Family Foundation Giving Trends Report 2011

The fourth Family Foundation Giving Trends report is published in a climate of continued economic uncertainty and against the backdrop of a shrinking budget for the state’s provision of vital social services. Inevitably, this places greater pressure on philanthropy to fill the funding gap and to increase its effectiveness and social impact. The UK has, of course, a long philanthropic tradition, from pioneers like Sir Henry Wellcome to contemporary benefactors such as J K Rowling. As a proportion of the country’s GDP, the UK’s philanthropists score well, outstripping the United States in the family giving league, though not in giving overall. While we should feel proud of this level of engagement, we should also champion the increasingly sophisticated work being done to develop more effective strategies in charitable giving today. As president of the Cranfield Trust, I am hugely impressed by its established programme of providing volunteers who have MBA degrees or other postgraduate professional qualifications, working with a growing number of leading international business schools to improve the systems and processes with which charities operate. Every charitable cause is noble, of course, and every donation deserved. From my own experience, however, a focused and structured approach to giving can go so much further. With that in mind, we set up the Doughty Family Foundation to provide clear focus around a core set of charitable themes that resonate at a personal level with members of our family. The foundation allows us to monitor and measure the impact of our philanthropic efforts more effectively. It also helps us to take a longer-term perspective and build up a deeper understanding of the areas and issues in which we engage. I have worked in the private equity industry for over 25 years and am all too aware of the inexorable rise of shareholder value during that time. The drive towards greater efficiency within organisations and the pursuit of improved productivity has certainly created lots of shareholder value; undeniably, however, it has also widened the divisions between the haves and have-nots. Philanthropy is one important area that can help to address these imbalances. When it is done effectively, it is far more than just redistributing capital. It can forge the development of sustainable social enterprises, foster entrepreneurial skills and establish centres of research that result in new and better forms of social investment. This annual report is a valuable and practical tool. The data it captures not only improves our understanding of the state of philanthropy in the UK but also provides a focal point for thought leaders in philanthropy to come together, share best practice and increase their impac

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2012

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2012 is the fifth in a series of reports that annually updates the giving of the largest 100 family foundations in the UK, tracking trends and comparing them with their US counterparts. Giving through family foundations represents around 8% of all private giving in the UK.This year's report is a special edition aimed at providing a more rounded picture of family foundation philanthropy. The regular updating of the annual league tables of giving is complemented by new research on the causes supported, the influences on decision-making in an uncertain environment, and family foundations' outlook for the future.The research was carried out through extracting financial data from annual reports and websites on annual spending and the distribution of grants by cause, and an online survey of decision-making amongst the largest family foundations (40 responses, 45% response rate).For this research, UK and US family foundations are defined as independent registered charitable trusts funded originally by family wealth, whether or not the founding family is still represented on the governing board.Key financial results 2010/11The total giving of the largest 100 UK family foundations was £1.33 billion in 2010/11.The results presented a mixed picture of growth: while there was an overall real fall of 1.8% in giving, there was a substantial 6.2% real rise if the results of the giant Wellcome Trust are excluded from the group.The rise in giving bucked the trend for the value of family foundations' assets: these were worth £29.7 billion in 2010/11, representing a real annual fall of 3.5%.Although there were some signs of growth this year, the giving of the largest family foundations has not yet returned to pre-recession levels.Asset value in 2010/11 was still a real 14% lower than in 2006/07

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2011

"Family Foundation Giving Trends 2011" is the fourth in a series of reports updating and tracking annual trends in the giving of the largest 100 UK family foundations, and comparing them with the US. With the pressures of the current economic environment generating ever-growing interest in how to increase the contribution of philanthropy to society, this year's edition focuses particularly on illustrating the hugely diverse and individual ways in which today's philanthropists become involved in giving. This year's report features eight case studies that explore the routes through which individuals and their families become philanthropists, creating foundations to address social issues in the UK and abroad. The aim behind presenting these examples is to encourage others to think about the individual steps they could take towards greater involvement in philanthropy

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2010

"Family Foundation Giving Trends 2010" is the third in a series of annual reports tracking trends in the giving of the largest 100 UK family foundations, comparing them with the US. Amidst increasing interest in the role of philanthropy in building a better society as public expenditure reduces, this report highlights major family giving through foundations. Many new family foundations have been established over the last couple of decades, largely funded by the successful entrepreneurs of an era of expanding global markets and capital flows. This report looks at the scope of family foundations' activities, and the role that they play in addressing social issues in the UK and abroad today

Philanthropy Education in the UK and Continental Europe: Current Provision, Perceptions and Opportunities

This research aims to capture the current state of teaching about philanthropy at European universities. It sets out to identify the countries, institutions and disciplines in which philanthropy education currently takes place, and the levels at which the subject is taught. In addition to mapping and surveying the teaching terrain, the research seeks to capture the perspectives of informed stakeholders, and to discuss some implications for the development of philanthropy education in Europe. The paper addresses the following questions: What is the scale and scope of teaching about philanthropy at European universities today?What are some of the perceptions of the rationale for philanthropy education and the barriers and opportunities for its growth and development?What are some of the implications of the data for a) the future development of philanthropy education in Europe b) further research in this are

Family Foundation Giving Trends 2011

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