In an effort to scale up effective philanthropy to new levels of impact, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is embarking on a campaign that will arm emerging donors with the knowledge and tools to make thoughtful giving plans.

The programme is being made possible by a $3.7m (£2.4m) grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative is meant to serve donors and potential donors around the world, with particular focus on Europe and Asia.
 
“Interest in highly effective philanthropy has never been higher, but many would-be donors struggle to find the ‘on ramp’ for serious giving programmes,” says Melissa A. Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

“This generous grant from the Gates Foundation will enable us to help donors develop their own roadmaps for effective giving. We believe the result will be a new culture of great giving – a virtuous cycle in which resources and knowledge support engaged giving and social impact, in turn inspiring even more major wealth holders to embark on effective giving programmes.”

The new initiative will span three years and includes development of more than two dozen guides that will constitute a core ‘curriculum’ of the key issues donors face as they consider a serious philanthropic programme, such as:

• giving motivations and interest areas;
• approaches and strategies;
• appropriate vehicles;
• family roles and personal involvement;
• efficient operations; and
• assessment of impact.

The donor guides will include real-life case studies and examples for context and inspiration and will be designed for both donors and their advisors, and for those who work on their own or with advisors. Berman says they’ll be piloting and testing many forms of communication, such as online and mobile channels.

As with all resources developed over the course of the programme, the guides will be available for download free of charge through a new ‘donor resources’ section of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ website. The site will also be home to profiles of donors, philanthropic families and successful programmes, and an array of supporting documents, resources and relevant links.

In our next quarterly Promoting Philanthropy, publishing next week, we explore other new initiatives and tools being created to support more effective giving and talk to marketers and expert practitioners on what can be done to grow giving. Subscribe here.