Where does philanthropy end and dirty self-promotion begin? This was the question posed at the recent and fabulous Auckland Writer’s Festival to British philosopher Julian Baggini, economist and philanthropist Gareth Morgan and me by Radio NZ presenter Wallace Chapman. Here’s how we answered this question – plus a few other key points: Philanthropy ends when…
Continue reading →Who benefits most from Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi? It is those of us who are non-Māori, because it is through the Treaty that we have the right to be in this land. Furthermore, the treaty is an integral part of our collective identity. Earlier this year I was privileged to…
Continue reading →If you are part of a community organisation which seeks funding, how would you describe your relationships with funders? I am just back from the fabulous and thought-provoking Grantmakers for Effective Organisations biennial conference in Minneapolis. In the first of several blog posts, here’s my interpretation of an analysis of funder – grantee relationships by…
Continue reading →It’s a good time of year for looking back and reflecting… Earlier this year I stepped down from my Executive Director role at Todd Foundation to become an independent consultant. Here is an article I wrote recently about the lessons learned in my 10 years with Todd Foundation. (This was originally published in the December…
Continue reading →I was privileged to recently co-present a series of three workshops for funders based in the Waikato recently alongside Peter Glensor from Hui-E Community Aotearoa. At the invitation of Trust Waikato, we first explored the nature of philanthropy and the community sector, then how philanthropy can do a better job of supporting communities organisations and…
Continue reading →If we are serious about impact and outcomes, Collective Impact seems a promising approach. I recently presented on the topic of “Collective Impact – the possibilities, pitfalls and Aotearoa NZ experience” at a funding hui in Taupo. You can view the presentation below, and a big thanks to Comet Auckland and to the Tow Foundation…
Continue reading →I have spent most of the last three months in Italy, France and Spain, which prompted me to reflect on our own culture and identity – a relevant topic perhaps for Māori Language Week. Our holiday was a kind of interlude between completing my role as Executive Director of Todd Foundation and starting my new…
Continue reading →Making social funding dependent on proving outcomes is a compelling concept – but one that is full of fishhooks. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the Social Bond pilot (also known as Social Impact Bonds) and the Ministry of Social Development’s Community Investment Strategy to Invest in Services for Outcomes are examples of this seemingly simple and…
Continue reading →What is funding burden, you ask? It’s the term I am using for the value of the time community organisations spend applying for and reporting on grants – a value which is often wildly out of proportion to the actual money on offer. This is a concept I have been exploring, developing and blogging about…
Continue reading →Four years on from the deadly February 22 2011 earthquake in Christchurch / Ōtautahi: I remember the 181 people who died and the many, many others who were injured or lost their homes. I acknowledge that the recovery is far from over, with swathes of deserted land, unaffordable housing and increased mental health issues. I…
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