Blog
Posted on September 29, 2014
By Kristen Holway, Senior Manager of Ethnography and Learning, Philanthropy Northwest
Small foundations and family funds are increasingly providing essential investments to small organizations based in developing countries. These funders tend to be nimble, tolerate risk and understand the need for both seed funding and general operating grants. However, it can be challenging to evaluate small, international investments. Evaluations are sometimes more costly than the value of the grant. Small organizations may be resource constrained and not have the capacity to conduct a robust analysis. Data can be unreliable or unavailable. And differences in race, ethnicity, power and culture can thwart meaningful relationship development and trust.
So, how can a small foundation engaged in international philanthropy right-size their evaluation expectations and practices?
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Posted on September 22, 2014
By Nicole Neroulias Gupte
More than 600 million adolescent girls around the world are struggling to survive child marriage, pregnancy, poverty and disease. We can help them by using research to find the right tipping points and partnerships, according to Sarah Degnan Kambou, president of the International Center of Research on Women.
Kambou discussed the ICRW’s work at a Sept. 16 lunch meeting at Seattle’s World Trade Center, including representatives from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, PATH and Landesa.
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Posted on September 15, 2014
By Liv Froehlich
The first ever U.S. – Africa Leaders Summit was held in Washington, D.C. August 4-6. Themed “Investing in the Next Generation,” representatives from 49 African countries participated in the event hosted by President Barack Obama. The Summit aimed to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Africa by focusing on trade and investment in the region, as well as highlighting America’s support of Africans and the security and development of the continent.
Aze Malawo, a Seattle-based international development consultant who attended the Summit, led Global Washington’s September Executive Director Roundtable where she recapped the event and spoke about the road ahead.Malawo, originally from Zambia, focuses her work on socio-economic development and provides advisory services to numerous organizations, including the African Union Mission. Malawo was joined at the roundtable by a number of Global Washington members whose work is focused in Africa.
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