Exploring the challenges and opportunities for data use in philanthropy
The emerging fields of data and artificial intelligence offer many exciting possibilities. Data could help us work at a larger scale than ever before, improve efficiency, and problem solve more effectively. But the potential for controversy means foundations across the world are grappling with their role in these fields.
Philanthropy isn’t engaging quickly enough, and is well behind other sectors. Very few large foundations have the capacity or technical knowledge to either shape innovations or determine which ones to back. When they do get involved they face complex challenges about transparency, ownership and ethics.
How we helped/our approach/what we did
We were commissioned by four foundations to start addressing this gap in knowledge and capacity of foundations: Nesta (UK), Lankelly Chase (UK), The McConnell Foundation (Canada) and the Robert Bosch Foundation (Germany) . The aim of the scan was to inspire foundations by showcasing the ways organisations and sectors around the world are already using data to create positive societal change.
Through six months of desk research, a call through our global network and interviews with pioneering practitioners and foundations, alongside guidance from an informal advisory group, we highlighted the different ways philanthropy is engaging with data and AI, outlined the key challenges of working with data, and presented future opportunities for foundations to take inspiration from.
Insights
Philanthropy can offer the support data for social good needs to reach its potential. Beyond traditional grant making, we identified 6 additional ways philanthropy can support this work:
- Creating enabling environments through capacity building, advocacy,
- Act as a convenor helping to coordinate and align different actors to form new partnerships.
- Supporting new datasets to influence funding decisions, programme design, and policy
- Data philanthropy, including donating data sets and data expertise
- Supporting open data platforms to show who is funding what helps identify gaps and opportunities, track progress, and explore successes to improve grant-making.
- Integrating data into operations to improve effectiveness throughout the grant-making process
Philanthropy can take the long-view and take risks where others cannot, which is what most data projects require at this stage.
If you are interested in this work, please get in touch via info@socialinnovationexchange.org or visit our Funders node page.
