A New Era of Collaboration in Philanthropy

I often get surprised looks when I talk about how hard it is to “give away” money to good causes. What I really mean is that even though the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest in the world and is staffed by hundreds of experts in their fields, figuring out how to invest the foundation’s annual endowment effectively and partner optimally with others can be challenging.

So it’s encouraging to see a growing number of ways that philanthropists – and everyday givers, which is most of us – are joining forces to tackle society’s most difficult challenges, leveraging whatever amount of money and expertise they can or want to give to the causes they’re most passionate about.

At our foundation, we‘ve decided that we can have the greatest impact by relying on our grantee partners to be on the front lines of change, using their technical expertise to deliver life-changing interventions; whether that’s life-saving vaccines, better nutrition, access to a quality education, or family planning services. We work with government partners to marshal support for innovative programs and to increase the reach of those that prove to be most successful. We work with private-sector partners to accelerate the development of new medicines so the most vulnerable people in the world are getting the best available treatment.

But increasingly, philanthropic partnerships are figuring more prominently in our work. While this model isn’t entirely new, it’s an attractive way for philanthropists and philanthropic organizations to join forces, to align diverse perspectives, and to share knowledge and best practices to maximize impact.

In the last decade, one of the most effective examples of collaborative philanthropy – and one that has engaged some of the world’s wealthiest individuals – has been the Giving Pledge. Since 2010, 187 people from 22 countries have joined Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates in making a public commitment to give away the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. By providing an avenue for philanthropists to come together and share knowledge, the Giving Pledge serves as both an inspiration and a resource for donors looking to drive social change.

In addition to knowledge-sharing initiatives like the Giving Pledge, philanthropists are aligning their financial resources behind specific strategic goals and taking advantage of co-funding opportunities. In doing so, they’re able to provide implementing organizations with the critical funding they need to contemplate more ambitious projects with the potential for greater impact. In short, it’s a way to give back that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

The Gates Foundation has forged partnerships with philanthropists around the world. For instance, we are working with Aliko Dangote to eradicate polio in Nigeria – one of three countries in the world where it has not yet been eliminated. We are partnering with Dato' Sri Prof. Dr. Tahir to fight infectious diseases in Indonesia. We’re working with Rohini and Nandan Nilekani to improve sanitation and increase access to financial services for the poor in India.

And in the U.S., we are allied with seven other philanthropies as part of the Curriculum Funders Collaborative to develop high-quality curriculum materials and ensure that the materials are being used effectively.

Our work has benefitted enormously from these partnerships, so I’m excited to see an increasing number of collaborative efforts available to people who want to make a large-scale impact. Today, more donors than ever before can contribute to a philanthropic partnership where their money is pooled with others’ and distributed among a carefully-vetted network of organizations with the skills and expertise to get things done. Think of it as investing in a mutual fund rather than a single stock. Like mutual funds, philanthropic partnerships provide donors with diversification, economies of scale, and a team of experienced professionals to manage their investments.

Donors who want to put their money toward specific issues can contribute to partnerships like Climate Works, which is a global advisor and grant maker for climate philanthropy, or the END Fund, which aims to stop neglected tropical diseases from damaging the lives of over one billion people in the developing world. For donors who want to focus on larger-scale efforts to end poverty, there’s Blue Meridian Partners, which is scaling solutions to the problems that keep young people and families in poverty across the U.S, and Co-Impact, which is working to improve health, education, and economic systems around the world. Similar opportunities are available at a regional level through organizations like Robin Hood Foundation (New York City) and Venture Philanthropy Partners (focused on the Washington, D.C. region).

We also offer an opportunity for partnered giving with our foundation. By donating to Gates Philanthropy Partners, contributions from high-net-worth individuals and even small-dollar donors are invested in programs in our priority areas: eliminating disease and poverty, improving U.S. education, and empowering women and girls.

And the great thing about philanthropic partnerships is that you don’t have to be super wealthy to get involved. In the last decade, “giving circles” comprised of everyday donors have begun to change the face of community philanthropy in the U.S. Most giving circles make grants locally to support issues their members have in common – like education, human services, and programs for women and girls. Although the size of individual contributions varies by group, taken together, giving circles have raised nearly $1.3 billion since they started about 15 years ago.

In many ways, philanthropy is an investment – one of the most important ones we’ll make. Just as investors assemble a portfolio of investments, donors can create their own giving portfolios – and when they do, I they’ll see what a powerful tool collaboration can be.

Whatever their size, philanthropic partnerships are helping people be more strategic and intentional in their giving. They represent a big opportunity to improve the lives of millions. That’s why we are investing in a number of these alliances and why we are encouraging other philanthropists to join us in exploring what can be accomplished through the power of collaboration.