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Articles/Reports
Philanthropy's New Agenda - Creating Value
Michael Porter and Mark Kramer
Porter and Kramer's initial article suggests a new and more strategic approach to philanthropy.
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Advancing Philanthropy in Switzerland
Marc Pfitzer, Valerie Bockstette, Mike Stamp
Switzerland has a long and rich tradition of philanthropy, dating back nearly 700 years. Recently, philanthropic activity in Switzerland has grown considerably in scope and significance. Encouraged by this momentum and by the widespread feeling that Swiss philanthropy has not yet achieved its full potential, the initiative for promoting philanthropy in Switzerland seeks to identify and define best practice approaches for a high impact philanthropic sector in this country. The final report, available in English, French, and German, recommends a program of initiatives and specific projects to attain the two key priorities highlighted within the report: "Catalyzing cooperation" and "Putting philanthropy on the map."
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Promoting Philanthropy in Luxembourg
Marc Pfitzer, Mike Stamp
In April 2008, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker,
addressed a full auditorium at the country’s first national convention on
philanthropy. In a keynote speech, he declared, “it is time for Luxembourg
to develop a real philanthropic policy.” He went on to announce a package
of reforms, including a sweeping legal and fiscal review and support for the
launch of a new foundation, that together represent one of the most important
developments to affect philanthropy in the Grand Duchy in 80 years.
The convention was the public launch of a major national effort on
philanthropy. Banque de Luxembourg had identified a need to act while working with
WISE to develop a philanthropy advisory service. The bank engaged
FSG to conduct a detailed analysis of the current
situation. This brief
offers an example of how the financial sector — in this case represented by a
leading private bank — can help improve the environment for philanthropy
in a way that benefits itself and society as a whole.
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Strategic Confusion
Mark Kramer
An early article by Mark Kramer that makes the argument for strategy.
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Why Engage the Public Sector and How?
Maximilian Martin, Global Head, UBS Philanthropy Services, and Greg Hills
This article explores different ways in which foundations can interact with governments in order to achieve social impact.
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Mapping Grantee Clusters
Mark Kramer
How mapping grantees into clusters can boost impact.
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Mark Kramer and John Kania
This 2002 article argues that particularly in an environment of pressured investment returns, donors should maximize their impact, by focusing their giving on the areas of their highest social return.
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Mark Kramer
This 1999 article argues that donors should not reflexively reject providing operating support to grantees.
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Michael Porter
Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School offers perspectives on strategy.
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Mark Kramer
The leverage or value added of a foundation’s matching grant is often illusory.
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Mark Kramer
The fact that nonprofits can achieve scale in more ways than businesses highlights a shortcoming of the venture capital model in philanthropy.
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Mark Kramer
Profit-making corporations have it easy: they know exactly who their customers are. For nonprofit organizations, things are considerably more confusing.
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Mark Kramer
In this column from the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Mark Kramer argues that calculated risks are critical to effective philanthropy.
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Mark Kramer
Foundations can help nonprofits make the leap from inadequacy to excellence, yet too often grantmaking approaches stunt the growth of promising grantees.
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Owen Stearns
How MELMAC, a student loan conversion foundation in Maine, set its course.
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Mark Kramer
This 1998 article from The American Benefactor suggests that donors would benefit from breaking their giving into three motivational categories.
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Mindy Oakley and Owen Stearns
How a small family foundation made a meaningful impact on the national problem of homelessness.
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