May 28, 2009

A Clue to the Puzzle of Persistent Poverty

Two studies published this month offer some hope of understanding why the cycle of poverty is so hard to break and what philanthropists can do about it. The lack of certainty about root causes should encourage a focus on philanthropy interventions that help children with impaired working memories—and to fund research that can help understand the exact interrelation between allostatic load and poverty.

May 24, 2009

J-PAL Publishes Long Awaited Microfinance Impact Study

Some readers may think the report is fairly damning to the marketing claims of the impact of microfinance—more studies like this in other areas and over longer periods are necessary before we can reject the traditional views though. Ultimately, though, this study is very good news for microfinance because it begins to illuminate what is really happening among borrowers. That information, in turn, can be used to improve the product to make sure that the best products are offered to clients—and the impact of microfinance can improve.

May 20, 2009

An Overreliance on Education

A lot of social and charitable programs—from comprehensive sex education, to vocational training for micro-entrepreneurs—derive from the idea that education helps people do the things and make the decisions that will allow them to ultimately get a better job or earn more money or receive better services or otherwise avail themselves of a lot of things that will make their lives better.

May 06, 2009

Thoughts from Day Two of Council on Foundations

Day Two of the Council on Foundations annual conference featured two great sessions that we’ll turn into articles soon. In each case, the presenters had useful, substantive and thought-provoking things to say. Of course, there were a couple of not-so-great sessions as well.

May 05, 2009

Thoughts from Day One of Council on Foundations

Some thoughts from the first day of the Council on Foundations Conference

May 05, 2009

Philanthropy Action on Twitter

May 04, 2009

2009 Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances Published Amid Steep Drops in Remittance Flows

How can policy and development encourage the use of remittance funds for positive development ends? Tim Ogden and Laura Starita, the editors of Philanthropy Action, together with Heidi Metcalf, the deputy director of the Hudson Institute, tackled that question in Hudson’s 2009 Index of Global Philanthropy and Remittances.