Geneva School of Economics and Management Geneva School of Economics and Management

This module invites participants to investigate the diversity of grant-making foundations (family-led foundations, institutional foundations, corporate giving programmes, regranting entities, umbrella foundations, etc.). It will showcase how to translate motivations and societal aspirations into coherent philanthropic initiatives and question what may limit a foundation’s latitude to operate strategically. It will further explore different approaches to creating value and review recent trends and developments in the practice of philanthropy, such as investing in organisational development, adopting grantee-led approaches, working through funders' collaboratives, and the need for evidence-based interventions.

According to the purpose of the philanthropic organisation and the country in which it is based, legal possibilities for structure and tax aspects can vary. This module considers available Swiss, European and international  philanthropic legal structures, and will focus on those structures available under Swiss law. These range from traditional single purpose forms (foundations and associations) to hybrid (profit/non-profit) models. Innovative solutions to advance philanthropy, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and impact bonds will also be presented. Tax, governance and financial-related restrictions and/or requirements are also addressed. Finally, the module also covers the Swiss Data Protection Act and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

A rigorous selection of projects in line with the vision and strategy of the organisation is the best way to ensure efficiency and to maintain donors’ trust. This module therefore looks at a strategic and structured assessment of benefits, risks, collateral efforts and key success factors of each project. We examine how to manage philanthropic projects effectively in terms of resource allocations, coordination, impact and relationship with the donors. It will include best practices in working with grantees, the expectations of grant-givers and how they select the projects to be supported. The module also proposes a win-win model of how to negotiate successfully, within a project, with multiple stakeholders, or elsewhere.

How can philanthropic foundations and investors know if they are both having the impact they hope for and investing strategically? How can they collect evidence, learn and adapt, and communicate effectively about their impact
to others? Developing a strategy and understanding how to measure its effectiveness is a requirement in today’s philanthropic activity. In this highly practical module, participants will learn how organisations can evaluate their impact, learn from experience and use evidence and insights to inform their decisions. This module introduces participants to planning, learning and evaluation in philanthropic strategies and initiatives. Participants will learn about different evaluation approaches and how to select the most appropriate ones depending on the context, purposes, and available resources. They will also use planning tools and frameworks such as results frameworks, theory of  change and theory of philanthropy and will be introduced to the concept and tools of emergent learning. They will understand the importance of strategic learning and how it can increase the organisation’s effectiveness and  programme quality.

To face current and future global challenges, the philanthropy sector needs strong and inclusive leadership as well as skilled teams of employees and volunteers. How can diversity be a major driver of innovation and success for
more social and sustainable justice? This module provides the know-how on inclusive leadership and diversity, on how philanthropic boards and staff can interact most effectively, ensuring the wellbeing of their teams and by extension those of their beneficiaries. It examines human resource management, needs assessment in line with the mission of the organisation, running volunteer teams, multi-country staff and multicultural settings, to ensure
that learning and development is happening at all levels. It also addresses how to motivate and retain volunteers. Finally, this module explores how to integrate ethics and what ethics means for a philanthropic leader.

This module tackles the challenge for non-profit foundation executives to strike a balance between creating public value and managing the bottom line. It is designed to help foundation executives understand the tools, techniques and concepts of good financial management and investments. Guided by experts in finance and accounting, participants will develop analytical skills for understanding their financial position more fully, their audited financial statements and learn to identify threats to the financial sustainability of their organization. They will also learn  how the effective use of budgeting and cash-flow planning can enhance their ability of creating value. Finally, based on the financial assessment of their organization, they will learn how to optimally structure their financial investment portfolio.

Philanthropy frequently operates internationally, interacting with very diverse geographies, cultures, societies and traditions. These are often very different from the backgrounds of organisations' board members, project managers and decision-makers. To develop projects successfully and ethically across borders and cultures, philanthropic organisations need to build solid relations with local entities, such as grassroots movements or local NGOs. This module focuses on strategies to involve and listen to local entities in the project planning of organisations and analyses to anticipate potential unintended consequences. It also looks at the current debate on the legitimacy of philanthropy which results in well-intended but poorly planned cross-border philanthropic initiatives. Participants will learn how to plan and develop advocacy strategies to engage with local governments and NGOs (including potentially illegal organisations), tailoring these to local traditions and customs, discussing the limitations of a one size fits all advocacy.

Partnerships are essential to garnering funds and in-kind contributions, including time, expertise, and personal networks. The spirit of this module is to move away from money-centred fundraising and to focus on collaborative and transformational donor-grantee relationships leading to sustainable financing. It will cover the proven fundamentals of private fundraising, including building donor loyalty through state-of-the-art donor journeys; sourcing philanthropic partners; fundraising resources; motivations for giving; offline fundraising models; digital fundraising. It will explore other funding models, such as public-private partnerships, as well as fundraising innovations that can help non-profit organisations raise funds in new ways and reach new, diverse audiences. Today organisations compete for attention and communication plays a vital role in raising awareness, attracting staff and volunteers, as well as donors. Understanding how to target specific audiences online and offline and craft meaningful messaging and campaigns are a key part of having visibility and reach. This is particularly relevant for organisations whose current projects are frequently international and involve different cultures, geo-political landscapes and religions. This module delivers key insights for achieving effective communications, considering, among others, audience segmentation, messaging.

This module focuses on equipping participants with an understanding of the latest and emerging trends in philanthropy. It covers the role of philanthropic organisations in funding scale and systems change, and discusses trust-based philanthropy, collaborative philanthropy, and justice, diversity, equity and inclusion in philanthropy among other trends. It also examines the role of technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) with respect to the practice of philanthropy. This module will help participants understand the key trends and proactively consider how they can have an impact on their organisations.