Building foundations for collaborative transformation: a philanthropy sector needs analysis

Abstract

The world faces multiple interconnected crises: an urgent need for equitable green, digital and social transitions; rising radicalisation and conflict; growing threats to democratic freedoms; and shrinking civic space – all while experiencing unprecedented cuts to international development aid. The current system clearly lacks resilience and capacity to address these challenges. Yet within these crises lies an opportunity to fundamentally reimagine our approach to development.Tackling today's societal challenges requires raising our level of ambition to deliver far more transformational impact: tackling root causes, innovating new models and shifting systems to leave behind a long-term sustainable legacy that delivers for people and planet.This is only possible by aligning and combining the powerful levers from public, private, people and, more and more, investors. Philanthropy has a vital role to play in making such collaborations happen, offering far more than funding. With its unique flexibility, convening power, and appetite for risk, philanthropy can drive transformational change by enabling bold, cross-sector collaboration. It must now move beyond traditional grant-making to unlock the collective resources of all sectors to address systemic issues at their root.However, despite a growing recognition of the power of partnerships, turning intention into action remains difficult. The Partnering Initiative, WINGS and Philea have come together to conduct a needs assessment to understand how the foundation sector itself must change in order to make the necessary shift.This needs assessment, developed through extensive research with over 50 foundations, provides valuable insights into current partnering practices, challenges faced, and future aspirations. By identifying key barriers and sharing good practices, it equips foundations with knowledge of the internal changes needed to maximise impact through partnerships