modality, giving voice to marginalized groups and investing in funds with co-creation-based practices and trust-based practices, such as the Feminist Fos Fund (dedicated to gender issues) and The Black Fund (focused on racial issues).

 

Case Study: Chamex Institute and Transforming Territories

Although the grant call modality might not be the most suitable for these principles, organizations that want to start in this area, or those with lower institutional capacity to promote these systemic changes, can also join this movement through simpler actions in their existing resource allocation processes.

IDIS encourages its partners and clients to practice principles of trust-based philanthropy within their grantmaking practices. One of the funders that works with our consultancy team, the Chamex Institute, has been evolving each year in its approach to funded organizations. Since the first edition of the Citizenship Education Grant Call, the Institute values an open and direct relationship with its beneficiaries.

In addition to financial support, the five organizations awarded the grant call also undergo a Theory of Change workshop and indicator construction with IDIS’s expert team, ensuring that project monitoring is of quality, as well as strengthening its permanence and replicability. Last year, the 3rd Edition of the Citizenship Education Grant Call opened up space for up to 50% of the allocated resource to be used for personnel expenses (internal or outsourced) and up to 10% for administrative expenses (such as water, electricity, rent, and others), maintaining the guideline for this year’s edition.

As an additional action, finalist and awarded organizations are invited to join the Projects Portal, a showcase-style initiative designed to attract partners and publicize the social work developed.

Taking a step further, the Transforming Territories (TT) program, by IDIS in partnership with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, aims to support Community Foundations and Institutes (CFIs). These organizations work on strengthening a specific territory as bridges between local social organizations and initiatives, donors, civil society, and the government. In the Community Philanthropy modality, CFIs analyze the territory in which they are inserted comprehensively, having complete autonomy to allocate resources according to the needs and priorities of the region. Thus, financial transfers and technical support are directed more effectively towards local strengthening.

The great strength of the TT lies in its foundational values, which serve as pillars for trust-based philanthropy. Advocating for community protagonism, democratic values, transparency, sustainable practices, and networked actions promotes active engagement of local communities as drivers of regional development. This stimulates participatory processes, freedom of expression, and respect for diversity through collaborative initiatives aimed at raising awareness and caring for natural resources. All of this is complemented by an emphasis on transparent communication, encouraging the sharing of information and data dissemination.

This management model, combined with unrestricted and multi-year donations, establishes a relationship of trust between the donor (companies and partners supporting the TT) and the directly impacted organizations (CFIs). It is based on the principle that the action of CFIs can have a greater impact on the territory than verticalized direct donations. Additionally, the funding plays a role in strengthening the institutional development of CFIs, promoting these organizations in the Brazilian territory not only through financial resources but also through training and technical assistance.

Donations can be made by companies and philanthropists, adopting organizations or territories within the program. If you are interested, visit the website or contact IDIS.

 

The Change We Hope For

IDIS has been delving into these new philanthropy trends. The latest edition of Perspectives for Philanthropy in Brazil highlighted that support for the institutional strengthening of civil society organizations, from the standpoint of governance and transparency, can generate catalyzing changes towards higher levels of trust, in a virtuous circle.

Explore more case studies and get in touch to build these paths together.

Scientific philanthropy: what has been done and the future of the practice

“It is not possible to think about sustainable development without considering scientific development”. This was one of the statements made by Dr. Marcos Kisil, a physician and founder of IDIS, during the First International Seminar ‘Science meets Philanthropy.’ Throughout a full day at the University of São Paulo (USP), leaders from various fields discussed the landscape, examples, strategies, and future of the relationship between the development of science and philanthropy, both in Brazil and internationally.

The event was organized by Gema Filantropia (Group of Studies on Models to Support Science) – an initiative of IEA-USP (Institute of Advanced Studies of USP) – and the José Luiz Egydio Setúbal Foundation, with support from IDIS. The goal is to stimulate collaboration between the scientific and philanthropic communities in Brazil. Leaders from universities, research institutes, philanthropic entities, funding agencies, government authorities in Science and Technology, and researchers engaged in the cause gathered at the meeting.

Throughout the day, the current homogeneity of funding in the field of science was emphasized, mainly provided by the governmental sector. The opportunity for the philanthropic sector to collaborate in these investments was highlighted, given its independence and capacity for experimentation and risk-taking, important and beneficial characteristics for the scientific field. Philanthropy has played an increasingly significant role in supporting science and technology, something that is still in its infancy in Brazil but already well-established in countries like the United States, England, Canada, and the European Community. The term ‘science philanthropy’ was coined to describe this trend.

During the panel ‘Discussion about the needs and proposals for a legal environment favorable to philanthropy in science’, alongside Laís de Figueiredo Lopes, partner at SBSA Advogados, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, emphasized philanthropic endowments as a strategic alternative for financial sustainability in science funding. These endowments, created to receive donations for specific causes or organizations, allow received resources to remain invested, with only the returns being used to fund the cause. She also presented an overview of the agenda for endowments in the legislature, which currently includes two Bills proposing incentives for donations to endowments.

The science has its own maturation time, requires experimentation, and demands long-term investment. Endowment funds enable the cause to have long-lasting resources, taking whatever time is necessary,” comments Paula.

The mechanism of endowment funds is already used by several scientific organizations around the world, such as the NIH Common Fund, Harvard University, The Endowment for Basic Science, and in Brazil, the USP Endowment, the FMUSP Medicine Endowment, among others.

Hélio Nogueira Cruz, a member of the Faculty of Economics and Administration of USP and former advisor to IDIS, indicated in the panel ‘Contributions and projects of the University of São Paulo in the field of scientific philanthropy’ that, despite the gains from the mechanism, there is still much to be done. “The experience with endowment funds is recent, and there is enormous room for their evolution,” he said.

Reinforcing international collaboration and seeking inspiration from other parts of the globe, the event also featured the remote presence of Joseph R. Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund. The American organization directs its fund resources to support independent research on health-related issues, seeking to promote greater access and quality of care, especially for people in situations of social and economic vulnerability.

Dr. Marcos Kisil participated in the panel ‘Strategies and future actions to strengthen scientific philanthropy in Brazil’, highlighting the importance of philanthropy as direct support for scientific development. “I think scientific issues begin to have greater prominence in society when you disclose that development cannot occur through cyclical processes but must be through a permanent and sustainable process throughout history, which scientific philanthropy can directly support,” he comments.

At another moment, he indicated how philanthropy is indeed a powerful tool and platform but can also be misused by its holders. “You have philanthropists who deny science to such an extent that they are now financiers of the anti-vaccine movement in the United States. Showing that this power, this influence, these communication networks, can be contrary to science,” he says.

At the end of the event, there was the launch of his new book ‘Philanthropy at Risk: from scientific development to sustainable development’, which explores the need for deepening the relationship between philanthropy and science in Brazil, with practical examples of what is already being done, and furthering the discussions raised throughout the event.

“Although it is impossible to predict exactly what we will find with a new scientific tool, we must remember that science is not limited to expected results: the entire process generates knowledge, discoveries, and learning for researchers. Supporting science is never a waste of resources”.

(MYHRVOLD, 2000)

Mackenzie Scott Donates $1.5 Million to IDIS

IDIS – the Institute for the Development of Social Investment – has received a donation of $1.5 million, equivalent to R$7.5 million, from American philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

The gift received will be the first contribution to IDIS Endowment, which is being stablished on the year the Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary. The mechanism aims to contribute to the organization’s sustainability and shall provide greater predictability for investments in projects to strengthen strategic philanthropy and the culture of giving in Brazil, including advocacy initiatives for a favorable regulatory environment and knowledge contents.

“The endowment will provide perpetual source of funding, which will be used to expand our efforts to strengthen strategic philanthropy in the country, as it provides us with greater long-term stability. It’s a recognition of the relevance of IDIS and the potential we have to generate even more positive impact,” explains Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS.

 

Ranked as the fifth richest woman in the world, the philanthropist is a signatory of the Giving Pledge. This commitment encourages people and families with substantial wealth worldwide to contribute a significant portion of their wealth to social causes and publicly pledged to donate at least 50% of her wealth during her lifetime. In Brazil, Elie Horn, founder of Cyrella, and the Latin American couple, David Vélez, co-founder of the digital bank Nubank, and his wife, entrepreneur Mariel Reyes, are also signatories of the commitment.

Income and money donation in middle-income countries: Evidence from Brazil

Income plays a crucial role in shaping pro-social behavior, particularly in the context of charitable giving. However, existing literature reveals mixed findings when dealing with the nuances in this relationship.

In an article published in the academic journal Journal of Philanthropy and Marketing, on the Wiley platform, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, together with Marcos Paulo de Lucca Silveira and Flavio Pinheiro, evaluates the main hypotheses concerning the influence of income on charitable giving, drawing on data from Brazil Giving Research 2020 with 2099 respondents in Brazil. This study contributes with new evidence to the topic within the context of a middle-income Latin American country, an aspect often overlooked in previous studies. Our analysis focuses on how an individual’s household income influences three key aspects: the likelihood of giving, the amount given, and the proportion of household income donated.

The findings indicate that individuals from higher-income households donate larger sums of money but the same proportion of income as other income households. Household income does not significantly affect the likelihood of donating or the proportion of income donated.

Check out the full article here.

Together for Health: annual activity report 2023

The document details the actions developed during the first year of the Program, ensuring transparency for society and partners.

Launched in 2023, Together for Health is an initiative of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), managed by IDIS – Institute for the Development of Social Investment.

In partnership with private donors, the Program seeks to raise resources to support and strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil, where approximately 75 million people live and – 9 out of 10 – depend exclusively on the SUS ( IBGE, 2020). The high demand results in important challenges, such as low availability of doctors, poor infrastructure, and poor access to population health data.

“In its activities, Together for Health prioritizes municipalities with less than one doctor per thousand inhabitants and, under the logic of matchfunding, has the prospect of allocating, by 2026, approximately R$ 200 million (R$ 100 million of supporters and R$100 million from BNDES) for health projects that aim to benefit care activities for populations living in these regions of the country, including primary care services; medium and high complexity; urgent and emergency services and diagnostic support” explains Carla Reis, Head of the Department of the Industrial Complex and Health Services of the Productive Development, Innovation and Foreign Trade Area of ​​BNDES.

The annual activity report is a management and transparency tool and details the Program’s actions and results.

Main achievements

In its inaugural year, the focus of Together for Health included the institutional and operational structuring, the team building and a consolidation of a strong network, made up of strategic partners, which played a key role in all the achievements of the Program so far.

Five important supporters arrived to join Together for Health, donating a total of R$97,083,148.32 (50% from BNDES, 50% from private donors). The donors  are: Vale Foundation, RD Group, Dynamo Institute, Umane and Wheaton.

The resources raised began to be allocated, allowing three large projects to begin: Social Protection Health Cycle, executed by CEDAPS, Mental Health Indicator Panel, and ImpulsoPrevine, both under the responsibility of ImpulsoGov. Together, they will benefit almost 300 municipalities.

“The management of this initiative contributes to the allocation of donations align with public policies,” explains Luiza Saraiva, IDIS’ project manager responsible for conducting the Program. In 2024, in addition to fundraising and allocation to projects, the monitoring process will begin to assess the impacts achieved.

To learn more about the partners and executors, the Program’s operational models, the committees and evaluation bodies, details of the actions developed, and the financial report, click here to download the report for free (available only in Portuguese)

IDIS 2023 Retrospective: bolder than ever

Boldness is inherent to human nature, but it must be developed, experienced, and refined. This was not only the theme of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023 but also the journey of IDIS throughout the year. We need courage, creativity, planning, and persistence to face challenges and take risks. In 2023, IDIS was bolder than ever!

Whether through internal initiatives or collaborations with other organizations in the sector, boldness propelled our work based on the tripod of knowledge generation, advisory, and impact projects. Along this path, we continued to contribute to our mission of inspiring, supporting, and expanding private social investment and its impact. The stories have been compiled in our Activity Report, available only in brazilian portuguese.

However, here’s some of our key achievements throughout the year.

 

OUR NUMBERS

Our advisory team led 54 projects, covering areas such as strategic planning, endowment structuring and long-term strategic for financial sustainability, donation management and impact assessment. We also officially incorporated into our offerings services related to the ESG agenda and the relationship with Private Social Investment.

In the knowledge area, we continued our vocation to reflect on trends, read scenarios, and systematize concepts and methodologies. We launched 50 new products, including publications, articles, technical notes, and events. We released the second edition of Perspectives for Brazilian Philanthropy, held another edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, which once again took place in a hybrid format, and conducted the Brazil Giving Research 2022. We supported the development, adaptation, and translation of studies by international partner organizations, such as the Operating Archetypes by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and the World Giving Index 2023 by CAF. In total, we received 170 thousand accesses to our content.

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2023

The impact projects that IDIS implements and leads continued to advance. Within the scope of the Transforming Territories program, in partnership with the Charles Mott Foundation, one of our focuses was expanding the network by bringing new leaders and organizations to operate within this model. Through a public call, meetings, and active research, five new initiative groups joined the program, totaling 17 participating organizations. In September, we gathered everyone in São Paulo for the 2nd Transforming Territories Seminar.

2nd Transforming Territories Seminar

Throughout the year, the Coalition for Philanthropic Funds, led by IDIS, continued its work. One of our main advocacy issues this year concerned the regulation allowing resources from tax incentives to also be directed to endowment funds. Also on this topic, we launched another edition of the Endowment Performance Yearbook 2022.

It was this year that the grandiose Together for Health initiative began, a impact project aimed at allocating, by 2026, R$200 million to strengthen the Unified Health System (SUS) in the North and Northeast regions of the country. In just one year of operation, we secured four important supporters, and three projects covering almost 300 municipalities are underway.

GLOBAL PRESENCE AND PARTNERSHIPS

We believe that the diversity of opinions, backgrounds, life stories, and repertoires enriches our work and increases our potential for impact. Therefore, in 2023, we continued to celebrate diversity and invest in the power of partnerships.

We also participated in thematic networks, reflecting, co-creating, endorsing, and implementing actions. We contributed to the advancement of relevant agendas for strengthening the democratic environment, Private Social Investment, and the Culture of Donation in Brazil.

Discover our institutional partners and the networks we participated in during 2023.

WHO IS PART OF THIS STORY

Those who contribute to building our story daily are the ones who are part of IDIS. Since 2020, we have grown not only in terms of project numbers, impact indicators, events, and partners, but also in people. Between August 2022 and August 2023, we experienced a 50% increase in our team, leading to the creation of new processes and people policies.

With a hybrid working model, throughout the year, a series of integration, training, and knowledge exchange actions were promoted. Part of these initiatives was led by the Diversity Committee, composed of IDIS team members, which also coordinated the second edition of the IDIS Census.

IDIS team reunited

WHAT AWAITS US IN 2024

We enter 2024 full of plans and determination, ready to continue inspiring, supporting, and expanding the impact of private social investment.

Additionally, this year marks our 25th anniversary. It will be a time of many celebrations!

In partnership with the MOL Group, we are structuring the 1% Commitment, a movement that encourages companies to allocate at least 1% of their net profit to social organizations and causes of public interest. We are seeking more supporters for this initiative.

Within the scope of Together for Health, the end of fundraising is planned, reaching the milestone of R$100 million donated by supporters, which will be matched by BNDES. In 2024, we will begin the impact assessment of ongoing projects.

In the realm of knowledge projects, in addition to hosting another edition of our traditional Forum and the Endowment Fund Performance Yearbook, we highlight the intention to initiate a study focusing on family philanthropy and to raise funds for the realization of the Brazil Donation Survey 2024, now biennial.

Lastly, given the increasing relevance of the ESG Agenda, IDIS invests in strengthening the consulting team with experts, developing methodologies that support social investors in their decisions, and producing knowledge on the subject, including the publication of a new study.

Social Impact Valuation Drives the “S” in ESG

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Check out the full article:

Transforming Territories Seminar brings together over 30 community leaders from Brazil

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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.

 

Download and get to know the main results:

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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.

 

Download and get to know the main results:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Learn more and download the publication:

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

The newsletter will be sent quartely, and you may sign up using the form below.

 

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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

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

‘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

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)

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:

 

– BNDESBanco 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.