Photo by Erick Forester / WINGS
By Urvi Shriram, Aanchal Bansal, ISDM Centre for Philanthropy for Inclusive Development
A critical dilemma confronting the global development sector is the persistent focus of philanthropy on merely addressing the symptoms of deep-seated social challenges, despite the abundance of resources and the collective efforts of organisations and individuals within the sector.
This gap between philanthropic intentions and outcomes took centre stage during the 7th edition of WINGSForum held in Nairobi, Kenya, between October 3-5, 2023. WINGSForum 2023 brought together over 300 change-makers to explore how philanthropy could evolve to tackle emerging global disruptions, including Covid-19, climate change, and technological advancements in AI.
Discussions at the forum emphasised the need for a shift towards addressing root social issues, fostering participatory grant-making, empowering communities, and aiming for sustainable, long-term objectives, and highlighted the essential role of a systems change approach to transform philanthropy for more equitable and inclusive development. This also resonates with the 10 principles from the Philanthropy Transformation Initiative (PTI) outlined by WINGS.
Systems thinking for philanthropy for inclusive development
Our research1 at the Centre for Philanthropy for Inclusive Development (CPID) on the philanthropic ecosystem in India has revealed how philanthropy’s role and impact are often held back by a lack of data2, aversion to risk3, existing geographical and sector biases, inherent power dynamics between funders and the implementing organisations4, and at times, leadership and internal operating structures of philanthropies5. Using a systems thinking approach has helped the centre understand ways in which different elements of the system interact with each other.
At CPID, we have employed a systems thinking approach, engaging in discussions with various stakeholders to discern the complex interplay between philanthropy, Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs), and communities. We organised systems thinking convenings with various stakeholders within the philanthropic ecosystem to understand how these connections contribute to vicious cycles perpetuating unfavourable patterns, thereby limiting the system’s potential for creating systemic social change. The insights gained from the convenings played a pivotal role in contributing to the Philanthropy for Inclusive Development framework spearheaded by CPID. This framework, co-created with funders, SPOs, philanthropy networks, advisories, and academic centres, has developed a self-assessment tool for funders that enables them to critically evaluate their practices and identify potential areas that require attention for achieving a more sustainable impact. By picking up collective insights and experiences, the framework integrates global and local wisdom, offering principles, actionable points, and practices that organisations can embrace to initiate a transformative journey towards inclusive development.
Systems thinking is crucial for philanthropy as it provides a holistic approach to addressing complex social issues and encourages understanding the interdependencies, feedback loops, and unintended consequences within a given context. By understanding the intricate web of relationships and dynamics, philanthropy can be more strategic and adaptive and ultimately contribute to systemic improvements that benefit society.
Systems thinking in action
During WINGSForum 2023, CPID conducted a working session titled ‘Inclusive Philanthropy for Inclusive Development: A Systems Thinking Approach’ with Donzelina Barroso of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The session used a systems thinking approach to uncover the systemic structures that perpetuate existing problems in philanthropy so participants could reimagine ways to break out of existing patterns. This session, attended by 35 representatives from various organisations in Africa, the MENA region, Asia and North America, utilised the iceberg model6 to delve into the behavioural, institutional aspects, and belief systems driving philanthropic challenges.
The vibrant and dynamic discussions offered unique insights for funders around shared themes that can be explored further and feed new discussions:
1. Fostering community-centric approaches and environments for conversation by addressing intrinsic hierarchies within grant-making systems and looking at longer-term grant support that keeps the needs of the communities in consideration.
2. Enabling more inclusive and participatory grant-making practices. There is a need to do away with deep-rooted beliefs that donors inherently ‘know best’. Such beliefs frequently led to grant-makers/ donors overlooking local communities’ and beneficiaries’ voices and perspectives.
3. Incorporating diverse perspectives and a gender lens to challenge inherent patriarchal beliefs. The participants focussed on the barriers to gender justice and the role of philanthropy in enabling holistic economic empowerment and participation of women and girls. They highlighted patriarchal social and cultural beliefs that persist and hinder gender justice and empowerment and underlined the importance of addressing systemic issues and investing in initiatives that target gender disparities at their roots.
4. Collaborating with governments while complementing and amplifying the reach and outcome of welfare policies. An example of this, as shared by a group of participants, is issues related to adequate elderly care and support systems within Africa and the need for policy frameworks to enhance elderly care beyond the basic pensions provided by local governments in southern Africa.
There is visible progress in philanthropy’s evolution towards inclusivity, with a notable shift towards addressing the root causes of social issues in underserved communities and focusing on long-term empowerment. However, the sector needs more support with more focused efforts. Enhancing collaboration and fundamentally changing mindsets and approaches are crucial for a holistic strategy in inclusive development. Engaging in open dialogues and reflective practices is vital for recognising and overcoming systemic challenges. This process encourages a deeper understanding of issues, fostering effective solutions. We urge all philanthropic participants to contribute their insights and join the movement towards more inclusive philanthropy, driving meaningful change.
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1. CPID’s working paper titled ‘Unleashing the Power of Philanthropy for Inclusive Development’ encapsulates the center’s insights into the landscape of philanthropy, covering the complex interplay between various key stakeholders, motivators, barriers and gaps in the ecosystem. This research is drawn from interviews conducted with stakeholders and comprehensive secondary research over the past two years.
2. See more in Principle 9 of the PTI
3. See more in Principle 2 of the PTI
4. See more in Principle 3 of the PTI
5. See more in Principle 6 of the PTI
6. One of the metaphoric approaches in the discipline of Systems Thinking to understand the interaction between parts of a complex system is the ‘Iceberg Model’. The model states that whatever we see happening around ourselves are ‘events’ that only form the tip of the iceberg. One level deeper helps us explore the ‘patterns’ over time.
Urvi brings 17+ years of diverse experience to her current role. Urvi was an Economist at Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory company. After that, she was a consultant with RTI, USA. Urvi has been invited often to speak at the Global Economic Symposium. Urvi has a Bachelors in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi and a Masters in Economics from the University of Warwick, UK.
Aanchal is a media and communications professional with over 15 years of experience. She has worked as a journalist with publications such as The Indian Express, Open Magazine and The Economic Times. She has written on issues related to policy matters and politics, mainly focusing on women in marginalised communities. She has a Bachelor’s in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, and Master’s in Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
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