Unveiled Report Highlights Stealthy Alignment of India and Indonesia in Bolstering Regional Philanthropic Partnerships
In a groundbreaking analysis, Sattva Consulting's new report, "Strengthening Collective Impact in South and Southeast Asia," sheds light on the crucial role of Philanthropy Support Organisations (PSOs) in multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) across seven countries: Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
The comprehensive study, supported by WINGS' #LiftUpPhilanthropy Fund, draws on 147 MSPs across 13 sectors, from climate and food security to education and health. It offers a first-of-its-kind mapping of how philanthropy support ecosystems (PSEs) are enabling or stalling cross-sector partnerships in the region.
Key Findings
The study reveals varying degrees of maturity and capacity in philanthropic ecosystems across the region. While India and Indonesia show relative maturity, countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka face foundational gaps in four critical enablers: capacity, capability, connection, and credibility.
Despite the clear importance of PSOs in enabling collective impact, only 13% of the MSPs studied have backbone support from PSOs, which is essential for establishing and scaling effective collaboration.
Recommendations
The report calls for investing in building the capacity and capabilities of PSOs to enable them to play more prominent backbone roles in MSPs, thus unlocking the full potential of collaborative philanthropy. Strengthening engagement with governments and the private sector is identified as essential for fostering sustainable, impactful collective action across sectors.
Developing stronger infrastructure for coordination, peer learning, and resource sharing within PSEs is critical to overcome fragmentation and under-resourcing. Encouraging regional dialogue and learning to share best practices and successful models can accelerate ecosystem development in less mature countries.
The report advocates for a systematic approach to strengthening philanthropic support ecosystems, emphasising the need for cross-sector collaboration, aligned incentives, and sustained investment to respond effectively to contemporary development challenges.
Summary
The report underscores the vital but currently under-leveraged role of PSOs in South and Southeast Asia's MSPs. By strengthening PSO capacities and integrating them effectively into MSPs, countries can enhance collaborative efforts to tackle complex development issues at scale. The findings and recommendations provide a roadmap for building more cohesive, capable, and connected philanthropy support ecosystems in the region, with India and Indonesia serving as leading examples of progress and potential.
[1] India demonstrates the most developed philanthropy support ecosystem in the region, enabling a significant number of MSPs and substantial philanthropic capital flows, with approximately USD 280 million in philanthropic capital directed through MSPs in FY 2023-24 alone. [3] WINGS aims to strengthen, promote, and provide leadership on the development of philanthropy and social investment to contribute to a more effective and diverse civil society. [4] Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnerships (PPPPs) are among the most effective approaches for aligning government, private sector, and philanthropic efforts to drive systemic change by influencing policy, fostering innovation, and scaling impactful interventions.
- The report highlights the underexplored yet crucial role of Philanthropy Support Organisations (PSOs) in multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) across seven countries, including India, where the philanthropy support ecosystem is the most developed.
- The comprehensive study, sponsored by WINGS' #LiftUpPhilanthropy Fund, investigates how these ecosystems are fostering or hindering cross-sector partnerships, drawing insights from 147 MSPs across 13 sectors, such as climate, food security, education, and health.
- India is shown to be a leading example in the region, with approximately USD 280 million in philanthropic capital directed through MSPs in FY 2023-24 alone, signifying substantial investments in collaboration.
- Notably, only 13% of the MSPs under study receive backbone support from PSOs, an essential element for establishing and scaling effective collaborative endeavors.
- The report advocates for investing in building the capacity and capabilities of PSOs, enabling them to play more prominent roles in MSPs, thereby unlocking the potential of collaborative philanthropy.
- Strengthening engagement with governments and the private sector is identified as crucial for fostering sustainable, impactful collective action and promoting cross-sector collaboration.
- Developing stronger infrastructure for coordination, peer learning, and resource sharing within philanthropy support ecosystems (PSEs) is critical to overcome fragmentation and under-resourcing in less developed countries.
- Encouraging regional dialogue and learning to share best practices and successful models can aid ecosystem development in the region, accelerating progress towards more cohesive, capable, and interconnected PSEs.
- The findings and recommendations provide a roadmap for enhancing collaborative efforts to tackle complex development issues at scale, through strengthening PSO capacities and integrating them effectively into MSPs, learning from successful models of collaboration, such as Public-Private-Philanthropy Partnerships (PPPPs), which drive systemic change by influencing policy, fostering innovation, and scaling impactful interventions. Additionally, education and self-development, career development, and personal finance might benefit from these collective impact strategies, much like skills-training and sports, such as football in European leagues, contribute to personal growth and development, which can translate to societal advancement, ultimately adding to one's wealth management.
