Posted on 11th February 2010
There could be a more co-ordinated approach to philanthropic research and teaching across Europe, according to philanthropy consultant David Carrington, author of a recent report entitled The Application of Learning and Research to the Practice of Philanthropy. (Report available to download at the end of this article).
The report outlines the current state of philanthropy research and teaching within Europe, and suggests a stronger and more effective framework could be built to “close the gap” between learning and application of the practice of philanthropy.
The research was commissioned as part of a joint initiative between practitioners and academics following an exploratory meeting at the Annual Conference of the European Foundation Centre (EFC) in Rome in May 2009, with support from the Adessium Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies and the Pears Foundation. It involved interviews with more than 40 academics, foundation leaders, philanthropy consultants and advisers, and subsequently some 120 different organisations concerned with the study and teaching of philanthropy around the world.
The study looked at the variety of research into philanthropy and social investment, the perceived gaps in the knowledge base, and how such knowledge and learning could be more effectively and sustainably generated and disseminated. It also looked at who is setting the agenda for this research and how it is funded.
The audit identified 115 university-based centres in Europe that provide some form of research/teaching that could be relevant to the philanthropic sector. It also found a growing number of centres of research that are committed to the exploration of applied research into philanthropy.
However, the report found that many researchers do not share their knowledge and findings in ways that enable them easily and constructively to apply the learning to their day-to-day work.
From his findings, Carrington suggests an “ecosystem” or framework for philanthropic research and teaching, and suggests what might be achievable by 2015. This ‘map of what might be’, includes the rapid development of both research and teaching capacities within European universities; academic input into peer-to-peer capacity building for donors and practitioners; a flourishing of independent research and consultancy agencies and ‘think tanks’ with a specialist focus on philanthropic activity and resource utilisation; and the mainstreaming of research within charitable trusts and foundations, such that it is ‘routine’ for foundations to recruit research-minded practitioners, use research findings at board away-days and second staff to study within university centres.
Carrington emphasised to Philanthropy UK the relevance and importance of the findings. "A range of interventions would be timely – without being prescriptive or rigid – to explore how the currently often embryonic ‘bridges’ between practice and research and teaching can be strengthened and made more resilient and mutually reinforcing. Success in such efforts to apply learning could be of significant benefit to the future practice of philanthropy throughout Europe.”
Download report here.
