Country Ambassadors

Unleashing philanthropy - the case for establishing an Ambassador for Philanthropy in countries Worldwide

Across the world, philanthropy is a promising force for good, channeling resources from the successful and wealthy to invest in charities, community groups and social enterprises to benefit others, from local needs to international crises.

Yet the potential for philanthropy remains significantly unfulfilled, held back by many factors, from tax regulations and bureaucratic rules to the lack of a giving culture and the limited number of donor role models able to influence others by being willing to discuss why and how they contribute.

The situation for giving and charity is different in every country, and each government that wishes to unleash philanthropy needs to consider how to achieve the essential changes in behaviour and attitudes, while ensuring that the legislative context is conducive to philanthropy.

An excellent example of efforts to foster generous giving can be found in Britain, where the government of prime minister Gordon Brown last year appointed Dame Stephanie Shirley, a successful former businesswomen who has dedicated much of her life and her wealth to advancing strategic giving, as the country's first-ever Ambassador for Philanthropy.

Using the platform of this honorary and unpaid position, Dame Stephanie has achieved much. In less than a year she has:

* Reached out to her fellow philanthropists to offer them a voice 
* Encouraged researchers to study this vital sector
* Created a new network for donors
* Launched events to highlight the need for giving, and 
* Begun examining the simple legal and taxation changes that could attract extra billions to meet great needs.

In giving philanthropists a voice, Dame Stephanie has even encouraged the supposedly reserved British to discuss their money and how they are putting it to good use on a new web site, AmbassadorforPhilanthropy.com.

Dame Stephanie says that once appointed, she immediately found she was not working alone: "Other philanthropists, philanthropic leaders and organizations have seized on my ambassadorship as an opportunity to work together to transform philanthropy, and so better meet societal needs."

British prime minister Gordon Brown says he appointed Dame Stephanie as Ambassador for Philanthropy to harness the power of this national instinct for generosity: "Already the results have been truly impressive, and I am confident that then work she has started will continue to bring rewards to those most in need."

The key factors in appointing an Ambassador for Philanthropy are independence and access, so the individual has the ear of government yet able to challenge established thinking and existing practice.

A budget for communications - including events and publications - and a small staff will help ensure efforts to encourage greater giving reach the right targets, while liaison and regular reporting through a single senior minister's office, or Prime Minister and/or President, with a dedicated civil servant, would allow productive dialogue and good coordination with other government departments.

In terms of suitable individuals, the ideal would be someone with the time and resources to devote to the task, an excellent reputation, a track record as a philanthropist, good media skills and the willingness to be persistent in seeking the necessary changes.

The office of the British government’s Ambassador for Philanthropy is happy to assist other governments in the task of identifying and supporting other national Ambassadors for Philanthropy.