Pip Wheaton

Why now is a pivotal moment for philanthropy to step up. Around the world, government aid is retreating. Cuts to overseas development assistance have left countless effective programs—especially those led by communities on Nature's frontlines—struggling to stay afloat. These gaps risk derailing progress on global goals. But they also present a catalytic opportunity. In moments like this, philanthropy can choose to do more than fill the void. It can step forward with agility and long-term vision, supporting models that are innovative, collaborative, and built to last. At this week's Temasek Trust / Philanthropy Asia Alliance philanthropy summit in Singapore, I spoke as someone who has both supported initiatives & sought support, and I’ve seen how strategic giving can preserve momentum—and, at times, dramatically accelerate it. But what makes the difference isn’t just money. It’s how that money moves. I shared two stories that taught me valuable lessons about the evolving role of philanthropy. 🏆 The award that didn’t land as expected. In the mid-2000s, I launched a conservation prize to spotlight under-recognized organizations doing effective work. I believed it would be welcomed with open arms. Instead, it drew criticism over the opacity of the selection process. I thought good intentions & results would speak for themselves. They didn’t. The experience reinforced for me that transparency builds trust. Without clarity around process, even well-meaning efforts can backfire. But with openness, legitimacy grows—and so does impact. 🤝Journalist meets entrepreneur After earning a windfall from an IPO, an entrepreneur approached me, eager to support conservation but unsure where to begin. That conversation helped spark Almost Famous Animals, a journalism series by Mongabay that spotlighted overlooked but ecologically important species. The reporting inspired the entrepreneur to launch a fund supporting local scientists and organizations working to protect the species featured in the series. The sequence mattered: journalism led, and philanthropy followed. This experience underscored how impactful storytelling can create clear, compelling entry points for new philanthropists—especially those from entrepreneurial sectors—by connecting their interests to real-world opportunities for action. These stories are just slices, but they echo a broader truth: philanthropy works best when it listens, adapts, and shares power. From trust-building and accessibility to collaboration & community leadership, here are a few core takeaways: ☑️ Transparency builds trust & maximizes impact. ☑️ Creative entry points attract new philanthropists. ☑️ Collaboration multiplies impact: In philanthropy, speed alone doesn’t scale—alignment does. ☑️ Authentic community engagement matters: Philanthropy can’t empower communities if it doesn’t first share power with them. Lastly, it’s important to remember that if these problems were simple, we would have solved them already.

153

12 Comments

Reflections on the DSC Conference – A Sector at a Crossroads. Last week’s DSC conference was powerful—sometimes sombre and tense—but ultimately hopeful. We are a sector united in purpose yet fatigued from the weight of systemic complexity and sustained advocacy. The shared mission remains strong, but the energy reserves are low. What stood out was the courage and authenticity of Senator Jenny McAllister, the newly appointed Minister for the NDIS. Facing a room of passionate and, at times, frustrated professionals, she spoke with clarity and commitment—affirming her intent to rebuild trust in the Scheme. Her message was clear: • The NDIS must deliver fair, transparent, and consistent decisions • It must protect participant rights and ensure every dollar delivers meaningful benefit • And we must improve integration across disability, health, and aged care systems The message from NDIS Commissioner Louise Glanville was equally compelling and joined by Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade. They spoke with conviction grounded in a human rights framework, reaffirming the need for: • Stronger regulatory powers and legislative reform • Mandatory provider registration • Genuine participant co-design and choice and control • And critically, the separation of housing and support I left the conference tired yet re-energised. The path ahead is steep—but worth climbing. Now more than ever, we must advocate strategically, amplify one another’s voices, and speak with unity and conviction. The NDIS has personally changed my and my family's lives. It’s a world-leading reform that’s worth protecting, improving, and future-proofing—for all Australians with disability. #NDIS #DisabilityRights #DSC2025 #SystemicAdvocacy #HumanRights #DisabilityLeadership #SDAAlliance #SeparationOfHousingAndSupport #NDISReform #Inclusion

36

5 Comments

I recently wrote a 3-part series for Macaranga Media that looks at how public participation works in the country's environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. [[ Story links in the comments ]] Here are some of what I learned: 1. Public sentiment -- even 100% protest -- doesn't matter in the EIA reviews 2. The Dept of Environment (DOE) is mainly concerned if the developers have done good enough studies to reduce future pollution impact 3. EIA consultants appreciate talking to the locals to identify concerns and try to work win-win solutions into the EIA reports 4. If all agencies give the greenlight during EIA review, DOE must approve the EIA report 5. If one agency says "No", DOE will not approve (otherwise they would kena if complaint is lodged to Appeal Board) 6. EIA reports are meant to be technical and not made for the general person 7. We must get creative and collaborative if we want non-professionals to contribute useful comments for the EIA reviews (I'm still looking for easy workarounds for this) 8. DOE, especially the officers handling EIA processes, are overworked; with 1 officer in Pahang handling 58 EIA reports last year, how much quality/scrutiny/monitoring can we expect? 9. If we want to steer how our environment is used and developed, we must get in at the State Structure Plan and Local Plan and national policies stages; EIA reports are almost the last bit of the process where the projects have already been approved 10. Public participation, research, and independent monitoring would greatly benefit from greater transparency and accessibility of documents and studies on projects and development planning. Make public all the impact assessments! #eia #environmentalimpactassessment #developmentplanning #publicparticipation #sustainability

154

6 Comments

🌍 Philanthropy is at a crossroads—and as a fundraiser, I feel that tension every day. Institutional aid is shrinking. Funding freezes are tightening. And yet, the crises we face—climate, poverty, displacement, rising inequality—are only growing more urgent. The expectation that philanthropy will "fill the gap" is louder than ever. But that is surely the wrong question. ➡️ It’s not about replacing aid. It’s about rethinking how we give. ➡️ It’s about moving from charity to change—from short-term relief to long-term systems transformation. ➡️ And most importantly, it’s about shifting power to those closest to the challenges we aim to solve. 💡 I continue to be inspired by funders who’ve stepped up not just with more resources—but with courage: 🟠 In June 2020, the Ford Foundation issued a $1B social bond to double down on justice and equity, addressing racial disparities and systemic inequalities. Though sunsetted in 2022, the impact endures through strengthened infrastructure and bold precedent. 🟠 The MacArthur Foundation’s “big bets” on systemic change will wind down by 2026, but its commitment continues. One exciting initiative—Press Forward, a $500M collaboration to revive local news—signals a bold new direction. 🟠 The African Collaborative is flipping the script—providing multi-year, flexible capital directly to proximate African leaders shaping their region’s future. 🟠 Co-Impact is bringing together diverse funders and locally rooted partners to back movements, not just projects—championing scalable, systems-level change. 🟠 In India, The Convergence Foundation is building and backing organizations focused on large-scale, systemic impact across education, climate, livelihoods, and governance. By incubating mission-driven nonprofits and funding catalytic efforts—from improving learning outcomes in public schools to strengthening state capacity—it’s a model of long-term, strategic philanthropy grounded in local context and data-driven insight. At the recent Skoll Foundation Forum, the call was clear: philanthropy must do more. Aid cuts are real. Top foundations collectively spend around $11B a year—a sliver of the $223B in global ODA, or even the $65B from the U.S. alone. Still, some philanthropists are stepping up: 🔹 Jeff Skoll pledged an additional $25 million, calling the aid cuts “careless, callous, and inhumane.” 🔹 John Palfrey, President of MacArthur Foundation, announced his organisation would raise annual giving from 5% to at least 6% of its endowment—adding ~$75M/year to its impact. These are powerful examples of philanthropy funding like the future depends on it. But are they enough to push back against the rising tide of need? 💥 Are we fundraising to sustain systems—or to transform them? 💥 Are we playing it safe—or betting on bold, community-driven solutions? This isn’t just a funding gap. It’s a leadership gap. And now is the moment to close it. #ReimaginePhilanthropy #FundraisingForChange #SocialImpact #SystemsChange

206

8 Comments