In February 2013 WINGS kicked off a global consultation process towards a new Global Philanthropy Data Charter—a statement of values to provide a framework for data on philanthropy and guide both its collection and use. A multitude of factors, including advances in technology, a general interest in data gathering and use, public demand for transparency and a push for a more strategic approach to giving provide a great opportunity for the philanthropic sector to organise itself and the way it deals with data. A data charter will help provide a better picture of global philanthropy and develop a standard of principles that will help the sector take full advantage of new opportunities. The Charter will improve cooperation among stakeholders of current data initiatives and encourage new initiatives, as well as foster efficiency in data collection and sharing. Benefits include better decision-making processes and greater visibility of the sector’s contributions to society.

Consultation Development

Consultations began in Rio de Janeiro in February. During the 2.5-days meeting, a diverse group of individuals from all regions of the world representing associations and other support organisations serving philanthropy, including foundations and think-tanks, discussed key issues related to philanthropy data. Participants found points of agreement and identified elements of a common protocol, which were used to draft the Charter. WINGS hosted three followup webinars and a face-to-face meeting in Europe to further refine the Charter’s draft and present it to a wider audience. More than 40 people participated in these consultations, leading up to a successful second meeting in Rio in November hosted by the Vale Foundation, which works to strengthen human capital and contribute to social and economic development in the communities where Vale is present. The initiative was made possible by the generous support by Instituto C&A, which supports collaboration among social actors engaged in education in Brazil, as well as processes and initiatives of institutional development of civil society organizations as a strategy for social development.

Rio meeting, November 2013

During the second meeting 20 individuals reviewed the consultation process. Most had participated in the first meeting, but a few new faces provided a fresh look into the process. Participants also identified gaps in the Charter, reviewing the text and adding new elements where needed (to be revised later), and agreed on next steps which include developing a validation process; strategising: dissemination, webpage and visualisation tools; developing an implementation plan; discussing the monitoring challenge; and defining participant roles. We’ll update the network on next steps of the Charter consultation, which will lead up to a more full report in March at WINGSForum 2014 in Istanbul, Turkey.

View the list of participants here.

The Global Philanthropy Data Charter initiative is supported by Instituto C&A.

This meeting in Brazil received the generous hospitality of the Vale Foundation.