Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS)

There's a lot of chatter about 23andMe around at the moment, as the company files for bankruptcy. DNA testing, and the ways in which the data is stored, interpreted, and used, bring up many crucial social and political concerns which can be confusing (and which the companies involved, really try to hide). A few years ago, thanks to a fellowship at the now-sunset Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS) –?I delved into these topics to produce this little zine. So if you learn to know more about DNA testing in an accessible way,?here you go! https://lnkd.in/eJ3Pxxxx

Introducing ‘Beyond the Syllabus’ – a podcast series where professors go beyond the classroom to share their journeys, insights, and advice for policy students. ??? In this episode, Juan David G. sits down with Johanna Mair, Professor at the Hertie School and Co-Director of the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford University. They discuss democracy and political innovation in a year of historic elections, as well as the influence of global institutions like the World Economic Forum. Johanna also shares her advice for students eager to make a difference in social entrepreneurship, offering insights for those looking to drive meaningful change. Tune in now! ??? https://lnkd.in/eSJns-DA #BeyondTheSyllabus #PolicyInnovation #SocialImpact

Join us and the Cyber Policy Center on Thursday, April 10 for the final talk in this year’s Technology, Culture, and Power Speaker Series, featuring Dr. Niall Docherty of The University of Sheffield. In a preview of his forthcoming book "Healthy Users" (UC Press), Docherty will discuss the governance of well-being on social media, exploring how discourses, designs, and habits of online well-being push user conduct in certain directions, at the expense of others. Learn more and RSVP to join us at Stanford University: https://bit.ly/4bKMdqJ

"Credit cooperatives have been extremely vibrant and dynamic components of Indian civil society...In conducting an honest analysis of these cooperatives within the broader political economy, I hope to emphasize their importance while also not undermining the real problems with the way they operate." Stanford PACS PhD Fellow Shantanu Nevrekar spoke to us about his research on credit cooperatives and the intersection of caste and the economy in India, his fieldwork experiences, and the broader implications of his work for civil society and economic structures. Read our #ScholarSpotlight interview: https://lnkd.in/gkAk_7Hn

Final days to apply! Earn your Stanford PACS Certificate of Effective Philanthropy when you complete our Education for Philanthropy Professionals program, offering in-depth learning and networking opportunities through in-person and virtual sessions. Featured topics include multi-capital approaches to impact with Falko Paetzold; global giving and addressing disasters with Sheena Agarwal; and how to measure and manage impact with Eric Weingartner. Presented by fellow leaders in the field, additional themes include: family philanthropy; philanthropy and democracy; foundation leadership and governance; philanthropy’s role in influencing public policy; trust-based philanthropy; the power of collective giving; AI and philanthropy; and more. Just two spots remaining—learn more and apply by this Saturday, March 15! https://lnkd.in/g8fNBZMz

We’re thrilled that Vicki Maler, Program Associate for Training and Community Engagement, will be delivering a fireside talk in conversation with advisory board member Karine Sarkissian on Leveraging Multicapital Strategies for Transformative Impact at the Global Philanthropy Forum this Friday, March 14th in San Francisco! This session will explore how individuals can align social, cultural, symbolic, and economic capital to drive meaningful change while mitigating the risks of misalignment. Developed in partnership with the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, this multicapital framework provides practical tools to maximize synergies and ensure impact strategies stay mission-aligned. CSP will also be leading a Multicapital for Impact roundtable at lunch, hosted in collaboration with Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). If you’re attending the summit, we’d love to connect! See you there.

What a great cohort for the Effective Philanthropy workshop hosted earlier this week! Thank you at all our participants! This was the 14th workshop collaboration between AiP (International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy) and Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS) Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative. And a very special thanks to our presenters! Bleu Blakslee Marty Dutch, CAP? Andi Kang, CFP ?, CAP?, BFA? Vera Michalchik Ruth Selby Jay Weisman Next workshop in June 3-4, 2025!

The Business Families Institute at SMU and the?Lien Centre for Social Innovation?co-hosted an engaging workshop on “The Challenge of Risk-Taking in Social Innovation”. Prof.?Johanna Mair, Professor of Organisation, Strategy, and Leadership at the Hertie School of Governance, and Dr.?Christian Seelos, Co-Director of the Global Innovation for Impact Lab at Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS), co-led the workshop. ? As philanthropy evolves, organisations will be increasingly challenged. Hence, modern philanthropy must focus on enhancing innovation processes and deploying results effectively to achieve transformational impact through responsible risk taking. This shift challenges traditional thinking, highlighting the vital importance of creating a healthier social context that prevents issues from arising in the first place. ? The insights shared by our distinguished speakers ignited discussions about the key tensions in social innovation: ???Success vs. Failure – Understanding the strategic role of risk in innovation ???Innovation vs. Scaling – Balancing bold solutions with scalable impact ???Bold Solutions vs. Perpetuating Inequalities – Ensuring innovation works to reduce, not perpetuate, structural challenges ? The workshop also explored managerial frameworks?for effective innovation and risk-taking, covering: ??Building innovation processes – Balancing experimentation with scalability for sustainable change ??Addressing societal problems – Designing solutions that tackle root?causes and prevent inequities ??Creating effective organisations – Diagnosing and neutralising innovation pathologies Participants participated in group discussions, exploring these tensions from the viewpoints of policymakers, philanthropists, and changemakers. Collectively, they developed actionable strategies for managing innovation more strategically, responsibly, and effectively. We look forward to continuing this critical conversation and driving a significant impact on social innovation! Singapore Management University | SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business | Dr. Weiyang Cheong | Prof. Tang Hang Wu | Prof. Kenneth Benoit?| Assoc.?Prof. Kenneth Goh, Ph.D | Mr. Steve Loh #SocialInnovation #RiskTaking #RiskAndInnovation?

Final days to apply! Are you a PhD student, postdoctoral fellow, or junior faculty member conducting research in the areas of civil society, philanthropy, or social innovation? Apply by this Friday, February 28, to present your work and connect with peers and leading scholars at our 2025 Junior Scholars Forum, hosted at ESSEC Business School, Paris Cergy Campus, June 19-20, 2025. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g-E4sRhm