News & Events

News & Events

Stay connected with CHIP by signing up for email updates here. CHIP welcomes requests for speaking engagements and event requests. To invite one of our associates to participate in your event, please submit a request form or call 215-573-7266 for more information. Members of the press may contact Kelly Andrews at kellyja@upenn.edu.

Kat Rosqueta quoted in AP News article on barriers to giving

Private and open conversations between donors also help them move forward, advisers have found. The Center for High Impact Philanthropy at University of Pennsylvania…

Founding Executive Director Quoted in Inside Philanthropy on the Earthshot Prize

As with Yee, Earthshot was not on the radar of Kat Rosqueta, the founding executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High…

Takeaways on international philanthropy from the UN General Assembly and Climate Week

The September opening of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), occurring concurrently with Climate Week and other global development events, has become a crucial…

Ben Jealous, Kat Rosqueta, and Virginia Kase Solomon discuss philanthropy’s role in shaping a healthy democracy in SP2 webinar

How do we define a strong democracy? What roles do social cohesion and philanthropy play in shaping our political landscape? On October 2nd, 2024,…

Maximizing impact in philanthropy: insights from Bank of America’s Family Office Forum

At Bank of America’s Family Office Forum on September 26th, moderated by Joshua Rief, Managing Director, Family Office Strategist at Bank of America Private…

Kat Rosqueta quoted in Chronicle of Philanthropy article on philanthropy and politics

https://www.philanthropy.com/commons/philanthropists-political-donations-2024-elections

Kat Rosqueta and Amy Schiller discuss the challenges and future of the philanthropic sector

Who should philanthropy be accountable to? What should the philanthropic sector be responsible for versus the public sector? How can philanthropy promote equity when…

Webinar launches 2024 High Impact Giving Toolkit

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) hosted a panel discussion on the practice of intentionally using private, philanthropic resources to serve the public…

Introducing CHIP’s Student Workers

If you’ve stopped by CHIP’s offices or attended one of our events in recent months, you may have noticed a few new faces in…

Kat Rosqueta named to Unboxed Philanthropy’s Philanthropy 100

Our founding executive director, Katherina Rosqueta, is one of the Philanthropy 100, a list of people, organizations and companies making a positive difference in…

Kat Rosqueta speaks on “One for the World” panel

On January 29, 2024, the Wharton MBA chapter of One for the World hosted an Effective Altruism panel featuring Kat Rosqueta, Center for High…

2024 High Impact Giving Toolkit Featured in Penn Today

The 2024 High Impact Giving Toolkit and launch webinar were featured in the 1/24/24 edition of Penn Today. “From solar-powered cookstoves in Madagascar to…

Practice high impact philanthropy with the 2024 High Impact Giving Toolkit

We’re pleased to announce the release of our 2024 High Impact Giving Toolkit, our annual giving toolkit that provides individual donors and institutional funders…

Israel/Gaza Crisis: How Can I Help?

The ongoing Israel-Hamas war has led to a humanitarian crisis across the region, with a staggering civilian death toll that continues to rise. This…

Kat Rosqueta interviews Rajiv Shah about new book “Big Bets”

What does it take to be a change-maker on a global scale? By actively seeking to solve problems rather than making incremental improvements, according to Rajiv Shah, MD (M’02, W’05), a Penn alum and the President of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Pathways to Impact: Funders discuss trust-based philanthropy, program related investments, and measuring impact

What is trust-based philanthropy and how can funders implement it? How can program-related investments supplement grantmaking? What is philanthropy’s relationship with public policy?

Kat Rosqueta in Stanford Social Innovation Review: For impact, rethink the fundamentals

Kat Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, writes on the need to rethink who we’re talking about when we talk about philanthropy in her piece “Philanthropy Needs to Focus on ‘Who,’ Not Just ‘How'” in Stanford Social Innovation Review’s 20th-anniversary edition.

Kat Rosqueta discusses the philanthropic landscape in the year to come in CCS Fundraising’s 2023 Philanthropy Pulse Webinar

On February 15th, Kat Rosqueta joined Greg Hagin, Principal & Managing Director of CCS Fundraising to discuss CCS’s 2023 Philanthropy Pulse Report…

Three ways to respond following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6 is one of the deadliest natural disasters in decades, with a death toll that’s surpassed 41,000 and is expected to continue rising. In the middle of winter, hundreds of thousands of people are without shelter in a region already pummeled by a 12-year refugee crisis.

Earthquake in Turkey & Syria: How Can I Help?

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck February 6, 2023, causing thousands of deaths in Turkey and Syria. With thousands of people homeless, aid workers are…

CHIP’s 2023 High Impact Giving Toolkit supports a more secure future for all

Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, some people have returned to a sense of stability, but many face tremendous uncertainty about the future. For…

Year-end Philanthropy Guidance from Penn Today

The holiday season brings a renewed attention to giving and with it, competing demands on donors’ time and attention. That’s where the Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) comes in, says Katherina “Kat” Rosqueta of the School for Social Policy & Practice (SP2). “For us, it’s all about getting people off the sidelines.

Destination Impact interviews Kat Rosqueta about CHIP’s mission, super power, and more

This profile was originally written by Ayushi Vig for a Destination Impact newsletter series. Hosted by the Raikes Foundation’s Impact Driven Philanthropy Collaborative, Destination Impact is…

Authors Patience Marime-Ball and Ruth Shaber discuss gender diversity at CHIP event

How can organizations and teams make better investments? By ensuring that gender diversity puts women at the center of financial decision making, according to…

CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta discusses crisis grantmaking on “Top of Mind with Julie Rose”

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s Founding Executive Director, Kat Rosqueta, joined “Top of Mind” podcast host Julie Rose to discuss best practices for…

SP2 and Spotify Partner on Innovative Course: Social Policy Through Podcasting

SP2 has added a new partnership to Penn’s ever increasing list of cross-disciplinary collaborations. The School of Social Policy & Practice, in cooperation with…

Philanthropy News Digest Interviews CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta

Philanthropy News Digest spoke with CHIP’s founding executive director Kat Rosqueta about her career, her work with CHIP, and her involvement with Candid.  Below…

Stuart Weitzman Speaker Series Featured in Penn Today

As part of the Stuart Weitzman (W ’63) Speaker Series in High Impact Philanthropy, the School of Social Policy & Practice hosts Stuart Weitzman…

Ukraine Crisis: How Can I Help?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has produced the largest refugee crisis in Europe this century. In less than a week,…

Social Policy, the Workforce, and the COVID Economy: A Conversation between Kat Rosqueta and Ioana Marinescu

On January 26th, 2022, Professor Ioana Marinescu of the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice and her “Just Economics” podcast partner...

Video: Social Policy, the Workforce, & the COVID Economy

First came mass layoffs in some industries, and remote work and overburdened frontline workers in others. Next followed labor shortages and workplace disputes over…

November 24: International panel discussion on Grantmaking & Systemic Change

Donors have been making substantial grants to local and international development program for decades and although some donors offer multiyear support, the majority of...

Kat Rosqueta discusses Supporting Mental Health under COVID-19 with the Giving Compass

CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta joined Afi Tengue, the VP of Philanthropy and Impact at GIving Compass, to talk about mental health issues…

CHIP and SP2 Convene Conversation on Racial Equity and Philanthropy

        Philanthropy is evolving. Under the current social and economic climate, there is an increasing need to address the role of...

Supporting Mental Health in the Age of COVID: Panel for Donors

A panel of mental health funders highlighted how donors can have a bigger impact on the communities and individuals struggling with the stress of COVID-19...

CHIP and SVP Philadelphia host Michael Nutter and Paul Shoemaker for event on rebuilding cities with equity

CHIP and Social Venture Partners Philadelphia (SVP Philadelphia), a collective giving network of engaged leaders committed to reducing poverty in the Philadelphia region, hosted...

CHIP Regional COVID Response Dashboard featured in Generocity

Last fall, CHIP analyzed grant award data totaling over $40 million from 13 regional COVID-19 relief funds and created the Regional COVID Response Dashboard...

May Events for Mental Health Month

During Mental Health Month, CHIP participated in events to share our findings about how donors can support mental health. The need is especially acute...

Launch of Women’s Index Report based on CHIP’s XX Factor

On May 3, CHIP launched the Women’s Index: Developing a Tool for Aligning Financial Investments with Gender Equity. This report was created in partnership between...

CHIP and Penn SP2 host events on racial equity and gender disparities

2021 Racial Equity & Philanthropy Panel Organized by the Nonprofit Leadership Master’s Program and Center for Social Impact Strategy at Penn's School of Social...

CHIP featured on NPR: COVID-19 Giving

CHIP Executive Director Kat Rosqueta spoke with NPR’s Lulu Garcia-Navarro about donating to nonprofits in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis....

Wharton Beyond Business panel moderated by Kat Rosqueta

Hosted by the Wharton School, the Beyond Business lecture series shines a light on how systemic racism impacts business and society as a whole, and...

CHIP Mental Health Guidance shared at APHA Annual Meeting

From October 24 to 28, the American Public Health Association is hosting its first virtual Annual Meeting and Expo, featuring the 2020 theme of...

CHIP COVID-19 Response Dashboard shared at Data Institute 2020

On October 14, CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta shared lessons for philanthropy from CHIP’s Regional COVID-19 Response Dashboard at a workshop for Data...

CHIP’s Regional COVID-19 Response Dashboard analyzes more than $40M in giving from 13 shared funds in Greater Philadelphia

The unprecedented and prolonged COVID-19 crisis led to the creation of more than a dozen shared philanthropic response funds in the Greater Philadelphia region,...

CHIP in Generocity: Effective Crisis Grantmaking

According to the Census Bureau‘s recent U.S. Household Pulse Survey, about half of the 5 million residents in the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Camden area...

CHIP featured in Generocity: Regional COVID Response Dashboard

As nonprofits are hard hit by COVID-19, facing disruptions to their finances, services, and human resources, philanthropic response funds have been awarding grants to...

Podcast: High Impact Philanthropy in COVID-19 on Vanguard Charitable

The need for effective crisis grantmaking continues to grow in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside economic fallout, a surge in mental health...

CHIP Mental Health Guidance Supports Mindful Philanthropy, Never Alone

On May 24, Health in Mind project manager Kristen Ward and senior advisor Barbara Ricci spoke with AM Creatives founder Aida Murad as part...

CHIP featured in Inside Philanthropy: How Philanthropy Can Adapt During a Disaster

As COVID-19 takes a toll on every community and funding priority, funders are learning how to effectively respond to this historic moment. Inside Philanthropy…

CHIP featured in MONEY

In the wake of coast-to-coast protests against racism and police brutality after the death of George Floyd, many are joining the cause with their…

CHIP in Penn News: High-Impact Giving During a Global Crisis

Penn Today spoke with Kat Rosqueta and Kelly Andrews of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy to discuss how to give when the need...

Q&A: How Donors Can Address Mental Health in the Age of COVID

May is Mental Health Month, and a recent poll from KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) found that nearly half (45%) of adults in the United...

New Guidance: How Donors Can Help During the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

On May 5, 2020, #GivingTuesdayNow is mobilizing GivingTuesday’s global reach to help leaders, partners, communities, and individuals meet urgent needs in the midst of...

Health in Mind Guide Launched at the Kennedy Forum’s Agenda for Change

CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta joined U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, U.S. Rep. David Trone, former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, former U.S. Sen....

New Guidance: How Donors Can Help Address Mental Health and Addiction

The Penn Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) has published Health in Mind, a new guide to help donors answer the urgent need for...

Podcast: Democracy and Philanthropy on BYU Sirius XM

We’re seeing historic lows of American trust in the U.S. government, according to the Pew Research Center. Not only do very few people believe...

Podcast: How We Can Put Civility Back into Civic Engagement

Katherina Rosqueta and Conor Carroll, from Penn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy, and Harris Sokoloff, from Penn’s Graduate School of Education, discuss a new...

High Impact Giving Guide Shows How Donors Can Make a Bigger Difference in 2020

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy has published the 2020 High Impact Giving Guide, designed to help donors make a difference with their philanthropic...

Event: We the People: A Conversation About Philanthropy and Democracy Nov. 12

Join CHIP for “We the People: A Conversation About Philanthropy and Democracy" at the Free Library of Philadelphia, November 12, 2019 Penn’s Center for...

‘We the People’ Featured in Chronicle of Philanthropy Special Report

“Can philanthropy save democracy?” In a Chronicle of Philanthropy special report in October 2019, reporter Alex Daniels sought to answer the same question that…

How Donors Can Strengthen Democracy and Reverse the Erosion of Civil Society

“We the People: A Philanthropic Guide for Strengthening Democracy” offers strategies for increasing civil engagement, shoring up local media, and improving government. New applied…

CHIP Previews Guidance on Strengthening Democracy on The Do One Better! Podcast

CHIP’s Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta joined Alberto Lidji on the July 30th episode of The Do One Better! Podcast. Lidji, former Global CEO…

Guidance on strengthening democracy previewed at Funders Summit on Democracy and Civic Life

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy participated in the Funders Summit on Democracy and Civic Life cosponsored by Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE)…

Giving Games hosted by CHIP and One for the World at Penn

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy partnered with The University of Pennsylvania’s One for the World Undergraduate Chapter to host The Life You Can…

The XX Factor Framework and Guidebook featured in As You Sow

CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta wrote a blog post for As You Sow, the nation’s non-profit leader in shareholder advocacy, on using better data to…

Kat Rosqueta writes about how to make a year-long impact in the Philadelphia Inquirer

CHIP Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta wrote an op-ed about how to ensure that your end-of-year donations have an impact on the issues that…

The Story Behind Selecting Bold Ideas from 100&Change

What do you do with a database of over 1,900 solutions to the world’s most pressing problems? That’s the question Kat Rosqueta, Founding Director…

Family Separation Crisis on US Border: How Donors Can Help

Over the past weeks, over 2,000 minors were separated from their parents/guardians at the southern border of the United States. Disturbed by the images…

A Chance for Dropouts, Young and Old, to Go Back to School

New York Times article focuses on Goodwill Excel Centers, a promising practice highlighted in our guidance Reconnected: Help Impoverished young Adults Rewire Their Life…

Nicholas Kristof’s “How to make the world a better place” features CHIP as resource

In a New York Times Year of Living Better series on “How to Make the World a Better Place”,  Nicholas Kristof shares tips for…

Richard Marker discusses book, career, and teaching on Best Seller TV

Richard Marker, our Faculty Co-Director for Executive Education Programs, discussed his book, Saying “Yes” Wisely, on Best Seller TV. Richard also discusses his career…

Kat Rosqueta discusses 100&Change on Knowledge@Wharton

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIP) recently released a new guide, “Bold Ideas for Philanthropists to Drive Social Change,” which contains our selection…

“The XX Factor” featured in Forbes

The Ideas to Actions: Accelerating Gender Lens Investing conference, hosted by the Wharton Social Impact Initiative and Tara Health Foundation, brought together industry leaders…

Kat Rosqueta comments on utilizing Amazon wish lists for charitable donations

Moms United runs an annual gift drive for mothers in correctional institutions to give their children, but instead of the typical toy drive, anyone…

Boston College highlights inclusion of City Connects in 2018 High Impact Giving Guide

BC News covered the recognition of City Connects, the Boston College Lynch School of Education student intervention program that addresses out-of-school problems that impact…

CHIP featured in Nonprofit Chronicles’ list of favorite charity evaluators

In honor of Giving Tuesday, Nonprofit Chronicles profiled four meta-charities identifying opportunities for your donation to do the most good possible during the holiday…

Kat Rosqueta’s advice featured in Philadelphia Magazine’s Giving 101

This question and answer piece addresses common questions about philanthropy, including how to do your homework on organizations you’re considering supporting and ways to…

Newsweek quotes Kat Rosqueta for holiday giving guidance

Newsweek collects advice on how to help feed the hungry, including insights from Kat Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact…

Generocity features 2018 High Impact Giving Guide

Penn’s charity think tank aims to help donors make more informed choices about their monetary donations. This year’s High Impact Giving Guide is arranged…

Consultants weigh in on measuring social impact of museums

Bob Beatty, President of The Lyndhurst Group, offers further thoughts on measuring the impact made by museums and their place in the Center for…

2018 High Impact Giving Guide highlighted in Nonprofit Quarterly

Nonprofit Quarterly cited a New York Times article and the Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s 2018 High Impact Giving Guide in a piece covering…

Kat Rosqueta speaks at PhilanthropyMatters

Kat Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, outlined four characteristics of high impact giving at the ASU Lodestar Center’s…

Wilkening Consulting reviews 2018 High Impact Giving Guide

In their The Curated Bookshelf section, Wilkening Consulting shines a light on why the social impact made by museums is hard to measure and argues…

CHIP cited as trusted source on domestic giving in Newsmax

Charlie Bresler, Executive Director of the nonprofit The Life You Can Save, along with columnist Carol Roth, discuss Charlie’s evolving relationship to philanthropy and…

New York Times features 2018 High Impact Giving Guide

In their Giving Special Section, the New York Times features CHIP’s work on poverty and opportunity youth, from our 2018 High Impact Giving Guide….

Kat Rosqueta featured in Inspirational Women series

The Inspirational Women Series is an interview series with women leaders in social impact, international development and historically underrepresented fields for women. It was founded by Megan…

Impact Investing: Aligning money, values, and social impact goals

This week, CHIP founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta is participating in a panel led by Pitcairn on ESG Investing and energizing succeeding generations, at…

Kat Rosqueta writes about aligning investments with social impact goals in the FFI Practitioner

Ahead of her participation on a panel at the Family Firm Institute Global Conference, founding executive director Kat Rosqueta writes in the latest edition of…

Kate Hovde on Knowledge@Wharton to discuss post-disaster giving

Dan Loney spoke with Kate Hovde, senior advisor at the Center, about charitable giving after disasters on Knowledge@Wharton on Wharton Business Radio. Joining them were…

CHIP guidance included in Penn News article on disaster response

With each disaster, Penn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy posted recommendations for cash donations to “large organizations engaged in on-the-ground relief work” or “local, often smaller, organizations have…

Hurricane Maria: How Can I Help?

Hard on the heels of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic damage in the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin…

Hurricane Irma: “How Can I Help?”

September 15, 2017 Hurricane Irma has caused at least 68 deaths, left millions without power, and cost billions of dollars in damage in the…

Richard Marker quoted in Houston Press article about J.J. Watt’s Hurricane Harvey relief

Richard Marker, CHIP Senior Fellow and Co-Faculty Director for Executive Education Programs, was quoted in a Houston Press article about NFL player J.J. Watt’s…

Kat Rosqueta and other Penn experts offer advice following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma

Kat Rosqueta, founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, along with other experts from Penn Design, the Perelman School of Medicine,...

CHIP analyst Rebecca Hobble interviewed for PhillyCAM “Around the Corner” series

Center for High Impact Philanthropy analyst Rebecca Hobble was interviewed by Julie Zeglen of Generocity for their PhillyCAM “Around the Corner” series, in which…

Hurricane Harvey Floods: How Can I Help?

August 30, 2017 On August 25, Category 4 Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Texas. In the days since, an astounding…

Sierra Leone Mudslide: How Can I Help?

August 18, 2017 Over the weekend, three days of torrential rain caused massive flooding in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. On Monday, August…

GeekWire highlights comments by Kat Rosqueta in article about the GivingCompass

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy is proud to be a content partner of the GivingCompass, a new online platform that aims to provide…

Snowflakes, Plumbing and Other Takeaways from 2017 Social Impact Exchange Conference

By Rebecca Hobble, Analyst “Which snowflake breaks the branch?” “It’s neither the first nor the last,” said Leslie Crutchfield, author and Executive Director of the Georgetown…

Kat Rosqueta comments on politically-charged donations in Boston Globe

It’s too soon to know whether Americans are giving more since the election, or whether people are diverting funds from causes they supported in…

Nonprofit Chronicles mentions CHIP in article about the GivingCompass

This blogpost will take a closer look at Giving Compass, which invites people to join “a community of donors who use the best data, technology,…

Penn Current features the 2017 Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize and live pitch event

The winners of the inaugural Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize cite Kat Rosqueta’s course, “Social Impact Strategy, Analysis, and Leadership,” as a crucial contributor…

Al Día News reports on the winner of the 2017 Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize

The winner of the $5,000 Prize this year was FreshBox, which has come with an innovative solution to deliver urban food deserts in Philadelphia and surrounding…

The Philadelphia Citizen examines 2017 Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize contestant Ken Green in a recent feature piece

Ken Green’s team, RKADE, was one of the teams competing for the inaugural Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize. “Green’s idea for R-K-A-D-E is for…

Generocity covers the Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize live pitch event

“How do we solve the most pressing issues that are impacting our communities?” Katherina Rosqueta, the founding executive director of the Center for High…

Graduating Impact 2017

Monday, May 15, 2017 marked the University of Pennsylvania’s 261st Commencement. While the team at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy must say farewell…

Kat Rosqueta and Julie Franklin discuss the Franklin Prize on Knowledge@Wharton

Kat Rosqueta and Julie Franklin spoke with Knowledge@Wharton host Dan Loney about the inaugural Franklin SP2 Social Innovation Prize. The Franklin Prize will be awarded…

Investing for Impact: Using a Gender Lens in Public Equity

Updated 2/24/2017 Impact investments are investments made with the goal of both a financial and a social return. In this series, we will be…

Four things you can do to support refugees

photo from Asylum Access by Kate Hovde On January 27th, 2017, the president of the United States issued an Executive Order restricting access to...

Chronicle of Philanthropy features Business of Giving segment with Kat Rosqueta

By Denver Frederick In a country with more than 1.5 million nonprofits, determining how and where you can do the most good with the…

Reducing Gun Violence: An Unusual New Partnership

By Kate Hovde Gun-related violence is a significant public health issue in the U.S.: in 2014, the latest year for which data are available,…

Top 10 Social Issues for the President’s First 100 Days

As the only university-based center focused on how philanthropy can attain greater social impact, CHIP is deeply invested in education, for both Penn students…

Coming in 2017: Updated guidance on student success

In our annual High Impact Giving Guide, we talked about what’s in store for CHIP in 2017. First up is Molly Sinderbrand, our postdoc…

Kat Rosqueta weighs in on evaluating impact in Chronicle of Philanthropy article

[There is a] utopian donor-charity relationship that many envision — nonprofits supply substantive information about their work and earn funding based on evidence of…

Kat Rosqueta on the Business of Giving with Denver Frederick

“[The High Impact Giving Guide is] exceptionally well done and it gets a little better every year.” -Denver Frederick, Host, Business of Giving Kat Rosqueta…

Giving with Impact this Holiday Season

Around the world, the end of the year marks a time of reflection, celebration, and giving. In the US, the last three months of…

Something new from Pathways to Housing PA

Pathways to Housing PA provides housing and treatment for chronically homeless Philadelphians with drug addiction and multiple other disabilities, as featured in our 2016…

“Giving ’til it works”: Kat Rosqueta on WHYY Newsworks Tonight

Just in time for end-of-year giving, CHIP has released its 2016 High Impact Giving Guide and [Kat] Rosqueta sat down with NewsWorks Tonight Host…

Kat Rosqueta quoted in Money Magazine, “Everything you need to know about giving to charity”

The first challenge in maximizing the impact of your charitable donation? Finding an organization that not only operates in the area you’re passionate about…

Giving Tuesday: a Q&A

Move aside Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s time for Giving Tuesday. Since 2012, the growing movement known as Giving Tuesday has captured worldwide attention- and…

Kat Rosqueta on Knowledge@Wharton to discuss post-election giving

Our founding Executive Director Katherina Rosqueta and the University of Chicago’s John List discuss the increase in nonprofit donations after the election on Knowledge@Wharton….

High Impact Giving Guide featured on Generocity.org

Our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide was featured on Generocity.org. Looking to get the most bang for their charitable buck this holiday season? Center for…

Let’s Can the Cans – A High Impact Way to Address Hunger in the U.S.

Thanksgiving is around the corner, which in the U.S. means the start of the traditional season for addressing the needs of vulnerable families, especially…

High Impact Giving Guide featured on Penn Current

Our guide was featured in the Penn Current on Nov. 16, 2016. “To help donors increase the impact their charitable giving makes in the…

Empowering low-income young adults to earn a living wage

This blog is part of our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide spotlight series. Now in its sixth year, the guide is a resource for…

CHIP Senior Fellow receives Clara Barton Outstanding Humanitarian Award

CHIP Senior Fellow Carra Cote-Ackah received the Clara Barton Outstanding Humanitarian Award for Community Service from the American Red Cross. In her acceptance speech,…

High Impact Philanthropy: Making a Difference in Latin America

An article by Kat Rosqueta is featured in Latin Trade. “The team of researchers at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University…

High Impact Giving Guide featured on Nonprofit Chronicles

Our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide was featured in a Nonprofit Chronicles blog post by Marc Gunther. “Now in its sixth edition, this is the…

High Impact Giving Guide 2016

Around the world, the end of the year is a time of celebration and giving. But here at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy,…

Combating neighborhood blight by transforming neglected lots

Posted by Rebecca Hobble   This blog is part of our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide preview series. Now in its sixth year, the…

Giving the most vulnerable a chance at economic security

Posted by Carol McLaughlin This blog is part of our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide preview series. Now in its sixth year, the guide…

Stability for those battling mental illness and drug addiction

Posted by Rebecca Hobble This blog is part of our 2016 High Impact Giving Guide preview series. Now in its sixth year, the guide is…

How Can I Help? Hurricane Matthew in Haiti

Posted by Rebecca Hobble Hurricane Matthew has killed over 1,000 people in Haiti and left 1.4 million more in need of humanitarian assistance. As…

Back-to-School: Closing the Achievement Gap through High-Quality Preschool

Posted by Kate Hovde As the dust settles on this back to school season, many low-income families have struggled to access high-quality daycare and…

Global Disaster Relief Summit 2016: CHIP Takeaways

Posted by Rebecca Hobble We were among the over 300 attendees convened in Washington, D.C. for the Aid & International Development Forum’s Global Disaster…

Q&A with Neena S. Jain MD, emBOLDen Alliances

Posted by Rebecca Hobble Increasingly, funders are advised to give to smaller locally-based organizations that deeply understand the needs of the communities they serve,…

Cross-sector Philanthropic Leadership: A Roundtable Discussion

Posted by Amber Hu Since our founding as a collaborative effort between Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice and alumni of the Wharton…

Q&A with Laura Wilson: Impact through Documentary Film, No Small Matter

Last year, our Center team spoke to an ultra-high-net-worth donor who expressed the need for creating “’An Inconvenient Truth’ for early childhood” to galvanize…

How Can I Help? Nepal, One Year Later

A little over a year after the April and May 2015 earthquakes that struck Nepal, the country is still struggling to rebuild. We spoke…

Center quoted on philanthropy’s role in Flint’s recovery

A group of ten foundations has pledged $125 million to aid in Flint’s recovery from the water crisis. The Detroit Free Press asked the…

Notes from the Field: Our Takeaways from “The Future of Community”

Last month, over 1,300 attendees gathered in Washington, D.C. for one of the largest convenings of philanthropic professionals in the world, hosted by the…

Pittsburgh Organizations Make Their Own Matches For City’s Day Of Giving

Kat Rosqueta recently weighed in on Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving and the effectiveness of matching funds. Katherina Rosqueta, founding executive director of the University…

America’s Lead Crisis: How Funders Can Help

The recent crisis in Flint’s water supply has brought national attention to lead poisoning and its harmful effects, especially among children. Sadly, however, lead…

How Penn is trailblazing philanthropy with this ex-Gates Foundation exec

Read how Dick Henriques is now lending his expertise to academia at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, https://bit.ly/1RKoHNV

When Am I Ready to Fund?

When Am I Ready to Fund? Originally published on the CEP blog. The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) is a nonprofit organization focused on the development of…

This Year, Invest in Women & Girls

Investing in women & girls has immense potential for positive social change– not just for them, but also for their families and communities. Here…

How to Help in a Global Refugee Crisis

Kat Rosqueta gives guidance on how donors can make the most impact in helping refugees, https://nyti.ms/1JyUQoy .

Threshold Group Community Square

Ronald Albahary and Teresa Wells (Threshold Group), Katherina Rosqueta (Center for High Impact Philanthropy), Doug Balfour (Geneva Global), and Jacob gray (Wharton Social Impact…

Chemical Threats

Researchers are discovering potential links between chemicals in common household items and damage to developing brains. To learn more, read here: https://bit.ly/1RpOg4O and to see…

How to Give

Kat Rosqueta discusses the most effective methods of giving, ways to make sure your donations have a maximal impact, how to properly vet the reputation…

Will the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Change Philanthropy?

Kat Rosqueta, Executive Director of the Center, and Dick Henriques, a senior fellow at the Center, give their insight on the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and…

The Power of Collaboration

Katherina Rosqueta, Executive Director of the Center, in Forbes talks collaborative efforts and how they can provide information and education that allow funders to…

7 Lessons for Smart Philanthropy

Jacob Lief, a friend of the Center and CEO and Founder of Ubuntu Education Fund, discusses smart practices for giving, his partnership with the…

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: Our Thoughts

This Giving Tuesday, Mark Zuckerberg & his wife Priscilla Chan set the philanthropic sector abuzz by announcing the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a  pledge to…

CHIP, Fidelity & Annie E. Casey: Partnering for Year-Round Impact

Around the world, the end of the year marks a time of reflection, celebration, and giving.  In the United States, approximately 25 percent of…

Holiday Giving: How Small Donations Can Make a Big Difference

The Fiscal Times highlights four small steps you can take this holiday season to make a big impact. According to the 2015 Giving USA report,…

Giving Tuesday Raised $117 Million for Charities, Early Numbers Show

Discussion on the impact of this year’s Giving Tuesday and its evolving place in philanthropy. Kat Rosqueta was able to weigh in on the…

Local Charities Capitalize On Holiday Rush With Day Of Giving

NPR discussion of the potential power of local giving days, and how they can inspire communities to come together over more than just monetary…

#GivingTuesday Celebrates Fourth Year Of Charitable Donations

A KYW News Radio piece on how to get involved on Giving Tuesday to ensure your gifts make a difference.

Do Your Homework Before Donating on “Giving Tuesday”

Kat Rosqueta talks about the difference between a great cause and a great organization with Mitch Blacher of NBC10 Philadelphia.

Giving Tuesday: a Q&A

Move aside Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s time for Giving Tuesday. Since 2012, the growing movement known as Giving Tuesday has captured worldwide attention- and…

Charitable Giving: What to Know before Donating

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy‘s Kat Rosqueta gives tips for high-impact holiday giving in her interview with Knowledge@Wharton. According to Rosqueta, the holiday season sees…

Center for High Impact Philanthropy, Annie E. Casey, Fidelity Charitable partner for year-end giving

Year-End Giving: A Focus on Impact Media Contacts: Center for High Impact Philanthropy, Jeanne Leong, 215-573-8151, jleong@upenn.edu Fidelity Charitable, Fidelity Charitable Communications, 617-563-5800, fidelitycorporateaffairs@fmr.com…

High Impact Year-End Giving 2015

Around the world, the end of the year is a time of celebration and giving. In the United States, an estimated $75-100 billion—about one-quarter…

Knowledge@Wharton features the Center on Mission Related Investments

Carra Cote-Ackah, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, and Dick Henriques, Senior Fellow, discuss what are mission investments, why they are used, and challenges…

How Can I Help?: Center, JBJ Soul, UBS & Others Partner to Build Back Better in NJ after Hurricane Sandy

In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy killed more than 150 people in the U.S. and caused an estimated $65B in damage – making it the…

When Making Donations, Know An Agency’s Needs

The New York Times asked for our perspective on best ways to give this holiday season. “Donors can tell if they get a warm glow when…

The New York Times features Center on disaster relief impact investment strategies

Carra Cote-Ackah, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, discusses the importance of impact investment and how this principle has influenced the giving of Jon…

A New Handbook on Global Philanthropy: Q&A with Femida Handy & Pamala Wiepking

The Palgrave Handbook of Global Philanthropy is a new comprehensive guide to the practice of philanthropy and nonprofit sector in 26 countries. We spoke…

Environmental Health in Early Childhood: Support Research & Innovation

This blog is the fifth in our five-part series on philanthropic strategies for preventing and reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. To learn more,…

Environmental Health in Early Childhood: Q&A with Dr. Philip Landrigan

This blog is the fourth in our five-part series on philanthropic strategies for preventing and reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. To learn more,…

Lifting the Burden of Addiction: Q&A with Chris Simiriglia, President & CEO of Pathways to Housing PA

Chris Simiriglia is CEO of Pathways to Housing PA, an organization focused on transforming the lives of people experiencing mental health challenges and chronic…

KQED Radio features Center on disaster relief organizations

Kyle Sherman, Social Impact Fellow at the Center, was interviewed by KQED Radio about the American Red Cross Sunshine Act and how donors can…

Lifting the Burden of Addiction: Q&A with Amy Lindner, President & CEO of Meta House

See our year-end profile of Meta House. Amy Lindner is the President & CEO of Meta House, an organization that provides substance use treatment…

Lifting the Burden of Addiction: Philanthropic opportunities to address substance use disorders in the United States

“Street crime is no longer the clearest barometer of our drug problem; corpses are.” – Sam Quinones, reporter “We must bolster our current approach to addiction…

How Can I Help?: Syrian Refugee Crisis Q/A With Emily Arnold-Fernandez

Last week, a tragic image of a drowned Syrian boy whose family was crossing the Mediterranean Sea as refugees made international headlines. The UNHCR...

How Can I Help?: Reflecting on Hurricane Katrina, 10 Years later

Ten years ago this month, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Many are now reflecting on lessons we’ve learned from the disaster and the challenges…

The Case for Two-Generation Approaches to Early Childhood

Stay tuned for more from our team on two-generation programs in fall 2016.  For more on other high impact opportunities in early childhood, check…

Environmental Health in Early Childhood: Prevent and Reduce Exposure Today to Known Harmful Chemicals in the Built, Consumer, and Natural Environments

This blog is the third in our five-part series on philanthropic strategies for preventing and reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. To learn more,…

Environmental Health in Early Childhood: Advocate for Better Policy & Practice

This blog is the second in our five-part series on philanthropic strategies for preventing and reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. To learn more, see…

Environmental Health in Early Childhood: Why It Matters

This blog is the first in our five-part series on philanthropic strategies for preventing and reducing childhood exposure to harmful chemicals. To learn more, see…

Thank You, Summer Associates of 2015!

As the summer winds down, we bid farewell to our most recent class of Summer Associates: Lisa Shmulyan, Amber Hu, Bobby Lundquist, Stephanie Virbitsky,…

Fixing Neighborhoods from the Outside In

What happens when you fix up abandoned buildings in inner-city Philadelphia neighborhoods? Besides improving the look of the space, minor building remediation can cause…

“I have the report- now what?” 7 Questions to Ask When Reading Program Evaluations

Program evaluations provide answers to a key question: “Did this program work in a particular population and setting?” For funders who haven’t been trained…

Tips for Avoiding Fraud: Donors Lessons from the $187 Million Cancer Charity Scam

The “Best of” Sirius XM Business Radio Powered by Wharton includes guidance on something that all donors care about- avoiding scams. In a recent…

Why We’ve Failed: Lessons Learned from the US War on Drugs

America’s War on Drugs has been raging for decades, with specific implications for people with substance use disorders (SUDs). However, recent trends in marijuana…

FactCheck.org features Center’s perspective on foundation operations

FactCheck.org asked the Center for our perspective on recent questions surrounding the Clinton Foundation and its operations. “There is an important distinction between an…

American giving after the recession: Back on track, with room to grow

Has charitable giving in the U.S. recovered from the Great Recession? The answer seems to be yes—but that giving might not look the same…

Philadelphia Inquirer quotes Center’s perspective on U.S. giving trends

Giving USA’s 60th annual report shows that giving in the U.S. has recovered from the recession, but there is still room to grow. Our…

Lifting the burden of addiction: Mythbuster edition

Substance use has been making headlines lately as heroin use skyrockets, but in the coverage of this “quiet epidemic,” there’s been little information about…

Center featured in Kennedy Forum Opening Plenary

On June 9th, advocates, policymakers, business leaders, and philanthropists gathered for the Kennedy Forum in Boston, a daylong forum on mental health policy. Our founding executive…

Our Latest Guidance: Philanthropy & Substance Use Disorders

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy is excited to announce our upcoming guidance, Lifting the Burden of Addiction: Philanthropic opportunities to address substance use disorders…

Feedback Loops: Cultivating Relationships for Better Outcomes

How ya doin? Here in the northeastern part of the United States that question (along with its variants, ‘What’s up?’, ‘How’s it going’) is…

Center participates in Knowledge@Wharton radio show on charity fraud

In a recent joint action with attorney generals for all 50 states, the Federal Trade Commission has stated that four large cancer charities have defrauded…

Dick Henriques, retired CFO of Gates Foundation, joins the Center for High Impact Philanthropy

This week, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy is pleased to announce that Richard “Dick” Henriques will be joining our team as a Senior…

UPDATE on Nepal Earthquakes: How Can I Help?

This post updates our original guidance posted 3 days after the April 25 earthquake, as well as an update issued last week. It synthesizes…

Notes from the field: Global Health Innovation, CORE Group, & International Grantmakers

By Kyle Sherman, Social Impact Fellow at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy Over five weeks in March and April, I participated in three…

UPDATE on Nepal Earthquake: How Can I Help?

Click here for our May 15 UPDATE on Nepal Earthquakes: How Can I Help? This post updates our original guidance posted 3 days after…

Invest in a Strong Start for Children: Our Newly Updated Early Childhood Donor Toolkit

In the past thirty seconds, three more children were born in the United States. Of these three, only two are likely to graduate from…

Nepal Earthquake: How Can I Help?

Click here for our May 8 UPDATE on Nepal Earthquake: How Can I Help? Click here for our May 15 UPDATE on Nepal Earthquakes:…

What’s up at CHIP: how we choose projects and what we’re working on

We are often asked how we identify our high-impact opportunities. Like any organization, we have limited resources, so need to consider carefully where to…

Quality Early Learning Programs Are Worth the Investment: Q&A with Dr. Steven Barnett

This is the fourth in our series of blogs on some of the latest issues in early childhood education, celebrating the release of our…

Investing in Kids Can Yield High Returns: Q&A with Dr. Lynn A. Karoly

This is the third in our series of blogs on some of the latest issues in early childhood education, celebrating the release of our…

What Neuroscience Tells Us About A Child’s First Years: Q&A with Dr. Martha J. Farah

This is the second in our series of blogs on some of the latest issues in early childhood education, leading up to the release…

Investing in Early Childhood Innovation: Q&A with Dr. Jack P. Shonkoff

This is the first in our series of blogs on some of the latest issues in early childhood education, leading up to the release…

Recruiting Our 2015 Summer Associate Class

Despite (or because of?) the ice and 20 degree weather here on campus, our thoughts are quickly turning to summer. With graduation and the…

Improving Your Social Impact Measurement Practices (part 2): Three Distinctions on the Path to Impact

Adapted from our presentation at the Jewish Federation General Assembly 2014. There is a growing chorus insisting that donors and nonprofits ‘measure to results’…

Improving Your Social Impact Measurement Practices (Part 1): Three Tips

Adapted from our presentation at the Jewish Federation General Assembly 2014. We think a lot about measurement, thanks to our mission and academic home….

Ensuring Post-secondary Success Through Early College High Schools (Jobs for the Future)

A college degree is increasingly essential to earning a living wage in the U.S., but only 13% of low-income students attain this vital credential….

Center quoted in BBC Capital: “Are you picking the best charity?”

Founding executive director Kat Rosqueta provided BBC Capital readers with insight on choosing the right charity to support. For many donors, she said, their…

Ebola: What’s Next and How Can I Help? (Liberia Case Example)

The Situation In terms of the number of Ebola cases, the conditions on the ground have rapidly improved over the past three months since…

The Giving Conundrum

A re-post of Courtney E. Martin’s original blog piece The Giving Conundrum, featured in On Being. When I hear the word “tithe,” it makes…

2015 Brings New Staff and Renewed Energy to our Center

Happy new year! Here at the Center, we’re starting 2015 with renewed energy thanks, in large part, to the addition of our new team…

The Giving Conundrum

In her recent On Being column, writer Courtney Martin quotes founding executive director Kat Rosqueta, who explains the role both heart and head play…

How do you know the charity you’re giving to is making the impact you hoped for?

In this recent radio interview and podcast, founding executive director Kat Rosqueta answers Larry Rifkin’s questions about how donors can have more confidence that…

High Impact Year-End Giving Guidance

Our team is pleased to announce the release of our annual, high impact year-end giving guidance.   And we’re very excited to share that the…

Tips for giving beyond Giving Tuesday

The Center’s Kat Rosqueta joined Ken Berger, head of Charity Navigator; Clam Lorenz, general manager for social innovation at PayPal; Chris Carnal, who head…

Give the Best Gift on Giving Tuesday

Following the buying frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday offers an important opportunity to complement our own holiday shopping with a…

Nonprofits examine effects of online crowdfunding on traditional giving campaigns

While many people may associate crowdfunding projects with efforts by individuals, now some of the more established, larger nonprofits are viewing crowdfunding as one…

Giving Tuesday a day to give back

“Perhaps, then, Giving Tuesday could be ‘a day to thank the folks who’ve been supporting the nonprofits all along,’ rather than a day of…

How the Kalydeco Deal Will Shape Philanthropy’s Future

Listen as Kat Rosqueta joins Denis Hadjiliadis of the Perelman School of Medicine at Penn and Arthur Caplan of NYU’s Langone Medical Center to…

Family Philanthropy in Asia: Q&A with Jenny Santi

As part of our series on Philanthropy in Asia, we sat down with Jenny Santi, a philanthropy advisor to ultra high net worth philanthropists,…

Philanthropy in Asia: Playing Catch-up or Leapfrogging?

In the past few decades, Asia as a region has seen enormous economic growth.  And economists project this growth will remain robust into 2018…

Global Refugee Work Rights Report QA with Emily Arnold Fernandez

According to the UN Refugee Agency, today there are approximately 16 million refugees, people who have fled their own country to escape persecution or…

Center featured in Money Magazine article on charitable giving

With the end of the year approaching, Money Magazine recently sat down with our founding executive director Kat Rosqueta to get the Center’s perspective on…

Charities Kick Off Holiday Season With Giving Tuesday

“I think any campaign that is a celebration of giving and generosity overall is a great thing for philanthropy.” Listen to our founding executive…

Notes from the Field: Early Childhood in Philadelphia and Jewish Federation General Assembly, a Glob

Given our role in the sector, our team members often participate in conversations where we see opportunities to support donors and nonprofits alike. In…

Bon Jovi to receive humanitarian award

Jon Bon Jovi is the 2014 recipient of Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Award, which honors artists who are also humanitarians and philanthropists. Kat Rosqueta comments…

Ebola Outbreak: How Can I Help? An Update & Focus on Liberia

In this post, we provide a brief update on the Ebola crisis, criteria for selecting organizations to support, and specific opportunities for you to…

Fall Update: TEDx Talk, Educational Programs, New Work & Evolving Team

Few times of the year are as energizing for our team as the start of a new school year here at the university. We’re…

Ebola Outbreak: How Can I Help?

For our latest guidance, see Ebola Outbreak: How Can I Help? An Update & Focus on Liberia. The Ebola outbreak continues to spread in…

Graduating Impact: Eight years of preparing emerging leaders

Image source: University of Pennsylvania Monday, May 19, 2014 marks the University of Pennsylvania’s 258th Commencement. Each year, our team at the Center for…

Graduating Impact: Seven years of preparing emerging leaders

Image source: University of Pennsylvania Monday, May 13, 2013 marks the University of Pennsylvania’s 257th Commencement. Each year our team  at the Center for…

The Grandmother Project: Change through Culture

“A house without a grandmother is like a road that goes nowhere.” –Senegalese proverb The Grandmother Project (GMP) sees culture as a unique and…

Childhood Obesity Awareness Month: Opportunity for Donors to Encourage Healthy Choices

Despite some positive trends at the state level, childhood obesity continues to plague our nation.  To bring attention to the epidemic and its overwhelming…

Notes from the Field (New York City): The Power of The Crowd

Members of our Center’s team attended two events that took place in New York City last week—one you’ve probably heard of, and one that…

Domestic Violence: Turning “Why does she stay?” into “How can I help?”

In the wake of the public release of video showing an American football player punching his then-fiancé in the face and dragging her unconscious…

Childhood Obesity Awareness Month: An Opportunity for Donors to Support Children’s Health

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Throughout September, the Center will draw from our report, Donor Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity: Lessons from Greater…

Developing Cross-Sector Leadership for Social Impact

As members of a university community, our team has the privilege and opportunity to prepare students for leadership roles in contributing to positive social…

Moving From Avoiding Summer Melt To Ensuring College Success

On the high impact philanthropy blog we’ve discussed summer slide, when gains during the school year are lost during the summer (see Make Summer…

World Breastfeeding Week 2014: An Opportunity for Donors to Support Child Survival

Newborn deaths in the first 28 days of life now represent 44% of all child deaths under five years (see The Lancet’s Every Newborn…

From Priorities to Impact: Our take on “Smart Aid for the World’s Poor”

In Smart Aid for the World’s Poor,  Matt Ridley, author of The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves and a member of the British House…

Reflections From the Field: A Visit to Washington, D.C.

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of visiting our nation’s capital to represent the Center at two fascinating events that discussed scaling solutions to…

Invest in a Strong Start for Children: Renewed Partnership

The Center is very pleased to announce a renewed partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation that will allow our team to expand on…

Catalytic Women Expert Interview: Kat Rosqueta on High Impact Philanthropy

Originally published on the Catalytic Women blog. Catalytic Women offers tools and training to donors, investors and advisors who aim to align their philanthropy…

Talent for Social Impact: New Guidance and a New Class of Fellows

“What we really need is something that translates research into tools, into policies and into practices the world can actually use.” – Dr. A….

School’s Out: From Summer Slide to Summer Melt

The kids can taste it:  the end of school is almost here.  With the start of summer come long days of play, hanging out…

Philanthropy That Fits: Defining Your Impact With the Community, Q&A with Rich Hardwood

Defining the impact you seek is the first step towards becoming a high-impact giver. So, how can you make sure you’re doing it right?…

Philanthropy That Fits: The Intersection Between Culture and Impact

Culture is a slippery concept, but it seems to be an increasingly important one. From the growth of culturally sensitive education for medical professionals…

Physical Fitness and Sports Month 2014: Girls on the Run

In 2011, President Obama declared May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Throughout the month, schools and community organizations around the nation will…

2014 Lipman Family Prize Winner: Breakthrough

The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania is an annual global prize that celebrates leadership and innovation among social…

World Malaria Day 2014: Invest in the future. Defeat malaria.

In recent years, malaria has been established as a global priority for health and development.  Effective, low-cost tools, along with a growing consensus on…

Keeping America Beautiful: PHS’s ‘Cleaning and Greening’ LandCare Program

April is Keep America Beautiful Month. Urban vacant lots attract litter and illegal dumping, function as a breeding ground for pests, degrade the quality…

Invest in a Strong Start for Children: Create New, High-Quality Early Learning Centers and Schools

Part of our recent guidance: Invest in a Strong Start for Children: a Toolkit for Donors High-quality childcare and preschool can have lasting positive…

A Global Public Health Toolkit for Donors: Saving Children’s Lives through Community Case Management

Part of our series Child Survival Guidance  Millions of children around the world live in remote areas where care from trained health professionals is…

TEDx: ‘Kat’ Rosqueta on innovative philanthropy for as little as $5 (Philly.com)

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta discusses her experience with TEDx Philadelphia and how philanthropy can help revitalize…

TEDxPhiladelphia: Kat Rosqueta and others on the New Workshop of the World

It’s finally here! TEDxPhiladelphia is this Friday, March 28, beginning at 9AM EST. If you weren’t able to snag tickets or are too far...

Interview with Katherina Rosqueta (Financial Safari)

Founding Executive Director Katherina Rosqueta is interviewed for Financial Safari’s segment with “Coach Pete” to help audiences better understand what it means to be…

How Do You Give? A Closer Look at High Impact Philanthropy (IMPACT Magazine)

IMPACT Magazine explores the meaning of high impact philanthropy, looking to the Center for High Impact Philanthropy and GiveWell as examples. Read more in…

At TEDxPhiladelphia, rethinking the past to envision the city’s future (Philly.com)

Founding Executive Director Katherina Rosqueta featured in TEDx Philadelphia’s “The New Workshop of the World”. Katherina notes that Philadelphia has evolved into a “do-ocracy,”…

TEDx: ‘Kat’ Rosqueta on innovative philanthropy for as little as $5 (Philly.com)

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta discusses her experience with TEDx Philadelphia and how philanthropy can help revitalize…

High impact philanthropy makes the most of each dollar (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

Using Philadelphia as a case example is the subject of the upcoming TEDxPhiladelphia conference, themed “the new workshop of the world.” “It really is…

Making a difference in this season of giving (The New York Times)

Whatever you ultimately decide to give, you want to be sure your charitable dollars are being deployed effectively. “How well you give is far…

You can be a philanthropist too: How to give well on Giving Tuesday (The Guardian)

“Another great resource comes from the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, which offers some tips to help you make sure your dollars are making…

Brave New World (Axis Philly)

Good choices require good information. But there’s still a real question about exactly what information is useful, and what isn’t. Too much focus on…

Penn organizations send relief to typhoon victims (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

Executive Director Katherina Rosqueta said the Center was able to speak to the Red Cross and Gawad Kalinga, another aid organization, soon after the…

Donor Strategies to Prevent Childhood Obesity: Lessons from Greater Philadelphia

In 2012, one in three children and adolescents were overweight or obese.  Obesity exacts a tremendous price on overweight children, leading to serious chronic…

Rethinking the E Word

The following post was originally published on the Stanford Social Innovation Review blog as part of a series exploring the meaning and value of strategic philanthropy….

Invest in a Strong Start for Children: A Toolkit for Donors

Part of our 2014 commitment to start the year showing donors how they can ensure a strong start in life for children. In the…

Investing in high quality preschool: Q&A with Dr. Robert C. Pianta

From the President’s State of the Union Address to Nobel laureate’s analyses of cost effectiveness, there is a growing chorus of calls for investment…

Seeking Confidence in Your Impact? Broaden Your Definition of Evidence

Originally published on the CEP blog. The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) is a nonprofit organization focused on the development of data to aid…

Saving Children’s Lives: Reducing Malnutrition in the Developing World

Part of our series Saving Children’s Lives: A Global Public Health Toolkit for Donors One in four children around the world is malnourished, with…

The Effect Crowdfunding Has on Venerable Nonprofits Raises Concern (New York Times)

Founding Executive Director Kat Rosqueta quoted in a NYT piece that discusses the recent phenomenon of crowdfunding and the fear that it may divert…

Saving Children’s Lives: Global Public Health Guidance for Donors

  Part of our 2014 commitments to start the year showing donors how they can ensure a strong start in life for all children….

Beyond Averages: Why the Numbers Matter

As Bill and Melinda Gates point out in a recent op-ed, the past fifty years have brought unprecedented global economic growth: “In our lifetimes,…

The Power of Mentoring

Think back to when you were growing up. Was there an adult who took a genuine interest in you, perhaps giving you a chance…

2014: New Year, Fewer Silos, More Impact

It’s a new year and a chance to commit to – and in some cases, recommit to – ways we can help donors achieve…

Investing in a Strong Start

It’s the start of a new year. Here at the Center, we couldn’t think of a better way to begin the year than by…

Saving Lives Through Childhood Vaccines: Q&A with Andrea Gay of the United Nations Foundation

Can we eliminate measles? Andrea Gay, Executive Director of Children’s Health at the United Nations Foundation, certainly believes it is possible. An expert on…

Aligning Impact for Healthy Communities: Q&A with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

2015 Update: Greening Urban Lots Delivers Additional Health Impact In addition to the findings discussed below regarding greened vacant lots lowering crime and increasing…

Philippines Typhoon: How Can I Help?

Updated 11/18/13. On Friday, November 8th, Typhoon Haiyan (also known as Yolanda) hit the eastern seaboard of the Philippines and tore across its central…

Women and Girls in the Wake of Haiyan: How Can I Help?

Everyone is equally vulnerable in the midst of a natural disaster– but what happens when it’s over?   While natural disasters affect everyone, there…

Impact Myth #5: If I don’t see change, I’ve had no impact

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, did it still make an impact? This week in our Five Myths and…

Impact Myths: Some Impacts Simply Can’t Be Measured

Impact Myth: Some Impacts Simply Don’t Allow for Measurement Pop quiz: What’s one thing that can’t be measured? Love? Happiness? Measuring love might seem…

Impact Myths: The Dangers of Rose-Colored Glasses

In our ongoing series on impact, we address five myths and a question about social impact definition. This week, we discuss our third myth:…

Impact Myths: Attribution and Contribution

Whose Impact Is It, Anyway? In our ongoing series on impact, we address five myths and a question about impact definition. This week, we…

Beyond Compliance: Measuring to Learn, Improve, and Create Positive Change

At New Philanthropy Capital’s recent annual conference, measurement issues were front and center, with plenty of concern regarding current practices and their usefulness– as…

More Questions On Impact: Beneficiary Perspective, Assessment, Heart & Head, and . . . Tomatoes?

How do I incorporate beneficiaries’ perspective? How do I assess impact in a constantly changing world? How do I integrate head and heart? And…what…

A Question About Impact: By Whom, For Whom, and Definitions

Everyone seems to be talking about it. Most say they want it. But who really gets to define impact and for whom? That was…

Evoking the Drum Major: Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr’s Legacy

  Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech delivered at the March on Washington…

Five Myths and a Question About Impact

Everyone seems to be talking about it. Most say they want it. But who really gets to define impact and for whom?  A recent…

Summer Social Impact Reading

For many, August marks a slow down in daily affairs–a time for vacations and a period of calm before the school year storm. This…

Investing in Early Childhood: A No Brainer

Groundbreaking brain research adds yet another layer to the growing case for investing in early childhood, a case that we first articulated in Pathways…

Improving Child Health & Nutrition with Care Group Programs: Q&A w/Tom Davis of Food for the Hungry

  Carol McLaughlin, Research Director Can community volunteers bring about sustainable behavior change? Tom Davis, Chief Program Officer of Food for the Hungry, says…

Impact of donations to food-related charities illustrated in online guide (The Daily Pennsylvanian)

The Food Funder Compass will help donors direct their funds to causes like obesity, hunger By San Le · July 24, 2013, 10:11 pm…

100Kin10’s “A Taste of STEM”

America’s students rank 25th in math and 17th in science when compared to other countries on international academic assessments. We were once the world’s…

New Guidance: Food Funder Compass

Donors get pitched a lot, and food-related funding can be a complicated space. Since 2009, we have sought to clarify this space for donors…

Celebrating the Fourth of July and the Independent Sector

As our offices prepare to close in honor of July 4th, Independence Day here in the US, I am reminded of the singular nature…

Who doesn’t want to be relevant?

Last year’s Conference on Scaling Impact — an annual gathering for funders and invited nonprofit leaders — posed the provocative question of whether or…

Haiti: How Can I Help? Tips for Donors One Year Later – Part 2

If Haiti is to move beyond the current devastation and dependence on aid, its people have to be able to make a living. We continue…

A Targeted Approach (Campden FB)

ARTICLE | 6 MARCH, 2013 04:20 PM | BY ATTRACTA MOONEY If there is a buzz-phrase at the moment among those interested in philanthropy,…

Top 10 Tips for Impact Giving (Campden FB)

ARTICLE | 6 MARCH, 2013 04:20 PM | BY ATTRACTA MOONEY 1) Seek advice. If you were setting up a business, you’d probably take…

What’s Going on at Penn? How the University is Embracing Social Impact Throughout the Curriculum

By Judy Weightman | Posted on Monday, April 1st, 2013 Today’s college students have a lot going on — in addition to their studies,…

The New Philanthropists: More Sophisticated, More Demanding—and Younger (Knowledge@Wharton)

Published: April 24, 2013 in Knowledge@Wharton. Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie once said that he who dies leaving behind many millions will “pass away unwept,…

Learning About High Impact Philanthropy: From Public Education to Donor Education

This morning’s reading list turned into a high-impact informational philanthropy experience from various information sharing channels. It started when Kat Rosqueta, our executive director,…

Charity can’t fill holes in aid to poor (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Alfred Lubrano, Inquirer Staff Writer POSTED: Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 3:01 AM When it comes to poverty, myths abound. Americans believe that legions of…

The New Science of Giving (Wall Street Journal)

A young Houston couple is planning to give away $4 billion—but only to projects that prove they are worth it. Can they redefine the…

The Contrarian Path to Impact

I love a good, contrarian viewpoint. It’s not because I relish conflict or have a knee-jerk sympathy for the underdog. I’ve just seen how…

Making Summer Count

The countdown is on for the remaining days of school—for the majority of U.S. kids, June means school is out and summer is here….

Preview to Giving Season 2013: Q&A with #GivingTuesday creator, Henry Timms (Part 1)

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 was the first #GivingTuesday™—started as a day to celebrate giving—following the consumer spending activities of Black Friday and Cyber Monday….

Making Impact Classy: Q&A with Pat Walsh, co-founder of the CLASSY Awards

The CLASSY Awards—which aim to highlight the impact of nonprofit organizations, socially-conscious businesses, and individuals engaged in charitable work—are scheduled for May 2-3, 2014 in…

Oklahoma Tornado: How Can I Help?

On Monday, May 20th a tornado hit the area of Moore, Oklahoma, bringing winds of over 190 miles per hour and a path of…

Scaling Community Impact: Q&A with GreenLight Philadelphia

This April, the GreenLight Fund selected its first two organizations to help expand to Philadelphia – Single Stop USA and Year Up. GreenLight’s model,…

Event: “Women’s Health and the World’s Cities” Book Event

Join our executive director, Kat Rosqueta, co-author of Ch. 14: “Philanthropy and Its Impact on Urban Women’s Health” along with speakers such as Afaf…

Event: Donor Educational Workshop on Community Health & Education

An invitation-only, purely educational effort to inform participants about the latest research, biggest ideas and best efforts underway in our key topic areas. Watch…

Event: Donor Education Seminar: Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Families

Our first seminar, The Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s Inaugural Seminar at Wharton, took place on Sunday, November 7th and Monday, November 8th, 2010.

Event: Documentary Screening: ‘Saving Philanthropy’

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy, the Wharton Program for Social Impact, and the Wharton Leadership Program hosted a preview screening of the documentary film “Saving Philanthropy” followed…

Event: Donor Educational Workshop on Community Health & Education

An invitation-only, purely educational effort to inform participants about the latest research, biggest ideas and best efforts underway in our key topic areas. Watch…

The Promise and Power of Networks: Highlights from the Second Annual 100Kin10 Summit

Two weeks ago, I represented the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the second annual Partner Summit for 100Kin10. Formed in 2011, 100Kin10 is…

Beyond Grants: EITC and OSTC, Alternatives for Businesses to Fund Social Impact

In 2012, we made a commitment to explore alternatives to grants for donors focused on impact. Philanthropic grants have always been one way businesses…

Rethinking Social Entrepreneurship

For the past 3 years, I have been a juror for the Purpose Prize, a $100,000 cash prize awarded annually to each of five…

Black Philanthropy – Past and Present: Interview with Penn’s Marybeth Gasman

We’re following up with another installment in our focus on Black Philanthropy during Black History Month. This week, we’re featuring a short Q&A interview…

Haiti: How Can I Help? – Lessons for donors on building back better

It has been three years since the devastating earthquake that killed over 200,000 people and left thousands more displaced, struggling to get back on their feet…

Black Philanthropy: An Important Yet Overlooked Part of Black History

  If you search for the top philanthropists in the U.S., you might notice a limited representation of Black philanthropists. For example, a quick…

Social Impact Through Service: MLK Day of Service

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: “What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr. Image Source: Corporation for National & Community…

Haiti, Three Years Later: Continuing to Work Toward Long-Term Impact

As we approach the third anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti there are both stories of progress as well as much criticism of…

New Year, New Projects, More Impact

A new year and new semester are underway here at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy. As a follow-up to last fall’s announcement of New…

Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, CT: How Can I Help?

It is during this time—the traditional season of giving and celebrating the approaching New Year—that many people give hope and assistance to those in…

World Malaria Day 2013 – How Can I Help?

Thursday, April 25th is World Malaria Day. We can celebrate the progress that has been made—such as 1.1 million lives saved over the past decade1—and…

All in the Family…Office

As wealthy families become more sophisticated with their philanthropic giving, the role of the family foundation and family office also becomes more important. According…

Teaching Impact: A University Collaboration

Spring marks the initiation of growth, as well as the culmination of the first quarter of the year when we take stock of progress…

Working Hard & Working Well: Q&A Interview with David Hunter of Hunter Consulting

In 2009, David Hunter published an article in the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal in which he revealed three unpleasant truths about the nonprofit sector:…

Japan, Haiti, and Donor Considerations for Disaster Relief

In many ways, the two situations couldn’t be more different. Japan is one of the richest nations in the world, quite possibly the country…

Strategic Capital to Improve Teaching Quality: making the most of limited funding

Across the country, federal, state, and local governments are facing painful education budget decisions. While philanthropic capital is a drop in the bucket compared…

Haiti and Katrina: Differences donors should know

For 2 weeks, our team has seen a strong desire by some to compare the earthquake in Haiti to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans….

High Impact Philanthropy to Improve Teaching Quality: Special Report

Last week, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy released a special report in education highlighting how donors can improve the single biggest in-school factor…

Haiti: Jump Starting the Recovery with Solutions for the Long Term

As we write this post, government officials and international groups are meeting in Montreal to discuss “long-term reconstruction and arrangement for a donor conference…

Access to medication is a start, but long term change is needed for the poor (Part 3)

The Clinton Global Initiative, UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, and TEDxChange are only one week away. We present this series of five daily blogs on Neglected…

Haiti: Getting It There Without Getting In The Way (for those special cases where in-kind donations

Since last week, we have been emphasizing the need for financial contributions (see Haiti: How Can I Help). Cash allows aid professionals to procure…

Wrapping up our "Back to School" Book Reports

Over the last 7 weeks we've been writing a series of “Back to School” book reports by members of our team. We selected books based on…

Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund, Teaching Quality, and Student Literacy Achievement Across Discipl

i3 and Child Literacy For philanthropists interested in supporting promising practices in the realm of education, a new and exciting opportunity has come about….

For neglected tropical diseases, $0.40 goes a long way (Part 2)

The Clinton Global Initiative, UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, and TEDxChange are only one week away. We present this series of five daily blogs on Neglected…

What are neglected tropical diseases? (Part 1)

The Clinton Global Initiative, UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, and TEDxChange are only one week away. We present this series of five daily blogs on…

Shifting school landscape: a Philadelphia case study

The landscape of education in Philadelphia has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia Research Initiative titled “Philadelphia’s…

The Cost – and Impact – of Turning Around a Failing School

“As recently as 2008, Locke High School here was one of the nation’s worst failing schools, and drew national attention for its hallway beatings,…

Haiti in Context

The Haiti disaster has all but faded from the headlines. We know the grim numbers: the latest estimates are that more than 250,000 people…

The Gift of Time

So what if your gift for the holidays were an unusual one?  What if it were more time? That was precisely the gift presented…

Cracking the Code on Scale: Lessons from the 2012 GEO Conference

In a world of declining resources, How can donors invest in scaling what works? This is a critical question for all of us concerned with…

The Importance of Reflective Philanthropy: Lessons for donors interested in innovation

As part of our Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy series, JYPI201 teen funder Eric Miller discussed his passion for an organization called PlayPumps International which sought to…

Real Change for Real People: How investments change lives (Part 5)

The Clinton Global Initiative, UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, and TEDxChange are only a few days away. We present this series of five daily blogs…

Japan: “Cutting Through the Noise” – Effective donor help during the immediate relief phase

Since our last blog post, Japan, Haiti, and Donor Considerations for Disaster Relief, we have received many inquiries from donors wishing to help. In this…

Neglected in Research and Development (Part 4)

The Clinton Global Initiative, UN Summit on Millennium Development Goals, and TEDxChange are only one week away. We present this series of five daily blogs on Neglected…

Haiti: Focus on Children

In our earlier posts, we discussed the various steps in the transition from immediate relief to recovery to longer-term impact (See: Haiti: “Cutting Through…

School’s almost out, make sure learning isn’t

It’s June, and many students around the country are really, really ready to be done with school. Unfortunately, for many kids who don’t have access…

Giving Conversations: Q&A Interview with Susan Wolf Ditkoff of The Bridgespan Group

Online sites like Strategic Philanthropy’s Give Confidently, and Morgan Stanley’s Perspectives in Philanthropy tap into something we at the Center have long known: stories…

Haiti: Ongoing and Future Needs, "Crisis As Catalyst" Event at Penn

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale devastated the island nation of Haiti, generating a global outpouring of support….

Haiti: How Can I Help? Tips for Donors One Year Later – Part 3

There can be no lasting improvements in Haiti without educating Haiti’s children. Here, we describe two models to bring education to the more than…

Our “Back to School” Blog Series

So here it is, September again, and we are shipping our kids off to school. For many of them, one of those fall rights-of-passage…

Children and Hunger in Philadelphia

Historic rates of unemployment, foreclosure, and lack of access to healthcare have stretched families to the limit. As a result, many are increasingly unable…

Haiti: How Can I Help? Tips for Donors One Year Later – Part 1

January12th marks the one year anniversary of the 7.0 earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area of Haiti. With the popular press flooded…

Hurricane Sandy: How Can I Help?

In the U.S., Hurricane Sandy’s path of destruction swept through communities in South Carolina through Maine and as far west as Michigan. At its…

Phases of Impact for Donors Concerned About East Africa

The combination of acute drought on top of political instability and dysfunction (e.g., Somalia) has led to a dire situation in East Africa that…

Let’s not dismiss the Harlem Children’s Zone just yet…

  A recent NY Times article entitled Lauded Harlem Schools Have Their Own Problems, discusses how Harlem Children’s Zone (HCZ) charter schools’ tests scores…

World Malaria Day: High impact strategies for donors

World Malaria Day (April 25) presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made toward reducing the global burden of…

Teachers Are Students, Too: Improving teacher education through high impact philanthropy

As a follow-up to last week's Blog Response to “A Teacher Quality Manifesto”,  this week’s commentary on teaching quality is brought to you by CHIP team members:…

Kicking Off 100Kin10

Question:  What does the Center for High Impact Philanthropy have in common with NASA, the state government of Maryland, The American Museum of Natural History,…

Guess Who?

Hello, I am… Generally trained on theory, but with few chances to put ideas to practice Expected to the do the same job on…

Blog Response to A Teacher Quality Manifesto: Teachers are People, Too

Last week, we began working on a blog response to a ripped-out piece of newspaper from the Wall Street Journal, even in the midst of…

Revamping the Teaching Profession: Investing in teachers from the very beginning

“You can spend a lot of money on education, but if you don’t spend it wisely, on improving the quality of instruction, you won’t…

Notes from the Field: Ryan Biner of TFA Talks Teaching Quality

Ryan Biner is a 2009 Teach For America corps member. He teaches English Language Arts for students with special needs at a charter school…

Are Donors and Nonprofits on the Same Path to Impact? Share your story.

As some of our readers might recall, in February, we announced a joint partnership between the Wharton Program for Social Impact (WPSI) and the…

Leveraging Innovation in Education: An Act-Now Opportunity for #GivingTuesday

Today is #GivingTuesday™ and with the holidays approaching, many donors may be starting to think about end-of-year giving. One way to think about increasing…

Social Impact Analytics Initiative: A partnership between the Center for High Impact Philanthropy an

In his recent blog for the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Kevin Starr of the Mulago Foundation refers to impact investing as a “dog’s breakfast” (definition:…

Conversation on Improving Teachers and Teaching with Ellen Moir, The New Teacher Center, and Bryan H

One of the great pleasures and privileges of working at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy is talking with committed, smart people, including donors…

Don’t Forget Haiti

Two years ago today, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake. The damage done and suffering inflicted was extraordinary, but so too was the response it…

Our Re-Commitments in 2012

As we start 2012 excited for new ventures and challenges, we look back on what we’ve learned and think about how the philanthropy sector…

TEDx: Spreading ideas across 66 countries via livestream video – can that really work?

Yes, it can—based on our recent experiences. Last Thursday April 5, our executive director, Kat Rosqueta and Liz Ellers, founder of globalislocal co-hosted a screening…

Not Your Hoity-Toity Philanthropist: How to engage with real high net worth donors

“The word ‘philanthropist’ still cracks me up because it sounds so hoity-toity…I’m not Rockefeller.” This quotation was from one of the 33 individuals that…

Let’s Can the Canned Food Drive – Questions and Answers

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and in the U.S. it means the start of the traditional season for addressing the needs of hungry families. As in…

A February Resolution: Whether you stay the course or not, know where you’re heading

It’s no secret that real-time feedback is critical to improving performance—and, ultimately, impact. Yet daily responsibilities for philanthropic investors and nonprofit leadership alike can…

High Impact Holidays: Bringing Relief to Vulnerable Families

It’s the week before Thanksgiving. For many, it marks the start of the holiday season and a time when donors consider making in-kind or…

Is “Unsexy” In?

As a participant at Social Impact Exchange Conference on Scaling Impact last week, I attended a session entitled, “Scaling through systems change and collective…

Millennials: How different are they?

We’ve all heard the term “snake people”—that catchall phrase being used to describe the 50 million Americans from ages 18-29 that are the children…

How we picked 10 of our best high impact opportunities (it wasn’t easy)

December is a time of assessment. Organizations end fiscal years, supervisors and staff conduct performance reviews, and individuals reflect in preparation for a better…

Supporting The Home Team

I have been spending much of my free time these last few days watching the Olympics.  Besides the pleasure of watching talented athletes compete, two things stand out…

Lifting the Burden of Malaria: Ashton Kutcher, CNN, Twitter and MalariaNoMore

After a self-reported “night of tweeting”, Autumn came into my office describing how the Twitter world has been chirping with activity since Ashton Kutcher…

Action Agenda: High Impact Philanthropy for the Economic Downturn

We welcome your feedback! Overview The US and the global economies are facing a contraction not seen since the Great Depression. The downturn has…

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Event: “Women’s Health and the World’s Cities” Book Event

Join our executive director, Kat Rosqueta, co-author of Ch. 14: “Philanthropy and Its Impact on Urban Women’s Health” along with speakers such as Afaf…

Event: Documentary Screening: ‘Saving Philanthropy’

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy, the Wharton Program for Social Impact, and the Wharton Leadership Program hosted a preview screening of the documentary film “Saving Philanthropy” followed…

Leader Mothers: Drivers of Community Change

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating the role that mothers play, not only in their households but also as cornerstones of their communities and drivers…

International Women’s Day 2013: Diminishing Violence, Gaining Momentum Towards Impact

Last Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives followed the Senate in re-authorizing the Violence Against Women Act with bi-partisan support. The timing was particularly appropriate: this…

Using Data for Greater Impact

Have you ever opened up your email in the morning and found a message from Amazon saying: “Come on, you know you really want…

Teleconference: Turning Crisis Into Opportunity- Katherina Rosqueta as moderator

Good morning, folks! During my morning “feed read”, I came across a link of interest on the Philanthropy Front and Center blog of the…

Upcoming Conference: Grantmakers for Children, Youth, & Families (GCYF), Sept 21-24, 2009

Join Jeremy Nowak, Marty Linsky, and Carolyn Lukensmeyer, at the Grantmakers for Children, Youth, & Families (GCYF) 24th annual convening. The 2009 Fall Forum,…

Katherina Rosqueta joins the newly formed Charity Navigator Advisory Panel

In the President & CEO's Report for September, Ken Berger announced today the formation of a 15 member advisory panel to help Charity Navigator…

Though U.S. Unemployment Rate Reaches a New High, Opportunities for High Impact Philanthropy Remain

The Financial Times published an article today reporting that the U.S. unemployment rate has reached a record high of 9.7%. The article, which can…

The Posse Foundation, featured in Pathways to Student Success, Partners with UPenn

An article in today’s issue of the Penn Almanac, announced a partnership between Posse Miami (Miami-Dade County Public Schools) and the University of Pennsylvania….

UPenn Professors, Culhane of SP2 and Fantuzzo of GSE, Receive $1.4 Million from MacArthur Foundation

Today's Almanac announced the $1.4 million dollar MacArthur grant to Dr. Dennis Culhane and Dr. John Fantuzzo for the advancement of policy-based research. With…

I’m Not Rockefeller: One Year Later

It has been one year since the release of our first study, “I’m Not Rockefeller”: 33 High Net Worth Philanthropists Discuss Their Approach to…

Wireless Philanthropy and Social Impact

Today’s Almanac announced a Verizon Wireless cell phone drive in cooperation with HopeLine, which benefits victims of domestic violence. One of the beneficiaries of…

The Futurity of University Research

Today’s Almanac brought news of Penn’s inclusion as a founding member into the Futurity.org online research portal. Futurity was launched back in March 2009,…

Incentives for Giving in the Downturn: Trend or Fad? (Does it Matter?)

The Penn Almanac ran a highlight of last week’s ribbon cutting for the new entrance to the Caster Building, home of the School of…

Change.org Blog Action Day: What’s Climate Change Got To Do With Philanthropy?

Today, Change.org is hosting its annual Blog Action Day, held on October 15, in which bloggers all over the world take a moment to…

High Impact Health Policy: What's on the Agenda?

My morning email inboxes were jam-packed as usual, though my eyes were drawn to two “Content Alerts” from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)….

1st Annual World Pneumonia Day: Monday November 2, 2009

Hello folks and welcome to November. I wanted to post a brief announcement to acknowledge the Hedge Funds vs Malaria and Pneumonia,  Wear Blue…

Who’s Who at the APHA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia?

Are you at the American Public Health Association‘s 137th Annual Meeting, currently taking place November 7-11, 2009, in Philadelphia, PA? Well, I’ll tell you…

Press Release: Penn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy: Focus on Housing, Health and Hunger Durin

From Penn's Office of Communications: November 16, 2009 PHILADELPHIA — The Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania has released an…

Why This, Why Now: High Impact Philanthropy in the Downturn

Excerpt from High Impact Philanthropy in the Downturn: Focus on Housing, Health, and Hunger (A Guide for Donors) Three years ago, the Center for…

On Topic: End of Year Giving and Moving Forward to 2010 and Beyond

Hello readers! It’s been a while since our last post and for good reason: we recently released our latest philanthropic investment guide, High Impact…

Pathways to Student Success: One Year Later

Hello readers! I hope you are all getting ready to wrap up your 2009 with not only a sigh of relief but also a…

Haiti: How Can I Help?

There are many lists of organizations available for making donations to disaster relief in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Yesterday on twitter, Lucy Bernholz (@p2173) asked about…

Haiti: High Impact Technology for Disaster Relief Giving

It's been approximately 72 hours since an earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti and the news is rife with stories of how to give money to…

Haiti: “Cutting Through the Noise” – Effective donor help during the immediate relief phase

In our first blog post last Thursday, Haiti: How Can I Help?, we listed the two types of nonprofit organizations best equipped to have…

Haiti Donations: Taxes and Texts (practical considerations for donors)

Activities surrounding the Haiti earthquake remain one of the trending topics being covered by journalists since the news broke on January 12, 2010. In…

Lifting the Burden of Malaria: One year later

Happy Friday, everyone! It has been one year since the release of our first philanthropic investment guide in global health titled, Lifting the Burden…

High Impact Philanthropy in the Downturn: Hunger – Donate a digital can for 10 States to win a total

Last November, the Center released its latest philanthropic investment guide, High Impact Philanthropy in the Downturn: Focus on Housing, Health, and Hunger (A Guide…

Harvard’s Dan Pallotta visits Penn/Wharton to talk about social entrepreneurship and nonprofits

Dan Pallotta, founder of Palotta TeamWorks (left) with Eileen Heisman, President & CEO of the National  Philanthropic Trust (right), last night at The Wharton…

Improving teaching quality in the U.S.: A key role for philanthropy amidst all the politics

Reauthorization of and revisions to the No Child Left Behind education act, Race to the Top, Common learning standards… These are just a few…

Blog Reaction: The Role of PhilanthroPeople and PhilanthroProcess

Happy Charity Tuesday! For those wondering what that means, #CharityTuesday has taken on a life of its own on twitter as a way for…

Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy: A Series

Happy Earth Day! In case you weren’t aware, every year on April 22nd, the world gets together to celebrate the Earth through various campaigns…

Fire Teachers, or Improve Their Practice?

Struggling Schools Taking Action The mass firing of teachers at a failing Rhode Island school in February generated a lot of press and debate…

Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy: What philanthropy means to me (JYPI 201- Part 1)

While driving to work today, I was listening to an NPR interview with Peter Buffett, son of billionaire and philanthropist Warren Buffett. During the…

Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy: What philanthropy means to me (JYPI 201- Part 2)

Good afternoon, readers. I'd like to continue our Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy series with two more individuals from the JYPI 201 Teen Funders Group,…

Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy: What philanthropy means to me (JYPI 201- Part 3)

I’m happy to start off the first Thursday in June 2010 with another installment of our Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy series which has been highlighting…

Youth Perspectives in Philanthropy: Reflective Philanthropy on PlayPumps International

If you’re wondering what “reflective philanthropy” is or where the term came from, you can find a number of resources in a simple Google search: The…

Change.org Blog Action Day: Sascha Murillo Wades Through Water (Notes from the Field)

It’s October 15th again, which marks another Change.org Blog Action Day. Last year’s topic was Climate Change and this year the focus is Water. Earlier…

Students Speaking Up and Taking Action: Penn’s Year of Water

The Center for High Impact Philanthropy is contributing to Penn’s 2010-2011 Year of Water by highlighting the ideas and actions of students and social…

The Impact of Food Access

The energy and passion of the students at Penn is an asset to our team at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy. We will…

Cory Booker Kicks Off Ivy League Education in High Impact Philanthropy

What can donors learn from the mayor who engaged $250 million in private donations to fund high impact solutions for vulnerable families in his…

High Impact Holiday Giving

How can I make the greatest difference in the lives of others? During this traditional season of giving, here are nonprofit models that do…

Act Now: How Individuals Can Improve Teaching Quality

“Let’s also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child’s success comes from the man or woman at the front of the…

From Information to Impact

Nonprofits have a lot of information. The trick is making that information useful. When it comes to information on donors, my Penn colleague Pete…

Heart, Head . . . and Legwork

“So much of philanthropy is about the ‘heart’. You’ve talked a lot about [metrics that satisfy] ‘the head.’ Can you talk about metrics that…

Philanthropy as R&D in Urban Women’s Health – both in the U.S. and abroad

  Carol McLaughlin, Research Director We are often asked, “What is the sweet spot of philanthropy?” Donors can always fund proven approaches (e.g., nurse…

The Invisible Individual Donor

If we had a dollar for every person who was surprised to learn that roughly three-quarters of philanthropic funds in the U.S. are allocated…

Global Children’s Health: A Toolkit for Donors

See our Child Survival Guidance for Donors Every year almost 8 million children die before they reach their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes such as…

Toilets, Tony Blair, and other takeaways from this year’s Global Philanthropy Forum (GPF)

Talking Toilets It is an occupational hazard of this job—translating knowledge for practical use—to be at constant risk of getting overwhelmed by the amount…

World Malaria Day 2012 – How Donors Can Sustain the Gains

Today we celebrate the programs and partnerships which have made impressive gains in decreasing the scourge of malaria.  There is much to be proud…

It Ain’t What You Give, It’s the Way That You Give It: Q & A with Caroline Fiennes

It’s mid-May, students are graduating and many people are making plans for the summer. In fact, it’s a great time to start preparing your…

LearnPhilanthropy: Q & A with Dara Major

Our multi-perspective, evidence-informed approach. “Field Experience” is one of three sources of evidence we use to help donors with their decision-making. Earlier this year, our…

Towards an AIDS-Free Generation: 5 Gaps Donors Can Fill

At the recent International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC in late July, there was much optimism: increasing evidence that HIV medications both save lives…

Fare & Square: From Providing Emergency Food to Innovating to Eliminate Hunger – Q&A with Bi

Many of us will celebrate this Thanksgiving with loved ones and a surplus of food. For many people, it is also a time to…

Can the Cans, Romney (Slate)

Food drives are a terrible idea if you want to help people after a disaster. By Matthew Yglesias | Posted Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012,…

Social Impact Bonds: Can a Market Prescription Cure Social Ills? (Knowledge@Wharton)

Social impact bonds (SIBs) — a promising new financial instrument designed to address social problems — face a number of obstacles, even as government…

Getting to Zero: How Donors Can Help End Childhood HIV and Keep Mothers Healthy

Each day over 1,000 children get infected with HIV.[1] Almost all of these infections are preventable and donors can help. Next week, scientific researchers,…

Mother’s Day: Finding the perfect gift

Gift giving can be tricky. Do I give her something she needs? Or something she wants, but won’t—or can’t—ask for? At a recent TEDxChange event,…

Looking for Impact? Invest in a Girl

International Women’s Day: 35 Years Later Today marks International Women’s Day, a day declared in 1977 to be the United Nations Day for Women’s…

Food Drives Are A Bad Idea? (The Daily Beast)

On The Dish, Andrew Sullivan links to the Slate.com article by Matthew Iglesias.

High-impact holiday giving can make a big difference (Newsworks-WHYY)

December 27, 2011 By Elizabeth Fiedler Trying to decide what to do before year’s end to help those less fortunate? The executive director of…

To help the most people, give cash instead of cans (Philly Inquirer)

Read the full op-ed (reposted from the LA Times) on the Philly.com website.

Cash or Food? How to make the most impact when donating (Montgomery News)

Published: Friday, January 13, 2012 by Brian Bingaman One of the biggest things you can do to make a difference, according to the University…

Let’s can the food drives (LA Times)

An LA Times opinion editorial written jointly by our own Kat Rosqueta, Executive Director of the Center, and John Arnold, the former executive director…

Give cash or canned food for the holiday season? (Deseret News)

By Justin Higginbottom, Deseret News Published: Thursday, Dec. 15, 2011 11:52 a.m. MST Scouring your cupboard for unwanted canned goods to donate during the…

Canning Food Drives? (OPB, Think Out Loud)

AIR DATE: Tuesday, December 13th 2011 POSTED BY: ALEX JOHNSON For many people, the holiday food drive is an integral part of the holidays….

A Case For Cash Donations, Instead Of Cans (NPR: Talk of the Nation)

November 22, 2011 Every November, food donation boxes in offices, stores and schools fill with shelf-stable food. But as much as half of it…

Can the Cans: Why food drives are a terrible idea. (Slate)

By Matthew Yglesias | Posted Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011, at 12:29 PM ET ‘Tis the season for food drives. It’s a holiday tradition as…

Lessons from the CHOP Pediatric Global Health Symposium 2011

Our Research Director for global public health, Carol McLaughlin, recently attended the 4th Annual Pediatric Global Health Symposium at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)….

How to Give Your Fortune Away (Philadelphia Magazine)

If I were a rich man, I’d have a rich man’s worries. I’d worry about the stock market. I’d worry about my tax bracket….

CHIP’s Katherina Rosqueta: ‘India and China Will Leapfrog Past the U.S. in Impact Investing’ (K@W)

Published: May 19, 2011 in India Knowledge@Wharton One of the most pressing needs in philanthropy today is also the most perplexing — assessing the…

How India’s New Philanthropists Are Working to Bring About Systemic Change (Knowledge@Wharton)

Katherina M. Rosqueta, executive director at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania, points out that given the differences in…

Philanthropic Triage During an Economic Downturn: Linking Financing to Impact

In any economic downturn, the demand for philanthropy increases as the supply of philanthropic capital declines. The current financial crisis is no exception. Its breadth, severity, and potential duration bring new urgency to the need to manage philanthropic dollars wisely.

Interview -Paul Brest, Jed Emerson, Katherina Rosqueta, Brian Trelstad, Michael Weinstein (Alliance)

1 April 2009 One of the most perennially vexing questions in philanthropy is how to assess the impact of funding, especially where there’s no…

Notes from The New Yorker: White Ribbon Alliance and Important Women

Good morning, readers, and Happy Columbus Day! Over the weekend, I indulged in an old-fashioned practice to satisfy my weekend reading appetite at a…