Arquivo da tag: Brazilian Philanthropy Forum

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026: Between essence and reinvention

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The 15th edition of the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum took place on August 27 in São Paulo. Organized by IDIS, the event brings together leaders and experts to strengthen philanthropy in Brazil, foster connections, and encourage the development of solutions to social challenges. 

 

Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026: Between essence and reinvention

 

With the theme Between essence and reinvention, the Forum’s sessions addressed issues such as the power of territories, new architectures for cultural, territorial, and socio-environmental financing, equity and persistent inequalities, impact and shared value creation, as well as different perspectives on Latin American and family philanthropy. Throughout the day, 314 guests attended the event, while the livestream reached nearly 5,000 views. 

The program featured 13 sessions across 10 hours of programming, with 56 speakers. Among those taking part were Conceição Evaristo (Casa Escrevivência Conceição Evaristo), Belisa Maggi (Fundação AMAGGI and Instituto Signativo), Claudia Calais (Fundação Bunge), Eliana Sousa Silva (Redes da Maré), Michael França (Insper), Nick Tedesco (National Center for Family Philanthropy), Somachi Chris-Asoluka (Tony Elumelu Foundation), Valcléia dos Santos (Fundação Amazônia Sustentável), and Vitor Hugo Neia (Fundação Grupo Volkswagen). 

The program opened with a performance by the Orquestra Maré do Amanhã, bringing the strength and potential of local territories to the stage. Next, Conceição Evaristo, writer and founder of Casa Escrevivência Conceição Evaristo, led the Forum’s first reflection in the session “What needs to remain when everything changes?”. In a speech marked by sensitivity and depth, the writer invited the audience to reflect on what should be preserved amid transformation and on the values that underpin the construction of fairer and more inclusive futures. 

 

Panel ‘What needs to remain when everything changes?’

 

The first plenary, “Reinvention now. Relevance always!”, explored ways for philanthropy to adapt to a changing world without losing sight of its purpose. The discussion highlighted the importance of rethinking practices, strategies, and approaches so that philanthropic organizations and initiatives can maintain their relevance and expand their ability to generate social impact. 

Next, the plenary “The power of territories: When essence guides reinvention” placed at the center of the debate the importance of recognizing the specific characteristics, knowledge, and potential present in each territory. The discussion reinforced how listening and local leadership can guide new approaches and strengthen initiatives capable of promoting transformations that are more closely connected to the realities and needs of communities. 

The session “1% Commitment: The journey to joining the movement” highlighted the experiences of companies that have committed to allocating at least 1% of their net profits to social and environmental initiatives. The discussion demonstrated how joining the movement, which now has 30 signatories, can strengthen corporate social investment, bringing business practices closer to positive-impact strategies and contributing to a private sector that is increasingly engaged with society’s challenges. 

In parallel sessions, participants explored different perspectives on the challenges and possibilities of reinvention in philanthropy. “Capital in reinvention: New architectures for cultural, territorial, and socio-environmental financing” discussed new ways of mobilizing and directing resources, while “Reinventing equity: New responses to persistent inequalities” explored strategies for addressing historical inequalities and developing more effective and inclusive responses. 

Closing the morning program, the thematic lunch provided opportunities for exchange and deeper discussion. At each table, a host facilitated a conversation around one of the 20 proposed themes, broadening reflections on different issues related to philanthropy and social investment. 

The program continued with a Dynamic Session, bringing new perspectives on the landscape of Artificial Intelligence in the social sector and on funding opportunities—both key elements in philanthropy’s ongoing reinvention. The session featured reflections by Célia Cruz, Visiting Fellow at the Skoll Centre, and Pedro Barros, co-founder of Sul – Intelligence for Impact, both members of the AI for Impact Coalition. 

In the traditional “In conversation with…” interview, Paula Fabiani, CEO of IDIS, spoke with Denise Aguiar, Managing Director of Bradesco Foundation, who shared her personal story and her perspective on the paths of philanthropy, the challenges of the present, and the importance of strengthening an approach committed to lasting social transformation. 

 

Panel ‘In conversation with…’

 

In the panel “Impact that creates value: When data strengthens business and society”, participants discussed how the strategic use of data can help understand results, guide decision-making, and enhance the impact of initiatives. The conversation highlighted the importance of turning information into knowledge to generate value for both businesses and society. 

In parallel sessions, participants further explored the role of different actors in philanthropy. “Latin American Philanthropy: Pathways to a shared future” reflected on the challenges and opportunities for strengthening philanthropic action across the region, while “Family Philanthropy: Local roots, lasting transformations” explored the role of families in building initiatives connected to local territories and capable of generating long-term impact. 

The program also featured the 2025 winners of the Social Entrepreneur Award, who presented their initiatives, journeys, and the purpose behind their work. 

Finally, the closing plenary, “The future is a choice, not a destiny”, reflected on the role of our choices in shaping the future we want. The discussion reinforced that the path toward a fairer and more sustainable society is not predetermined, but built through the decisions, commitments, and actions we take today. 

 

Explore the full program. 

“Reinvention does not mean breaking away from everything that came before. Sometimes, reinventing means finding new ways to honor what has always driven us: a commitment to the common good, reducing inequalities, strengthening civil society, and building a fairer and more sustainable world.”

— Paula Fabiani, in her closing remarks”

 

Watch the full recording of the event: 

 

Organization and Support 

The Brazilian Philanthropy Forum is an initiative of IDIS – Institue for the Development of Social Investment, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), and Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF).  The Forum counts on Strategic Partne’s from Movimento Bem Maior and Fundação Bradesco; Gold Partner from RD Saúde; Silver Partner from Fundação Sicredi; Bronze Partner´s from Fundação ArcelorMittal, Fundação Grupo Volkswagen, Levisky Legado, and Instituto Sicoob; Institutional Partne’s from Fundo de Fomento à Filantropia and UNICEF. Media Partners are Alliance Magazine and Stanford Social Innovation Review Brasil.

Latin American Philanthropy: pathways toward a common future

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By Carla Irrazabal, Project Analyst at IDIS

Latin American identity seems to be increasingly visible. And this is not only because of the success of Latin music on Spotify and around the world. There is something that connects us and defines us, something that cannot be ignored. Perhaps the uncertainty of a world marked by conflict and the need to affirm identities have helped bring these shared characteristics to the center of the conversation. 

Panel ‘Latin American Philanthropy: Pathways Toward a Common Future’

We have much in common, both in characteristics that could become trends and strengths to be valued, and in the things we feel need to change. At the same time that we are one of the most unequal regions in the world, we see generosity expressed in many everyday actions that shape our communities. 

Our historical heritage, marked by colonization, Indigenous peoples, and the influence of the African diaspora forcibly brought to the region through slavery during the colonial period, shapes many of these characteristics. From Tierra del Fuego to Monterrey, we share histories, challenges, forms of solidarity, and a diversity that cannot be overlooked when we talk about Latin America. 

Bringing this perspective to philanthropy, the panel “Latin American Philanthropy: Pathways to a Shared Future”, held during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026, invited us to reflect on what unites us, what Latin American countries have in common, and which characteristics of our region can contribute to building a stronger, more autonomous, and more connected philanthropic field. 

The moderator, Guillermo Correa, Executive Director of Red Argentina para la Cooperación Internacional, opened the conversation by challenging participants to think about how to strengthen Latin American philanthropy without simply importing external models. The question ran throughout the entire panel: how can we expand collaboration among countries, strengthen our own capacities, and at the same time preserve the diversity and essence that characterize our ways of generating social and environmental impact? 

Cassio França, Secretary general of GIFE, brought the Brazilian experience as a starting point for thinking about broader characteristics of the region. He spoke about the weight of corporate philanthropy: among GIFE members, 60% are companies and 20% are families. 

This dynamic is reversed in the U.S. philanthropic landscape, where family philanthropy predominates. He raised a question about the role of family philanthropy in Latin America. In his view, it can bring something different to the field and create space for issues and causes that may not be as prominent in corporate philanthropy. The idea is not to choose between one form and another, but to recognize the contribution of different actors to building a more diverse ecosystem. 

His remarks also highlighted an important point about the environment needed for this field to grow stronger: the need for a more favorable legal framework for giving. In a region marked by concentrated resources and deep inequalities, strengthening a culture of giving also means discussing the instruments and policies that encourage or hinder the allocation of private resources to the public good. 

João Paulo Vergueiro (JP), Director of GivingTuesday’s Latin America and Caribbean Hub, brought a reflection on the different meanings of philanthropy to the conversation. Not only its literal meaning of “love of humanity”, associated with generosity, but also philanthropy understood as giving and as a field within civil society. Drawing on his experience at GivingTuesday, JP emphasized that generosity is already present in the everyday lives of Latin American countries. Solidarity and the willingness to help others are not necessarily something we need to create. The challenge is to recognize, structure, and strengthen these practices so that they can contribute more consistently to the philanthropic field. 

But to do so, we still know too little about the field itself. A seemingly simple question — “How many civil society organizations are there in the country?” — already reveals the lack of data and research in many parts of the region. For JP, gaining a better understanding of the field is essential to making more strategic decisions and strengthening civil society. 

The lack of data is also connected to an issue raised by Carolina Suárez, CEO of Latimpacto: the need to build greater trust in the Latin American social sector. She emphasized the importance of evidence, while also highlighting the need for balance. Many organizations do not have the same capacity to produce reports, indicators, and accountability materials in the formats required by funders. Without taking this reality into account, excessive requirements may divert resources away from precisely those organizations that are closest to the communities they serve. 

Carolina Suárez, CEO of Latimpacto

For Carolina, developing a model of our own for Latin America is essential. Examples and solutions do not necessarily lie in models imported from the United States or other contexts. Many of them already exist here, in local practices, civil society networks, forms of community solidarity, and the ability of territories to organize and collaborate. 

Carolina also highlighted the importance of building a Latin American identity. She noted that when people from African countries attend international conferences, they often say “I am African” rather than identifying primarily by their country of origin. We need to draw on this example and proudly affirm that we are Latin Americans. 

In a second round of questions, which were more direct and focused on practice, Guillermo asked participants specifically about how to move forward and what examples could serve as references. 

Cassio returned to the issue of the legal framework and emphasized the importance of instruments capable of encouraging a culture of giving and strengthening domestic resource mobilization. One of the references mentioned was India, where corporate social responsibility legislation requires companies that meet certain financial criteria to allocate at least 2% of their average net profit from the previous three years to corporate social responsibility initiatives. 

JP summarized part of the conversation in three words: narrative, data, and structure. The narrative is needed to tell the story of what the third sector already does and has been doing across Latin America. Data provides the inputs needed to understand the field strategically. And structure means strengthening the networks that already exist in Brazil and Mexico and are beginning to take shape in Colombia, through groups such as GIFE. 

Carolina concluded by emphasizing what may be one of Latin America’s greatest strengths: human capital. The ability to build relationships, mobilize people, work collaboratively, and develop solutions rooted in local territories is part of the region’s strength. For this potential to achieve greater scale, we will need to expand integration, trust, and pride in our shared identity. 

This conversation showed us that Latin American philanthropy does not need to “reinvent the wheel” or seek answers in ready-made models from the Global North. Our strength lies precisely in what already exists here and is deeply Latin American: generosity, solidarity, cultural diversity, and the strength and leadership of our communities. 

João Paulo Vergueiro | Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at GivingTuesday

The diversity of the continent, with its different histories, cultures, forms of organization, and ways of responding to local challenges, should not be a barrier to building a common agenda. On the contrary, it is an asset for developing solutions that are more closely connected to our realities. 

In a context of polycrisis, in which social, political, economic, and climate-related challenges overlap, strengthening our bonds as Latin American hermanos becomes even more important. Models and experiences have already been developed here. The path forward may lie precisely in learning more about what our neighbors are doing, sharing lessons, and strengthening this regional network, which still has enormous room to grow. 

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Beyond the annual report: the value of evidence for strengthening business and society

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By Joana Noffs, Project Analyst at IDIS

In the world of social projects and programs, it is common for data gathering to be limited to reporting periods, with evidence hastily mobilized to fill the colorful pages of annual reports. In this routine, numbers play an important role in transparency, but their potential remains largely untapped: demonstrating that the investment was made and that reach targets were achieved.

When information is left until the last minute, organizations miss the opportunity to use data to learn throughout the process and demonstrate the value generated within the organization itself through corporate social investment. The absence of strategic indicators leaves social and environmental investment more vulnerable, increasing the risk that the business will view it as a cost to be cut during periods of economic downturn. Moreover, when a territorial diagnosis is brought into the process before the pen even hits the paper, combining indicators with local listening, the logic is reversed: off-the-shelf solutions give way to interventions that are more responsive to local perspectives, capable of identifying bottlenecks, mitigating risks, and uncovering concrete opportunities for innovation and development within the value chain itself. Data becomes the language that translates realities on the ground to the decision-making table, helping ensure the sustainability and continuity of this investment within the corporate budget.

This was the central provocation of the panel “Impact That Creates Value: When Data Strengthens Business and Society”, held during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026. Moderated by Dihego Pansini, Executive Director of Instituto Alcoa, the panel challenged the sector to position itself within the transition proposed by the event’s theme: Between Essence and Reinvention.

Panel ‘Impact That Creates Value: When Data Strengthens Business and Society’ during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026

If the essence of social investment lies in a commitment to generating real transformation in people’s lives, its reinvention requires moving beyond historically top-down philanthropic practices, making diagnosis and evaluation ongoing channels for incorporating the voices of those who live in the territories and work throughout the entire value chain.

“Good business has to be good for everyone.” This motto, which Claudia Calais, Executive Director of Fundação Bunge, learned from her father as a child, illustrated her remarks. In her view, times have changed and things have become more urgent. The ESG agenda itself has gained urgency, while resources have become scarcer. This context requires corporate social investment to work alongside the value chain and strengthen public policies. At Fundação Bunge, a review of its strategy shifted the focus toward productive inclusion and a low-carbon economy, and the turning point was having data and indicators that demonstrated the value generated both externally and within the organization itself, as Claudia explained.

Claudia Calais, Executive Director of Fundação Bunge

“Our main turning point with the indicators, beyond directing the investment and showing whether we were on the right path, was that we began to engage with the investor on equal terms. (…) It is extremely important for me to measure what I am doing from the project’s perspective, but it is equally important that, through indicators showing what I deliver to the business, the business can see me as an investment, rather than a cost.”

A clear example of this two-way relationship emerged from the goal of ensuring that part of the biofuel supply would come from family farming. Instead of relying on producers in southern Brazil, who were already structured to meet the demand, Bunge invested in qualifying and organizing farming families in Brazil’s semi-arid Northeast into cooperatives. The result delivered what the business needed to participate in public tenders, in line with the public policy established by the Social Biofuel Seal, while also generating transformation in the region where it operates.

The effective use of evidence may require going beyond reach figures. Andressa Vasconcelos, Impact Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at Fundação Sicredi, explained that at Sicredi, social investment must be accountable to its 10 million members, who deliberate on the R$400 million invested annually:

“Cooperativism is always about coming together based on an understanding of what is missing in a territory and how we, as a society, can organize ourselves to achieve this common goal. (…) So it is a tremendous responsibility to have initiatives that effectively generate transformation.”

In 2020, through the A União Faz a Vida Program, the organization conducted a Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation with IDIS. The assessment indicated a return of R$4 for every R$1 invested and revealed that secondary aspects of the Theory of Change were generating impacts that carried greater weight than the initiative’s central objective. Based on these learnings, the organization revisited its methodology and moved toward a causal evaluation focused on the pedagogical dimension, demonstrating direct progress among participating students in variables associated with cooperativism, such as autonomy, critical thinking, and collaboration. Above all, the value of the evaluation processes lay in the learning they generated, which was incorporated into the initiative, allowing it to be improved and its intended impact to be achieved.

“So, for us, impact evaluation is also a tool for accountability to our members. But above all, it is a tool for us to learn. To learn and evolve.”

Evidence also helps refine the map guiding the Foundation’s efforts to generate value for society — its Theory of Change, which identifies prosperity as a long-term objective. By conducting a nationwide survey to understand what Brazilians consider to be “prosperity,” Sicredi found that the concept goes beyond money, guiding the creation of non-financial solutions for territories.

Reading and interpreting evidence also makes it possible to address urgent issues pragmatically. Catarina reported that Fundação ArcelorMittal drew on data and qualified listening to incorporate the circular economy into its strategy.

“We had previous work involving evidence, facts, and data so that we could incorporate a new area of work, the circular economy,” she explained. “What made this agenda possible was realizing a unique opportunity to connect two ends of the same transformation chain. (…) We saw an opportunity to generate shared value for the business as well as for the community and society. But in order for us to choose the circular economy as a strategy for Fundação ArcelorMittal, we started with this listening process — a qualified listening process.”

A participatory diagnosis involving community leaders, public authorities, and local communities showed that waste management was a local priority. When this was combined with the reality of the 800,000 waste pickers in Brazil, many of whom are in situations of social vulnerability, according to a study conducted by AgoSocial in partnership with ArcelorMittal, as well as with the company’s goals of improving access to scrap metal and reducing emissions, the Foundation connected the steel value chain with efforts to strengthen these workers. The strategy seeks to bring citizenship, dignity, and visibility to waste pickers, who are responsible for more than 90% of recycling in the country, demonstrating that “when we talk about the circular economy, we also need to talk about social justice”, as Catarina emphasizes.

The conversation outlined three ways in which the private sector can use data in social investment: guiding the selection of agendas, generating continuous learning about the transformation produced, and connecting people and territories to corporate strategy. As Dihego Pansini emphasized in his summary of the panel, Monitoring and Assessment has a clear role in ensuring transparency, but the next step is to use this learning to inform organizations’ decision-making processes. This progress requires data to serve not only as a measurement tool, but also as a means of listening to and incorporating different voices and demands into the very construction of these agendas.

Dihego Pansini, Executive Director of Instituto Alcoa

When information ceases to be merely a record in a report and becomes part of day-to-day management, monitoring becomes a living process, making it possible to adjust strategies to increase impact, bring companies closer to communities, and provide the intelligence needed to strengthen the business itself and ensure its long-term sustainability.

Check ou the full panel:

Reinventing philanthropy also means sharing power

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By Beatriz Santos, Project Analyst at IDIS

In a context of rapid change, reinventing oneself seems to have become an obligation for any organization that wants to remain relevant. In philanthropy, this discussion is often associated with new technologies, financial mechanisms, or strategies. All of these matter. But the panel “Reinvention Now. Relevance Always!”, held during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026, raised a more fundamental question: there can be no meaningful reinvention without clarity about what needs to remain.

Panel ‘Reinvention Now. Relevance Always!’, during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2026

The discussion began with the opening remarks by Conceição Evaristo. By emphasizing that philanthropy must pursue social justice, the writer proposed understanding it not simply as giving, but as sharing. If philanthropy means love for humanity, its essence must lie in a commitment to people, social justice, and the transformation of realities. In other words, the essence should not change; what needs to evolve are the paths used to put it into practice.

Essence Guides Reinvention

At the event, this relationship was reflected in the experiences shared by Valcléia dos Santos, from Fundação Amazônia Sustentável (FAS); Vitor Hugo Neia, from Fundação Grupo Volkswagen; and Somachi Chris-Asoluka, from the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Valcléia dos Santos, from Fundação Amazônia Sustentável (FAS)

Speaking about work in the Amazon, Valcléia highlighted the challenges of operating in remote territories marked by logistical difficulties, limited access to public services, and historical inequalities. In these contexts, turning resources into action requires listening to communities and recognizing that needs cannot be defined solely from the perspective of those who fund or implement a project. Communities are the ones who know their territories, their priorities, and the solutions that may work. Listening, therefore, cannot be merely a consultation step; it must also inform decision-making so that initiatives can adapt as contexts change.

The experience of Fundação Grupo Volkswagen revealed another dimension of this process, when the organization realized that its work had become disconnected from local territories and that its results no longer reflected the transformations it sought to promote. It therefore became necessary to revisit its strategy, move closer to local realities, and strengthen the capacities of organizations and communities. This shift, however, also meant reconnecting with something embedded in the Foundation’s own history: its attention to workers’ trajectories and social mobility. In this case, reinventing itself did not mean abandoning its essence, but finding a more coherent way to express it in the present.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, meanwhile, starts from the understanding that Africa’s development should be led by local entrepreneurs. To support this vision, it provides training, access to capital, and support networks, seeking to adapt its strategies to different economic, social, and cultural realities. Technology emerges as an important — and above all, inclusive — tool, representing reinvention through the strengthening of the organization’s purpose without creating barriers.

 

From Participation to Sharing

The three experiences show that the essence of philanthropy does not lie in preserving projects, models, or ways of working. These elements can — and should — change. What remains is the ethical commitment to people, social justice, and long-term transformation. Reinvention is precisely what allows these principles to remain meaningful in new contexts. For this reason, sharing cannot mean simply transferring resources; it also means sharing the ability to identify problems, set priorities, and build solutions. In other words, sharing power.

Public during the Panel

This discussion is at the heart of approaches such as trust-based philanthropy, flexible funding, and locally led development. A 2026 analysis by Dalberg on philanthropic trends found that 83% of the large U.S. foundations surveyed reported some form of stakeholder participation. However, only 10% said they had actually transferred decision-making power to grantee organizations or communities. This gap shows that creating spaces for participation does not necessarily mean sharing decision-making power.

In its own work on trust-based philanthropy, IDIS highlights practices such as active listening, greater flexibility in the use of resources, simpler processes, and closer relationships between funders and grantee organizations. These practices reaffirm that the knowledge needed to transform a reality is not concentrated solely among those who control the resources.

Essence, reinvention, and relevance are therefore directly connected. Essence defines why philanthropy exists. Reinvention determines how it responds to changes in the present, while relevance depends on the ability to do both at the same time. An organization can preserve its ways of working and still drift away from its essence. Likewise, it can adopt technologies and innovative models without creating meaningful change.

Reinvention, on the other hand, is not about changing for the sake of change. It means recognizing when a strategy is no longer responding to its context and building new paths without losing sight of its purpose. After all, if philanthropy intends to remain relevant, its central question should not be only “What should we fund?” but also “Who gets to participate in deciding what needs to be done?”

Ultimately, sharing resources matters. But sharing the ability to choose the paths forward brings philanthropy closer to its essence: promoting social justice and helping ensure that people are protagonists in the transformations that affect their own lives.

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To leave your comfort zone, act with local listening

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This article was originally published in Alliance Magazine on November 5, 2025

By Carola Matarazzo, CEO of Movimento Bem Maior

At the 2025 Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, the theme wasn’t centered on metrics, innovation, or scale, though all of these remain relevant. It was built around a term: hope in action. Not a noun, but a verb. Not a feeling, but a movement. In the spirit of past themes like collaboration and boldness, this year took a step further into action, choosing a verb with deep Brazilian roots and layered meaning.

In Portuguese, esperança means “hope,” but esperançar, a term revitalized by educator, writer and theologian Rubem Alves and widely embraced in the education and social fields, means to hope by doing: to choose, to act, to move toward something better. It’s hope with intention. Hope in motion.

In many ways, esperançar was an invitation to shift our posture. To act differently. Because to truly leave your comfort zone, you don’t need to cross physical borders, you need to cross internal ones: of control, detachment and certainty. And that shift begins, always, by listening.

Carola Matarazzo during the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum 2025. Photo: Andre Porto

In English, “hope” is already a verb. But in Portuguese, this transformation from noun to action carries symbolic weight. It signals a move from intention to commitment. It reminds us that, especially in a country like Brazil, where complexity is structural and inequality historical, to hope is to act. And, as Indigenous leader Daniel Munduruku reminded us during the event: ancestrality is not the past, it is the present.

For those of us working in philanthropy, this shift is urgent. Because comfort in philanthropy doesn’t stem only from where we sit, but from how we act.

Many of us operate with good intentions but outdated logics. We hold onto centralized decisions, standardized metrics, universal solutions. And while we speak of transformation, we often cling to control. Strategy without listening becomes imposition. Measurement without learning becomes vanity. And donating, without acknowledging and believing it is a social movement, becomes maintenance of the status quo.

What I witnessed at the Forum, in conversations, silences, moments of shared discomfort, was a growing collective awareness: to truly leave our comfort zone, we must start by listening. And not globally. Locally.

Listening locally means recognizing the power of those already doing the work, often far from the spotlight. It means honoring the legitimacy of local philanthropists, leaders who live the realities we try to “impact.” These are the people practicing what some call acupuncture philanthropy: identifying key pressure points in their communities and activating change with precision, trust, and deep relational intelligence.

The Brazilian philanthropic field is slowly, but steadily, embracing this logic. Moving from speaking for to building with. From delivering programmes to redistributing power. From occupying space to cultivating partnership. The territory, once seen merely as a beneficiary, is finally being acknowledged as a source of strategy, innovation, and leadership.

At Movimento Bem Maior, this reflection is at the heart of our movement. We believe that systemic change is driven by building collaborative infrastructures that sustain complexity. This means mobilizing not only financial resources, but also reputational and political capital, forming networks of support that move with clear intention. It means drawing from the collective intelligence embedded in local communities, listening deeply to those who face the challenges and are already designing solutions. And it requires intentional alliances that bridge sectors, perspectives, and institutions. These alliances must not be merely symbolic, but structurally committed to lasting transformation.

To “cross borders” does not necessarily mean going far; it means going deeper. To move toward complexity, contradiction, and co-creation. To truly leave your comfort zone, you need to shift your posture. It is in that shift that we begin to see that many of the answers we seek are already here, in the territories, in the relationships, in the people who have long been sustaining life at the margins.

Esperançar reminds us that hope is not a concept. It is a verb. And listening is one of its most powerful forms.

Intertwining lives. Weaving the future.

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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

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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

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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

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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 2024: how to participate

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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!

The role of family philanthropy in addressing invisible causes

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By Isadora Pagy, Project Analyst at IDIS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the full session.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch the full event recording here:

ORGANIZATION AND SUPPORT

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

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

BRAZILIAN PHILANTHROPY FORUM

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