There are many different pathways to giving, and there is no single image of what a philanthropist looks like.
Strategy and decision making are a crucial part of giving. We speak to philanthropists of all types about the highs and lows they faced on their journeys.
If you’d like to contribute a story, please get in touch.
Satish Selvanathan has always been fascinated by Sri Lanka and passionate about conserving its beautiful natural environment. Two years ago, he decided to co-found Lanka Environment Fund as a way of supporting green projects in the country. Satish tells us how he is applying his two decades of experience in the private sector to his work with the new fund.
The Garfield Weston Foundation has been involved in philanthropy for over 50 years. During this time, the foundation has given millions of pounds to support a range of causes including the Arts and culture, youth and welfare, the environment and education. We spoke with foundation director Philippa Charles to learn more about what drives the family’s giving and how Covid has seen their philanthropy ramp-up.
In 2007, Stelio Stefanou sold his public services management company Accord. Following this, he wanted to stay away from business roles and instead become more involved in doing good through charity work. His mission? To find and create a programme which addressed the social issue of intergenerational domestic violence. We spoke to him to learn about The For Baby’s Sake Trust.
Andrew Law is the co-founder of the Law Family Charitable Foundation, established a decade ago. In pursuing his philanthropy, he follows three principles. He spoke to us go into detail on these, and to provide his advice for budding philanthropists.
A career in construction teaches you a lot about collaboration and efficient working. Steve Morgan CBE founded construction company Redrow before beginning his own foundation. For Steve, applying what he has learnt as a builder to his philanthropy is key. He speaks to us to share more about how his experience as a builder has helped to shape his philanthropic journey.
Following a successful career in software and startups, Matthew Bowcock co-founded the Hazelhurst Trust in 2000. The intention was to provide grants and other forms of social finance to local charities and social enterprises. He speaks to us about what inspires his giving, the strategy he uses, and the impacts of the pandemic on the foundation’s 2020 activities.
In 2007, Sir Alec Reed, founder of one of the UK’s best known recruitment brands, REED, saw a huge gap in the philanthropic and giving landscape: the opportunity for small, medium and large donors to join together to meet a charity’s needs for a specific campaign. From this realisation, Sir Alec has spent more than a decade to make giving easier for all kinds of donors.
It’s not often you hear businesses claim that they want to be copied and want competition, but this is exactly the position that family-owned private bank C. Hoare & Co. took in 2016 when it launched Snowball.
As an entrepreneur, social investor and philanthropist, Paul Barry Walsh recognises that different forms of capital need to work in tandem – especially in these unprecedented times. It is so easy to criticise others, but perhaps the question we should ask ourselves is what are we doing?
The Beacon Collaborative