In this episode we talk to Nell Edgington, President of non-profit consultancy Social Velocity, about her new book “Reinventing Social Change: Embrace Abundance to Create a Healthier and More Equitable World”. We discuss:

• What is the book about, who should read it and what should they do as a result?
• Why does a scarcity mind-set affect so many donors and funders? Is this particular to philanthropy?
• Why is the “overhead myth” so prevalent, and why is it so problematic?
• Are there signs that funders are changing their behaviour during the current crisis? (Moving to unrestricted funding, trust-based grantmaking etc.) Is this likely to lead to longer-term changes?
• What misconceptions are there about what makes for a sustainable non-profit, and why do these misunderstandings persist?
• How many donors are willing to give away power as well as money? (And will the current crisis put even more focus on approaches such as participatory grantmaking?)
• Do we need to redefine what counts as success and failure in philanthropy?
• How should we rate philanthropy’s response to the current crisis?
• What is the core role of philanthropy within society which differentiates it from either state or market provision?
• Why has the idea that non-profits need to be “more business-like” become so widespread? What is wrong with it?
• Should we seek to measure impact better? What challenges might this bring in terms of distorting activity or creating power imbalances?
• How can donors and funders use philanthropy to challenge or transform the very systems in which wealth has been created?

Related Links

• Nell’s book Reinventing Social Change
• Nell’s Social Velocity blog
• Rhod’s WEF article “Philanthropy is at a Turning Point: Here are 6 Ways It Could Go”
• CAF Giving Thought podcast with Phil Buchanan
• CAF Giving Thought podcast with Kris Putnam-Walkerly
• CAF Giving Thought podcast with Louise Pulford, Josiane Smith & Dame Julia Unwin
• CAF Giving Thought blog “Philanthropy and Civil Society after Covid-19: Key questions for the future”