What we do
The people of WINGS are equal parts think tank and do-team. We help set priorities and drive agendas across three strategic imperatives which, together, offer the greatest potential for creating lasting systemic change.
Collective intelligence
Strengthening ecosystems
Advocacy and policy
Strengthening ecosystems
The real potential of philanthropy in all its forms has yet to be harnessed to its greatest effect. Tapping into the potential of private funding — from foundations to the middle class, from High Net Worth Individuals to individual acts of charity —would have a great impact on achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and build more just, equitable and healthy societies around the world.
WINGS works across three critical areas to strengthen ecosystems:
3. Innovative pilot programmes
Achieving this requires strategic thinking and investments in the infrastructure that can support, stimulate, and lead philanthropy. This diverse set of enablers and catalysts - philanthropy networks, advisors, advocates, giving platforms- boost the volumes and effectiveness of philanthropy. The vision of the philanthropy support ecosystem is when these players collaborate and are strongly supported.
Yet, in most parts of the world this vision still needs to be realised and investments are lacking to unlock the potential of philanthropy. Everywhere this infrastructure remains overlooked, philanthropy remains piecemeal and struggles to make the difference it can and must make.
WINGS is championing reflections worldwide, raising awareness on the impact of philanthropy developers and engaging funders and leaders of philanthropy support organisations in building stronger, more cohesive and more impactful support ecosystems locally and globally.
Strong, well-supported and interconnected ecosystems can make a huge difference by stimulating the culture of giving, creating a more supportive legislative and policy framework for the field. This builds bridges with other sectors, increasing the effectiveness, accountability and impact of private donors and building stronger collaborations among all the actors engaged in social impact and civil society work.
We are at the forefront of a movement of changemakers who believe that investing in such ecosystems can be game-changing for social impact in every community and region in which this approach is being deployed. We work with all visionary funders who want to increase the impact and sustainability of their work by making this a central tenet of their mission.
WINGS works across three critical areas to strengthen ecosystems:
1. Building the ecosystem
We work to create a better understanding of the strategic importance of the PSE, and the vital role philanthropy support organisations play in unlocking the potential of philanthropy. WINGS engages the entire philanthropic and development community to build a common vision and language for the PSE to ensure collaborations are as strong as possible.
Location
United States
Focus
Supporting projects around the world that promote a just, equitable and sustainable society
How we do it
Towards a Taxonomy for Philanthropy Support Organisations and Ecosystems
This is a first attempt at a globally applicable and locally adaptable taxonomy that enables more international dialogue on the roles and contributions of PSOs in different ecosystems. This taxonomy builds on the WINGS 4Cs framework, developed in partnership with Philea (formerly Dafne) in 2017 to classify the contributions of PSOs to enhancing the capacity, capability, connection and credibility of philanthropy.
Participatory mapping methodology for philanthropy support organisations and ecosystems
WINGS has created a ground-up participatory approach to engage local stakeholders in building a comprehensive PSE mapping. This process helps identify opportunities to unlock the potential of philanthropy and engages local philanthropic actors to build a community of ecosystem champions.
Capturing Perceptions of a Philanthropy Support Ecosystem (PSE)
This tool offers key indicators, a framework and a methodology to identify and categorise the perceived strengths, needs and potential of a PSE. It can be used to round out the knowledge and understanding of existing indexes.
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Strengthening the African Philanthropy Support Ecosystem
The African philanthropy landscape is incredibly rich, characterised by a diversity of actors, practices, and policies. There is an important need for awareness-raising, engagement of local actors and the creation of strategic partnerships with national and international philanthropic actors to unlock the potential of African philanthropy.
What makes a strong ecosystem of support to philanthropy?
An important paper that provides information and key messages to help funders, philanthropy support leaders and other stakeholders to develop their infrastructure and turn it into a thriving ecosystem.
Infrastructure in Focus reports
A series of reports that increase knowledge and understanding about the philanthropy support ecosystem, raise awareness of its importance, and contemplates the best way to expand and strengthen it.
2. Direct engagement
WINGS actively campaigns with private funders and organisations to unleash the fullest potential of their work through direct investment in the financial, technical and intellectual resources necessary to strengthen PSEs where they operate.
WINGS Member
Techsoup
Location
United States
Focus
Designing and implementing technology solutions for a more equitable planet.
How we do it
#LiftUpPhilanthropy campaign
We are facilitating an open dialogue to foster strategic reflection and gather collective wisdom about what it will take to grow the quality, diversity and impact of philanthropic work around the world. Our objective is to educate funders about the incredible potential of philanthropy and the unique role philanthropy support organisations play in bringing it to fruition.
Engaging the funders community
The WINGS Funders Working Group (FWG) is an international group of funding organisations working collaboratively to improve philanthropy practice and strengthen philanthropic ecosystems. The FWG provides philanthropy organisations with the chance to share their reflections, challenges and successes with others working in the field around the world.
Driving the policy agenda for philanthropy
WINGS has leadership roles in critical international forums and policy-setting organisations to advocate for the potential to grow and improve domestic philanthropy, including at the grassroots level, and the need for development actors to invest in the philanthropy support ecosystem to unlock this potential.
Get involved
#LiftUpPhilanthropy Working Group
Learn how your organisation can participate in this important campaign at many different levels. If you are a WINGS member, join the #LiftUpPhilanthropy Affinity Group.
Unlocking Philanthropy’s Potential: A Guide for Funders to Build Strong Philanthropy Support Ecosystems
An excellent resource helping funders understand how they can contribute to unlocking philanthropy’s potential to build more resilient, sustainable and democratic societies. It is also a useful tool for philanthropy support organisations to foster strategic conversations with funders at their own level (available in Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Indonesian).
Become a member of WINGS
Get access to the best knowledge, the most innovative practitioners and the most compelling partnerships and alliances by becoming a member of WINGS.
Learn more
To learn more about our mapping methodology or how to identify the strengths, needs and potential of a PSE, contact Eva Rehse.
3. Innovative pilot programmes
WINGS has developed unique expertise in how to build and grow thriving PSEs and has developed real-world pilot programmes to illustrate the concrete steps funders, PSOs and other stakeholders can take to strengthen philanthropy support ecosystems wherever they operate.
How we do it
Pilot programme: Strengthening the PSE in Latin America and the Caribbean
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have socio-economic, political and cultural conditions that make them an ideal innovation lab for building a philanthropic support ecosystem. Success in LAC countries will help establish a more just, equitable, and democratic civil society across the region and provide a good model for how to make similar progress in other regions. The LAC Project began in 2017 when WINGS created a first-of-its-kind report assessing the strengths and gaps in the LAC philanthropy ecosystem. That report became the catalyst for bringing together key philanthropic actors across the region in WINGS’ first regional meeting for Latin America and the Caribbean. From that gathering, WINGS formed the Latin America and Caribbean Working Group with a variety of influential actors in the region.
Pilot programme: Strengthening the Philanthropy Support Ecosystem in India
In collaboration with WINGS, Ashoka University’s Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy created a first-of-its-kind assessment of the development of the social impact and philanthropy sectors across India for the past two decades. The resulting report mapped the existing infrastructure of philanthropy support organisations (PSOs) and offered specific steps to strengthen Indian philanthropy infrastructure.
Working Group: Latin America and the Caribbean
LAC Working Group is providing a flexible framework of exchange and shared learning for philanthropy support organizations in the region. The LAC working group is currently gathering and curating different experiences from members, exchanging relevant information and initiatives, and facilitating peer-learning and collaborations across the region. Read the Collective Declaration from the Group. The Group integrates the work of 59 members from 39 organizations in 11 countries in the region.
Learn more
A Look at Organisations Supporting Philanthropy in Latin America and The Caribbean
An analysis of the focus and capacity and resources of 40 organisations across the region with specific recommendations on how to strengthen each organisation and the infrastructure/ ecosystem in which they operate.
Collective Declaration from the LAC Affinity Group
The declaration highlights the need for all interested actors to join this effort to promote a strong, diverse, sustainable, effective, accountable and independent philanthropic sector in the region.
Enabling Philanthropy and Social Impact in India: State of the Support Ecosystem
A collaboration between Ashoka University’s Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy and WINGS, this publication reviews the social impact and philanthropy sectors in India and its development in the last two decades, mapping the existing PSO infrastructure and addressing how to strengthen Indian philanthropy infrastructure.