Amid the coronavirus pandemic, protests on racial injustice, and resulting economic, health, education, and leadership crises, 2020 has been a year of uncertainty. As economic and social inequality rises globally, philanthropy is increasingly caught in the crosshairs of power, wealth, and responsibility. While many foundations and social investors have responded with unforeseen urgency and flexibility, is it enough?
Salzburg Global Seminar works with institutions and change-makers to align financial flows for inclusive and sustainable development, and to create an enabling environment for talent management, accountability, and innovation. This program addresses levers of change for external transformation of philanthropy and social investment. It will delve into the dynamics of what it means to shift power, agency, and resources in view of all of the uncertainty and crises globally.
The program will be a virtual convening and will be structured around a mix of thought-provoking presentations, curated conversations, and informal interactions over six days over four weeks. There will be a maximum of 120 minutes of programming each day, some to be covered multiple times to accommodate for time zone differences. (See AGENDA tab for more detailed information.) The process seeks to combine theory, policy, and practice across sectoral silos, opening up new perspectives and intensive learning opportunities.
We seek to bring together cross-sector and cross generational change-makers from around the world to tackle complex challenges around philanthropy. This program will bring together a group of participants with a diversity representing:
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Option I: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm EST
Option II: 9:00 – 10:00 pm EST
Description: Participants will have an opportunity to meet one another in small groups for introductions and informal gathering. The session will be held twice to accommodate various time zones.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
8:30 – 9:45 am PT / 11:30 am – 12:45 pm EST / 5:30 – 6:45 pm CET
Keynote speaker: Larry Kramer, president, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Moderator: Clare Shine, vice president and chief program officer, Salzburg Global Seminar
Format: This moderated discussion will explore how leaders in philanthropy can reset the debate and help lay foundations for the big ideas of the future.
Description: Big ideas shape societies for decades. Often slow to mature, they influence political and financial systems and power paradigms across the world. Yet anti-intellectualism and culture wars are on the rise in today’s attention economy, with declining space for deliberative democracy, and Covid-19 highlighting deep structural fault lines. Not all wisdom comes from the streets but these are now the most visible source of energy for change. Mainstream sectors seem afflicted by short-termism, institutional inertia, and the ‘tyranny of metrics’. Will philanthropic foundations envision new ways to partner and invest in ideas to shape a better world for all? Can we get real about the scale of financial and talent investment needed to secure human and planetary health?
Thursday, November 19, 2020
6:00 – 7:00 pm PT
9:00 – 10:00 pm EST
Friday, November 20, 2020
10:00 – 11:00 am SGT
Contributors:
Facilitator: Andrew Ho, US development director, Salzburg Global Seminar, USA
Format: Facilitated Group Discussion
Description: During this session, participants will have the opportunity to reflect and to discuss themes, reactions, and questions that the Designs on the Future talk raised within the program group. Two former Salzburg Global Fellows from the Hewlett Foundation will join the discussion and share insights about their work within the Foundation.
Monday, November 30, 2020 – 7:00 – 8:30 pm EST / Tuesday, December 1, 2020 – 8:00 – 9:30 am SGT
Speakers:
Moderator: Lina Lim, managing director, Tempus Adventus Advisory, Australia
Format: Panel Discussion (90 mins.)
Description: What is philanthropy’s role and responsibility to address social and economic inequality driven by government and business sector responses to the current crisis? What are the opportunities and challenges especially in marginalized communities?
The pandemic has not only created a global health crisis, but it has also created negative economic impact and livelihood impediment to nations and communities worldwide. It further accelerates the rising social and economic inequality issues that governments struggle to address, and highlights the widening gap between wealthy and marginalized communities. Philanthropy can never be an alternative to government policies that can eradicate inequality; however, philanthropy can play a critical role in promoting and achieving systemic changes against fundamental drivers of poverty.
During this session, representatives from different organizations will share their reflections and experiences in collaborating with their private/corporate businesses and government agencies in their regions and countries through strategic philanthropic approaches and impact investment approaches, as part of their journey to economic recovery and resilience.
Thursday, December 3, 2020 – 10:00 – 11:30 am EST
Speakers:
Moderator: Lina Lim, managing director, Tempus Adventus Advisory, Australia
Format: Moderated discussion
Description: Data is often described as “the new oil.” It is an untapped valuable asset that coupled with technology innovation has become the cornerstone in progressing our digital economy and network distribution. The current global pandemic has forced us to adapt even faster to today’s world where technology is ubiquitous. Digital transformation in businesses and government institutions has become a key agenda point in the data and technology discussion. Without this transformation, overall progress will surely halt.
This conversational module will discuss how philanthropy can better access data and leverage key technologies to bring lasting change, highlighting the vast opportunities and challenges in effort to provide innovative solutions, in particular in community and grassroots initiatives to support their missions for years to come.
Wednesday, December 9, 2020 – 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST / 8:30 – 10:00am PT / 5:30 – 7:00 pm CET
Speakers:
Moderator: Jasmine Sudarkasa, program fellow, Effective Philanthropy Group, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, USA
Format: Panel Discussion
Description: What is the case for increasing participatory grantmaking in the philanthropy and social investment sectors globally? This program will highlight examples of how participatory grantmaking has worked, how it is making a difference, discuss challenges and how to overcome them. It will feature organizations who are at different phases of the journey and who have had different experiences and different contexts.
Thursday, December 17, 2020 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm EST
Speakers:
Moderator: Dominic Regester, program director, Salzburg Global Seminar, Austria
Format: Panel Discussion
Description: Investing in people to develop their talent and highest potential is a core strategy among all philanthropic foundations and social investors to accelerate impact. In this session, participants will hear about the Lemann Foundation’s approach to mobilizing talent identification and development across Brazil to reduce systemic inequalities through investments in public education for Brazilians of all backgrounds, support the development of leaders committed to social change, and advocate for changes to professionalize the public sector. Over two decades, the Foundation has invested in a diverse group of nearly 700 Fellows to develop their skills and networks to be effective public sector leaders. Participants will learn how partnerships with academic institutions, governments, and the private sector have succeeded in attracting talent to solve some of Brazil's most pressing social challenges, ultimately supporting the next generation of leaders committed to profound transformative change.
Additional perspectives will be provided from Schmidt Futures and their investments in developing talented entrepreneurs and to incubate new ideas for public benefit, done through their Entrepreneurs-in-Residence program. Learn more at www.SchmidtFutures.com.
Recognizing cultural differences in attitudes to having, making, and sharing wealth, the program will explore themes for the future of philanthropy and social investment that include:
Philanthropy and Social Investment During Crisis
Philanthropy and Inequality
Participatory Grantmaking
Leadership and Talent Management