Next Gen Philanthropy, with Sharna Goldseker & Michael Moody
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody about their book Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors are Revolutionizing Giving, which is now available in an updated and expanded 2nd edition
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Philanthropy, Domestic Violence & Partnering with the Public Sector, with Stelio Stefanou
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Stelio Stefanou OBE, philanthropist and Founder of the For Baby’s Sake Trust (FBST) - a charity which focuses on working with parents to address the impact of domestic violence on the early years development of children.
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Modern Grantmaking, with Gemma Bull & Tom Steinberg
Giving Thought
In this episode Rhod sat down with Gemma Bull and Tom Steinberg, authors of new book "Modern Grantmaking: A Guide for Funders Who Believe Better is Possible"
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Philanthropy, Racial Justice & Funding Grassroots Organizing, with Lori Bezahler
Giving Thought
In this episode we're joined by Lori Bezhaler, President of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, to discuss the role of philanthropy in supporting racial justice and funding grassroots organizing or social movements.
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Poverty, Participation & The Pandemic, with Jo Kerr & Sonya Ruparel
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Jo Kerr and Sonya Ruparel, from UK charity Turn2Us, about poverty, participation and the impact of the pandemic.
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Participatory grantmaking, with Meg Massey & Hannah Paterson
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk participatory approaches in philanthropy and social investment, with Meg Massey, co-author of “Letting Go: How Philanthropists and Impact Investors Can Do More Good by Giving Up Control” and Hannah Paterson, Senior Portfolio Manager at the National Lottery Community Fund.
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Silicon Valley, Billionaires & Philanthropy, with Teddy Schleifer
Giving Thought
On this episode we talk to Teddy Schleifer, Senior Reporter, Money & Influence at Recode (part of the Vox Media group), about billionaires, Silicon Valley and philanthropy.
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Philanthropy in Brazil during the pandemic, with Denis Mizne
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Denis Mizne, CEO of Lemann Foundation - Brazil’s largest educational funder – about philanthropy in Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Lemann Foundation’s pivot to supporting vaccine trials in the country
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Why Civil Society Matters More Than Ever, with Andy Haldane (and Neil Heslop)
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Andy Haldane, Chief Economist of the Bank of England about his long-standing interest in civil society, why he thinks it is so important yet undervalued, and what sort of challenges and opportunities the coming years may bring. We also have some analysis and additional insight from CAF CEO Neil Heslop.
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Technology, Philanthropy & Civil Society, with Nanjira Sambuli
Giving Thought
In this episode we talk to Nanjira Sambuli about technology, philanthropy and civil society. Nanjira is a researcher, policy analyst and advocacy strategist based in Nairobi, Kenya and we had a fascinating and wide-ranging discussion about the intersection of tech and civil society.
info_outlineIn this episode we talk to Iqbal Nasim, CEO of the National Zakat Foundation, about Islamic giving and using technology to transform the way Zakat works. Including:
- What is Zakat and how does it fit within Islamic teaching?
- What does Islamic teaching say about how Zakat is to be given? (i.e. are there specific causes, should it be anonymous etc?)
- Is Zakat the primary focus of giving for most Muslims, or do many give in other ways too?
- What is Sadaqa, and how does it relate to Zakat?
- Does most Zakat from Muslims in the UK go to international causes? Why, then, did NZF decide to focus on distributing Zakat in the UK?
- How much Zakat goes to individuals and how much to organisations (charities, NGOs etc?) How does this reflect Islamic teaching?
- How is Zakat viewed by givers and recipients- is it seen as a gift made through charity or a payment made as a requirement of justice?
- Is there any stigma to being a recipient of Zakat?
- What responsibilities are there as a digital platform towards those giving and receiving zakat? Should you aim to be a neutral intermediary, or do you have to take a more active role in informing donors, assessing recipients etc?
- Disintermediation through technology brings benefits in terms of allowing more direct connection between giver and receiver, but it may also bring challenges- e.g. in individual crowdfunding there are growing concerns we are seeing biases and old-fashioned distinctions between the “deserving” and “undeserving” poor emerge. Are there similar challenges when it comes to zakat? How can they be mitigated?
- Does the focus on giving to individuals make it harder to address issues at a more systemic level? (i.e. because you can’t fund campaigning or advocacy for larger-scale change)
- There is a lot of interest in the wider world of philanthropy (particularly in an international development context) in tapping into Zakat as a potential new source of funding for existing causes, or aligning it with the SDGs etc. Is this feasible, or does it misunderstand what Zakat is and the motivations behind it?
Related Links:
- The National Zakat Foundation
- Islamic Relief UK’s guide to giving in Islam
- Rhod’s Alliance magazine blog on “The Ethics of Platform Philanthropy”