Centre for Strategic Philanthropy
The Centre is a hub for research knowledge to inspire innovative philanthropy that has a positive impact for communities in need.
Overview
The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) within the University of Cambridge Judge Business School is dedicated to enhancing the impact of strategic philanthropy both within and from global growth markets. Through a combination of rigorous research, executive education and the convening of diverse voices, the Centre aims to become the leading hub of actionable knowledge to catalyse greater philanthropic impact from the world’s fastest growing regions.
Our team
The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy works closely with Cambridge Judge Business School and wider University faculty, research fellows, honorary fellows and our partner organisations to develop cutting-edge research, training programmes and practitioner workshops.
Our partners
As the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy has grown it’s allowed for collaborations with counterpart academic institutions in the developing world.
Events
The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy aims to engage diverse voices to discuss strategic philanthropy. Access summaries of the discussions and outcomes of our events portfolio.
News and insights from Centre for Strategic Philanthropy
Read the latest news and insights from Centre for Strategic Philanthropy.
Faculty news
From Cambridge to Pakistan, the world is a classroom
Professor Kamal Munir of Cambridge Judge Business School, granted a state honour by Pakistan for achievements in education, talks about educational ecosystems, philanthropy and equality.
The University of Cambridge Centre for Strategic Philanthropy (CSP) is delighted to launch an in-depth, teachable case study on the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF).
Impact investment is a key complementary funding source in emerging markets like Nigeria, concludes a report by the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at Cambridge Judge Business School, in collaboration with SME.NG and the Impact Investors Foundation.
Our vision
Unleash the huge potential for strategic philanthropists from global growth markets to be leading sources of solutions to societal problems and accelerate positive sustainable change worldwide.
Our mission
To become the leading centre of actionable knowledge to catalyse greater philanthropic impact from the world’s fastest growing regions on global development and humanitarian outcomes.
Our theory of change
Change-makers from global growth markets are vital providers of solutions to societal and environmental problems, supporting in the delivery of global development and resilience. The CSP will help to inform, cultivate and catalyse strategic philanthropy in and from these markets, and strengthen the broader philanthropic ecosystem by inspiring collaboration between international and local impact-oriented initiatives and organisations.
Today, well over a trillion of dollars of private philanthropic capital, more than triple the annual global development and humanitarian aid budgets combined, is deployed every single year. The evidence is also overwhelming that the world’s emerging economies are becoming an increasingly powerful source of philanthropic capital and social innovation. With the impending generational transition taking place around the world, now is the time to start building the cross-border networks that will empower the next generation of strategic philanthropists emerging from these markets, to question our own assumptions, and to facilitate the development of imaginative new solutions to some of the world’s greatest social and environmental challenges
Our research
Unlocking philanthropic capital in developing regions
A new report by the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at the Cambridge Judge Business School brings together findings from more than 40 philanthropists and philanthropic organisations from global growth markets.
Choices for donors: more or less?
Our study on choice in philanthropy and charitable giving. Our investigation is centred on individual donors who are presented with several options when they express an interest in philanthropic giving.
Improving philanthropy
COVID-19 pandemic shows the need to address the North-South power imbalance in global philanthropy, says report by the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy.
Why emerging economies?
The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy is being launched in the midst of a second wave of globalisation that is predicted to see the rapid rise of emerging economies and a progression of economic power southward and eastward.
The top 10 fastest growing economies in the world are all in emerging markets. It is estimated that trillions of dollars will be passed on from one generation to the next in these societies over the next 10 years. This historic period of new wealth creation and intergenerational wealth transfer is expected to lead to a significant increase in philanthropic activity both within and from these jurisdictions.
This presents a clear and immediate opportunity to strengthen awareness and understanding within global growth markets around the power of strategic philanthropy, to engage with the next generation of philanthropists from these markets and to support the development of innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Our planet faces growing challenges. Climate change – threats to water and food supplies, threats to our ecology and biodiversity – growing political division, war and infectious disease. Global philanthropic capital must be used effectively and for maximum impact to improve our society, and the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy is very well-positioned to champion these efforts.
The Centre for Strategic Philanthropy is designed to engage with the next generation of philanthropists, equipping them with enhanced knowledge and relevant tools to become global leaders in solving societal and environmental problems in ways that reflect their own social, economic and cultural dynamics.
Key audiences
The work of the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy is relevant to individuals and institutions on the supply side as well as the demand side of social change, including:
Academics, researchers & students
who are interested in:
- researching best practices and principles of strategic philanthropy
- understanding historical trends and the output of philanthropic investments
- assessing the nature of interventions that bring about systemic sustainable change
- identifying how to improve collaboration between multi-sector stakeholders.
Current and potential philanthropists and members of the next generation
who are poised to deploy significant philanthropic capital and become part of the next wave of global philanthropic leaders.
Change makers including government policy makers, business leaders, heads of philanthropic organisations, social entrepreneurs and the management of INGOs and LNGOs
who are committed to taking collective action to address the world’s most pressing problems.
It is with great enthusiasm that we are setting up the Centre for Strategic Philanthropy at Cambridge Judge Business School. Philanthropy is an increasingly important phenomenon in the contemporary world, which sees massive transfers of private funds towards a variety of causes. Unfortunately, our understanding of who gives, to whom, for what, when, and to what effect, is still limited. This is particularly true for the Global South, where, despite an even more enhanced importance of philanthropy, knowledge of the motivations, frameworks, practices and impact of philanthropy remains limited. It is this gap that we are setting out to fill. We hope to become a major global platform for the production and dissemination of knowledge about strategic philanthropy. Come join us in this journey!