Asian Philanthropy Forum

Database of diaspora philanthropy for Asia

- by Dien S Yuen

Asian Philanthropy Forum started after a successful APPC conference in Hanoi in May 2008. In my first post, Continuing the conversation: APPC & beyond, I spoke about the need to take on Giving 2.0, that is, of using technology to transform philanthropy in our communities in Asia:

The circulation of ideas, knowledge and stories among donors and grantees must be increased, harnessed and shared with others. This virtuous circle of ideas, impact, lessons, and perspectives is how our community learns from itself and strengthens itself – ultimately empowering itself to influence the world, as we want it to be.

I was pleased then to see the announcement from APPC that it has made four grants to support various organizations in Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and the Philippines. The four projects include different ways of organizing and collecting information to capture giving from the diaspora.  In addition to using this information for research purposes, I hope the "databases" will eventually lead to more transparency and accountability in the sector.  From a donor-advisor perspective though, I hope the databases are available and disseminated in such a way that it is easily accessible and utilized by donors and advisors to donors.  Perhaps, this is the beginning of a diaspora database version of Guidestar for each country?

New Zealand has new tool to link charities with donors

In this time of exploding interest in philanthropy throughout the world, many new platforms are being developed to help donors maximize their social wealth.  One such platform was recently created by wealth management firm, Guardian Trust.  Last month, it launched a new initative to link philanthropists with charities.  The new Centre for Philanthropy will allow clients to identify charities and programs that are aligned with their charitable goals.  Charities are invited to sign up and explain their strategies, programs and financial situations in detail.  Clients are then provided access to this 'knowledge database'.  Perhaps this is a version of the Guidestar in the US but for client-access only?

According to the article, Guardian Trusts manages more than 450 charitable trusts and disburses $26 million each year.  They made grants to 530 charities over the past three years. 

In New Zealand, $1.4 billion a year is donated to charity, according to a BERL study.  Further reading on the firm's philanthropy research found that trusts play an important role in philanthropy in New Zealand.

Whereas the majority of philanthropy (some 83 per cent) in the US is undertaken by private philanthropists (compared with 35 per cent in New Zealand), trusts – whether family or individual trusts, community trusts or other independent voluntary and statutory organisations - make up 58 per cent of philanthropic giving in New Zealand compared to only 12 per cent in the US. Private philanthropists in New Zealand are often in a position to begin a charitable trust that will provide for the particular cause and beneficiaries they wish to support long into the future.

Photo courtesy of Seema Khan