The art of giving & receiving

Gauri Chhabra

More and more successful people throughout the world want to leave a legacy and do something that will make a difference to humanity. Philanthropy is a growing profession which builds meaningful partnerships to make this happen. It provides transformational support for amazing projects in areas as diverse as finding effective treatments for cancer or malaria in the areas where a normal person cannot get the access. 

According to Bain’s "India Philanthropy Report 2017", India's philanthropy market has "matured" considerably, particularly when it comes to contributions from individual philanthropists. The report finds that the amount of funds coming from individual philanthropists has grown six fold in the past five years. Contributions from individual philanthropists have also grown faster than those coming from any other source, such as foreign aid, or from corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

Over the past decade, philanthropy in India has grown rapidly. There has been healthy growth across corporate, 'retail', and HNI-led philanthropy. The Giving Pledge, changes to the Companies Act (CSR), and crowd-funding opportunities have all provided impetus to the sector. At the same time, there is a sharper focus on innovation, scale, sustainability, and accountability in the social impact sector. New areas of thematic interest, such as governance, scientific research, and independent media are emerging.

 These developments in the philanthropy and social impact sectors have been accompanied by a growing ecosystem of support. Even at its relatively nascent stage, the ecosystem encompasses a range of service providers across domains such as legal, compliance, strategy, talent, fundraising, communication and incubation.

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Where to study

Some of the universities for a continuing education are:

• University of Richmond School of Professional and Continuing Studies, Richmond, VA, USA

    The Institute on Philanthropy (IOP) at the university strengthens the community by educating non -profit professionals, volunteers, donors and community leaders in ethical and effective fundraising, marketing and board development strategies. Classes have been designed to meet the needs of a variety of non-profit audiences. IOP offers coursework and week-long certification institutes in several areas for non profit staff, managers and board members.

• Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, IN, USA

It offers BA and MA, PhD  in philanthropic studies apart from certificate courses in philanthropic studies. Philanthropic studies provides a theoretical framework and practical knowledge about volunteering and charitable giving, and organisations that support and depend on the giving of “time, talent, and treasure” in society. 

The bachelor’s degree programme offers an opportunity for students to understand the cultural traditions of voluntary action and to practice working with others towards the common good. The curriculum explores the historical, philosophical, and economic "whys" of giving and volunteering as well as the "how to" of working within non-profit organisations. Students engage with many disciplines such as anthropology, economics, history, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology. 

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Get non-profit experience

Working and volunteering in the non-profit sector will allow you to see what you like and dislike about organisations and positions within those organisations. You might connect with a certain social issue, movement or organisational function. You will learn important factors about both the field of philanthropy and yourself, and gaining that experience will benefit your future career, especially if you’re a role that involves grant seeking.

Demonstrate passion about an issue 

Maybe you have a specific type of work in mind like improving the public education system, or getting clean water to communities often forgotten. If there’s a certain cause that moves you, pursue that, this will surely help you in your career.

Go global

If you’ve always entertained the idea of living in another country and are searching for an opportunity to launch a career in philanthropy, now could be the ideal time to make that move. Working abroad will give you global experience that many philanthropies value.  

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Consider internships and fellowships

Although not a full-time job, internships and fellowships can be valuable opportunities which provide hands on experience within organisations. You can build relationships, learn about the field, and possibly land a full-time job. Whether by taking courses online, at a college, reading online, or attending lectures, it is important to expand your existing knowledge of the role philanthropy if you plan on working in the field.

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Getting in

You may step into a career in philanthropy after any Liberal Arts degree from universities like the Ashoka University, Sonipat or Flame University, Pune as it gives you a broader mindset to get a quintessential view of systems and processes and how important it is to build an equitable and just society. You may also get enrolled in MOOCs and continuing degrees from universities abroad. Having said that, philanthropy is a mindset rather than just a degree. You can build a successful career in it even when you laterally deep dive into it from another industry like academia.

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