Photo by Bibbi Abruzzini of Forus International
By Javier García Moritán, Executive Director, GDFE – Grupo de Fundaciones y Empresas
What I learned from FfD4 and why philanthropy must have a seat at the table
It’s striking how a concept as inherently positive as philanthropy can have such different institutional and cultural interpretations. At its etymological root, philanthropy means ‘love of humanity’. Sameera Mehra, Director of Collective Intelligence at WINGS, also explains it as private resources – both financial and non-financial – for public good.
In countries like Argentina, Brazil, or Colombia, we more often refer to it as ‘private social investment’, since the word ‘philanthropy’ has become associated with charitable or assistance-based practices that seem out of step with today’s sustainable development standards. However, this association no longer reflects the full picture: in recent years, individuals, families, foundations, and corporations have increasingly engaged in strategic philanthropy, mobilising essential resources and capabilities for public causes. It’s estimated that this ecosystem channels over USD 885 billion annually, much of it from small donors, with about USD 42 billion coming from foundations aligned with the SDGs.
These figures represent just a small fraction of the global economy and fall far short of closing the USD 4 trillion development financing gap. But 100% of these funds are directed toward the common good, which gives them a distinctive role – unlike many other financial flows often linked to widening inequality and the concentration of wealth and power.
Given this landscape, it’s understandable that the international community (particularly multilateral organisations such as the United Nations and its development agencies) is focused on mobilising private capital to achieve the SDGs. But are we underestimating the role of philanthropy? Isn’t it time to recognise it as a strategic, not secondary, ally in the global financial architecture – particularly because of its unique capacity to innovate, take risks, and convene sectors that rarely work together?
Philanthropy at FfD4
From June 30 to July 3, I participated in the 4th United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville as part of the WINGS delegation. Alongside WINGS’ Executive Director Benjamin Bellegy and Collective Intelligence and Advocacy Director Sameera Mehra, our group included members and partners from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the US, and beyond.
WINGS is the only global organisation dedicated to strengthening the philanthropy ecosystem worldwide – connecting, supporting, and advocating for over 230 member organisations across 60+ countries. With more than 150 official delegations, 60 heads of state, and 10,000 participants from government, business, academia, and civil society, FfD4 was a pivotal opportunity to elevate the role of philanthropy in reshaping the international financial architecture.
Our delegation had a clear objective: to spotlight the importance of including philanthropy and other catalytic capital providers as key actors in this transformation – not as a substitute for public funding, but as a complementary force capable of de-risking investment, convening diverse players, and catalysing mission-driven capital.
Across more than 400 events, we promoted a fundamental idea: philanthropy can accelerate financing precisely because it is not tied to profitability thresholds or political cycles. Moreover, it has a unique ability to bring together public, private, and civil society sectors around shared causes.
That said, for this contribution to scale, we need better incentives, ones that encourage foundations, corporations, and major donors to step in where development challenges are most urgent.
The Seville Commitment
Despite these efforts, philanthropy received just a single mention in the final Seville declaration: a call for multilateral development banks to “establish catalytic capital pools seeded by development banks, development finance institutions, foundations, and philanthropies.”
A previous draft that explicitly referenced ‘philanthropy and foundations’ as part of the needed multistakeholder collaboration toward the SDGs was removed. A symbolic omission – but a meaningful one, as philanthropic capital remains undervalued despite its unique ability to fund innovation, take risks, and bridge sectors. Its absence from the development table risks reinforcing its marginal role in global financing debates at a time when more inclusive and diversified funding mechanisms are urgently needed.
Global citizens now: A different signal
A more hopeful call to action emerged at a parallel event organised by Global Citizens in Seville. Hugh Evans, the organisation’s founder, emphasised the urgency of moving from diagnosis to concrete action to support the reform of the international financial system.
Speakers included high-level figures such as Ban Ki-moon (UN), Alfonso García Mora (IFC – International Finance Corporation), Jorge Rubio Nava (Citibank), Faheen Alibhoy (JP Morgan), and Mark Suzman (Gates Foundation). All agreed that private social investment and philanthropy have a vital – yet still undervalued – role in this new context.
Suzman was especially clear: “Philanthropy is not here to be a gap filler, but to catalyse change.” He stressed its ability to take risks, fund innovation, and improve impact models –benefits that come from the flexibility most other institutions lack. And he speaks with the authority of someone overseeing the implementation of Bill Gates’ decision to donate his USD 200 billion fortune over the next 20 years.
Conclusion
Philanthropy – like many expressions of civil society – has lost visibility in major international frameworks. But when organised in networks and aligned around a shared purpose, its potential for impact remains immense.
Participating in FfD4 as part of WINGS’ global delegation was a deeply enriching experience. We brought our message to every forum, demonstrated what philanthropy could contribute, and added a complementary voice to a debate that will shape the future of global development.
Together with leaders like Infanta Cristina of the La Caixa Foundation, and representatives from the European Commission, United Nations Development Programme, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), SpainNAB (Spain’s National Advisory Board for Impact Investment), and the governments of Indonesia and Colombia, we co-hosted a side event to highlight philanthropy’s catalytic role in forging multistakeholder partnerships.
The WINGS delegation – led with clarity and conviction by Sameera Mehra and Alice Albright, Senior Advisor at WINGS – made clear that philanthropy’s role is neither ancillary nor just a gap-filler. It is a lever for systemic change.
Delegates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States delivered a unified message: we need philanthropy that is committed to collective action, aligned with the core principles of human development (such as access to quality education, healthcare, equity, and inclusive economic opportunity), and moving beyond fragmented, isolated efforts.
In the end, the effectiveness of our collective action will determine whether philanthropy remains marginal or takes its rightful place as a strategic actor in a more just and inclusive global future.
Javier García Moritán is the Executive Director at GDFE – Grupo de Fundaciones y Empresas.
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