Philanthropists — University philanthropy and giving blog

A Call to Action for Investing in Higher Ed in Africa — and the Researchers, Innovation, and Youth It Supports

We are entering a golden age of philanthropic giving. As public budgets face ever greater strain, philanthropy appears to be stepping into the breach. Harvard Kennedy School’s Global Philanthropy Report published in 2018 describes the number of philanthropic institutions as having “sky-rocketed” since 2000, with the lion’s share of these institutions marking their establishment in the last 25 years. You might think an African university should be well placed to leverage this philanthropic bonanza. However, there are a number of issues that make accessing that international philanthropy challenging.

Andrew WigleyJune 6, 2021Universities, Higher education, High Net Worth wealth, Philanthropists, philanthropic patterns of giving, Africa, Harvard, Wits, University of Cape Town, HERANA, ARUA, Science, Research, Afrilabs, institutional advancement

Is the Silicon Valley Community Foundation the world's most influential foundation?

Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) is the United States’ biggest community foundation – by far. Established in 2007, it is also one of the youngest community foundations and that, perhaps, is equally as important in the context of our latest research as its financial firepower. SVCF disburses huge sums of money and its importance is down to the fact it represents a wide group of philanthropists – often internationally by background or instinct – who have chosen to channel their philanthropy through the Foundation.

Andrew WigleyApril 6, 2021Silicon Valley, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Mark Zuckerberg, Sergey Brin, Jack Dorsey, Technology, Next generation, Philanthropy, Philanthropists, California, Santa Clara University, university