Moving Towards Bold Choices in Philanthropy
In this compelling session, philanthropist Rohini Nilekani and DOEN Foundation director Carol Gribnau, moderated by Harish Hande of SELCO Foundation, examine how philanthropy must evolve in an era demanding bold, systemic change.
Rohini reflects on her own experiences with failed philanthropic efforts and the risks of hubris, urging funders to shift from solution-pushing to enabling agency. Carol shares insights from both sides of the funding aisle, illustrating how rigid donor expectations often clash with the complex realities of social change. Together, they highlight the challenges of power imbalance, trust deficits, and process rigidity in traditional philanthropy and call for humility, collaboration, and a redefinition of success metrics.
This conversation is a wake-up call to funders to step back, listen, and co-create pathways that empower civil society and local actors, especially in the face of global crises like inequality, climate change, and failing systems of care.
