Read On...

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 may 2026

The online education frenzy is dissipating and the sector is normalizing in post-COVID scenario. According to Traxn, that tracks startup funding, global education technology funding rose to US$ 16.7 billion in 2021, while in 2025 venture capital to the sector reduced to less than US$ 3 billion. US has been the main source of this funding and it was mostly directed towards K-12 (US$ 12.3 billion in 2020 out of US$ 15.9 billion total & US$ 9 billion in 2021) with some investments going into pre-K, test prep, higher education, language learning, gamification etc. Writing about 2025 situation, HolonIQ (education consultancy firm), says, 'Venture capital flows reflected a shift from volume to intention. Investors concentrated capital in AI-enabled products, workforce-aligned platforms, and K-12 operations solutions that address cost or operational pressures, staffing challenges, and learning support at scale.' Moreover, the number of startups founded has also reduced substantially, from 10500 (2020) to 645 (2025). Nonprofits such as Khan Academy and other local innovators, instead of for-profit venture-backed firms, are filling the gap in places where there is scarcity of educational infrastructure. Loot Drop, a curated database of 1700+ closed startups, finds the following reasons for this disaster - lack of differentiation among competitors, inability to fix unit economics, high customer acquisision costs, long institutional sales cycles and low retention rates. Loot Drop explains the future scenario - 'The winners will likely be vertical-specific tools that integrate into existing workflows rather than platforms trying to replace entire educational institutions.' Read on...

Rest of World: The global edtech boom is fading as investors look elsewhere
Author: Ananya Bhattacharya

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 apr 2026

According to the 2024 Nonprofit Standards Benchmarking Survey, 82% of nonprofits are already leveraging the artificial intelligence (AI) technology in at least one use case. But, rushing to the AI's implementation without sufficient research and determined goals can be costly for nonprofits that are generally struggling for funds. Experts suggest the following best practices for effective AI integrations - (1) Invest in Training and Education: AI complements human workers and this can be explained to nonprofit employees through training and education. (2) Stay Human-Centered: Beth Kanter, Allison Fine and Phillip Deng in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, say, 'Before adopting AI, nonprofits should create a written pledge explaining that AI will be used only in human-centered ways.' Moreover, Amy Sample Ward, CEO of the Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network, says it's important to clarify that AI 'should not make decisions.' Allison Fine, President of Every.org, says, '...If we use AI badly and we make people feel less connected to other human beings, it will be a tragedy.' (3) Avoid Unfair Risks and Bias: Joe Carcedo, philanthropy leader and consultant, says, 'If AI is to be adopted widely in the nonprofit sector, the problem of AI bias must be addressed, as it is of paramount importance given that nonprofits enjoy a greater level of trust from their constituents than most other sectors - trust that can easily erode if their decisions are premised on skewed or biased data. (4) Prioritize Data Privacy and Security: Use sufficient guardrails to ensure that compliance and security protecions are in place and follow general data protection regulations. (5) Seek the Help of a Tech Partner: About 70% of nonprofit leaders report difficulty in filling staff vacancies with lack of technological skills as one of the main challenge. Tech partner can help overcome this challenge for effective AI use. Read on...

BizTech Magazine: 5 Steps Nonprofits Can Take To Adopt AI Responsibly
Author: J. P. Pressley

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 mar 2026

COVID-19 has been disastrous for nonprofits and the sector is still reeling with the shock waves created by it. Human resources are the critical component of nonprofits. Even though the sector employs 10% of the workforce in US, but the nonprofits were left out of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created by the Congress during COVID. Jon Pratt, former Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, says, 'Work performed in the service of a charitable corporation...was excluded from the definition of 'employment' under the Social Security Act of 1935.' The mandatory old-age assistance and unemployment insurance was finally extended to nonproft employees in 1984. Rusty Stahl, President and CEO of Fund the People, explores the condition of nonprofit workforce, particularly underinvestment from government and philanthropy, and suggests ways to bring changes to make it thrive. He says, 'But our workforce has not been ignored or harmed by lawmakers alone. Nonprofit workers have long suffered from a chronic deficit of investment from within the social sector - from foundations, donors, and nonprofit boards and executives themselves.' According to the research by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) - Issues of staff recruitment, retention, compensation, and burnout are the top internal challenges facing nonprofits, and have been for at least the last three years; While 93% of grantmakers believe they understand their grantees' challenges, only 53% of nonprofit leaders concur with that assessment. He points out the inadequacy of current funding, and says, 'While there are many wonderful funders and fundraisers in the field, I would argue that most types of grants available today are inadequate because they don't intentionally invest in the grantee's workforce. In fact, most grants actively disincentivize nonprofits from creating high-quality jobs.' He details the inappropriateness of major type of grants available now, such as project restricted support, general operating support, capacity-building support, and capital investment support. He proposes a new kind of funding termed as S.O.S. (Staff Operating Support) grants. Through this concept he suggests the process of intentionally offering incentive and budgets to nonprofits that would assist in elevating workforce development. He explains, 'S.O.S. funding is dedicated exclusively to investing in the grantee's team members and the organizational systems that support that team. Within this zone of restriction, it can be used in a flexible, responsive, and trust-based manner...S.O.S. funding offers a win-win for nonprofits and their funders. It can meet the staffing, flexibility, and budgetary needs of nonprofits, while addressing funders' desire for specificity, visibility, and measurability.' He provides 7 key traits of S.O.S. grant - (1) A focus on systems (2) Responsive to needs of the moment (3) Capital for humans (4) Grants, not fellowships (5) Good boundaries (6) Ability to document value (7) Consent of both grantor and grantee. Read on...

Nonprofit Quarterly S.O.S. - Nonprofits Need Funding for 'Staff Operating Support'
Author: Rusty Stahl

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 feb 2026

'Checkout charity', the concept of stores seeking charitable donations at the time of customer's checking out (paying bill for their shopping), is a common practice and has shown some success. Research study by Élodié Manthé from Université Savoie Mont Blanc (France) suggests that this concept can have negative impact as some customers might feel embarassed at this situation. Study from University of Adelaide Business School's academics, 'Doing good but feeling bad: How checkout donation requests might backfire for retailers by eliciting negative emotional and cognitive consumer response' (Authors: Arvid O. I. Hoffmann, David Matthews, Sally Rao Hill, Ying Zou), published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, suggests that customers in this situation often don't feel happy about it and feel pressured, guilty, anxious and pushed into making a decision they did not plan to make. Researchers found that consumers who experienced negative emotions as a result of being asked to donate at the checkout were: less willing to donate, less satisfied with their shopping experience and more critical of the retailer. Authors explain, 'This creates both time pressure (feeling rushed) and social pressure (feeling judged), two factors that can make customers feel bad. As a result, they are less likely to experience a positive emotion of doing a good deed — or what researchers call the 'warm glow' effect.' Authors suggest - Introduce information about the donation request early in the shopping journey using posters or flyers; Design payment screens that allow customers to choose privately; Communicate clearly and transparently about how the money is collected, where it goes and what impact it makes.' Read on...

The Conversation: 'Checkout charity' requests often backfire, leaving shoppers feeling guilty: New study
Authors: Arvid O. I. Hoffmann, David Matthews, Sally Rao Hill, Ying Zou

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 jan 2026

Federal spending cuts have created challenging financial situation for nonprofits. To continue to deliver their social mandate nonprofits have to find innovative ways to ensure financial resilience. Aaron Seybert, Managing Director of Social Investment Practice at The Kresge Foundation, says, 'We must acknowledge that these are unprecedented times for the nonprofit sector and taking steps to strengthen financial resilience is crucial but not a guarantee of financial stability. The road ahead will undoubtedly remain uncertain, and many nonprofits will continue to face significant obstacles. Yet by uniting as a sector, we can support one another and fortify the essential work we do. Strengthening our financial footing is key to ensuring we continue serving the most vulnerable communities in our country, even in the face of adversity.' He provides following ways nonprofits can work to overcome financial uncertainties - (1) Review your directors and officers (D&O) insurance policy. (2) Diversify banking relationships. (3) Open lines of credit for liquidity. (4) Review cost allocations on current grants. (5) Speak with funders about converting project support to general operating support. (6) Assess different budget scenarios: Planning for uncertainty. Read on...

The Kresge Foundation: Improving financial resilience: How nonprofits can navigate the impact of federal spending cuts
Author: Aaron Seybert

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 21 jan 2026

Over the years the clear distinction between nonprofit and for-profit start-ups has diminished and now both types work in each other's arena. Rise of social entrepreneurship and social enterprises is one of the reasons that blurred the difference between the two. Providing solutions that solve social issues can be considered the aim of both, whether they do it to make money or not. All mission driven entrepreneurs while pursuing their goals reach a stage during their start-up journey where they have to make a decision whether to structure it for profit or go the nonprofit route. Cait Brumme (CEO of MassChallenge) and Brian Trelstad (Faculty Fellow at Harvard Business School and a partner at Bridges Fund Management), provide guidance to entrepreneurs to choose the right structure at the right time for the success of their start-up venture. They explain, 'Despite the vanishing distinction, all mission-driven start-ups will eventually face a stark choice about which legal structure to adopt, and the crucial decision point often arrives before the founders are ready to deal with it. There are, of course, options in the middle-so-called hybrid organizations that use elaborate legal structures (involving, say, a parent and a subsidiary) to combine for-profit and nonprofit entities. But in our experience the best start-ups make an explicit, early choice. The decision is a difficult one made under a high degree of uncertainty and is very hard to reverse...In recent years the options for entrepreneurs have increased in the United States, with legislation allowing "benefit corporations" in many states and the introduction of B-Corp certification, which a for-profit company can use to signal to shareholders that it will try to act in the best interests of society, the environment, and all stakeholders. Venture philanthropists and impact investors emerged to fund social entrepreneurs who sought both financial and social returns—that is, to do well by doing good.' Authors suggest that entrepreneurs should consider 4 factors to avoid issues and make a successful decision to pursue a nonprofit or for-profit direction to their enterprises - FOR PROFIT - Market Readiness (Large, growing, and competitive); Customer Willingness (Profitable to reach and serve at scale); Capital Availability (Ample private capital and business banking services, liquid capital markets for exits; lack of interested donors); Talent & Other Resources (No privileged resources). NONPROFIT - Market Readiness (Small, young, and fragmented); Customer Willingness (Not profitable to reach and serve at scale, require subsidies); Capital Availability (No venture capital but sufficient philanthropic capital to get started, few to no exit options); Talent & Other Resources (Access to privileged intellectual property, professional services, or customers). Read on...

Harvard Business Review: Should Your Start-up Be For-Profit or Nonprofit?
Authors: Cait Brumme, Brian Trelstad

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 20 dec 2025

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is now a globally acceptable concept with different regions and nations implementing it according to their socio-economic setup. In the middle-eastern countries, particularly in United Arab Emirates, with fast economic shift from traditional to modern, CSR practices of corporations is attracting the interest of academics and researchers. In one such research study, 'Corporate social responsibility in a non-western context: The case of the United Arab Emirates' (Authors: Osman Antwi-Boateng of United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain; Noura Eisa Saeed Al Harasi of United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain), published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications 25 September 2025, explores the institutional and cultural dynamics that drive CSR practices in UAE, a non-western thriving economy, and examines the benefits and challenges associated with it. Moreover, the study tries to find out how CSR functions in a hybrid political economy and rentier contexts, which UAE provides an apt example. Researchers say, 'Rather than just identifying the benefits and challenges, the study also explores how CSR is shaped in environments where state-corporate relations are tightly coupled, and civil society influence is marginal. In doing so, the study enhances the applicability of dominant CSR theories such as stakeholder theory, in the context of the UAE's political economy.' KEY FINDINGS - Social Benefits (Utilizing stakeholder theory and thematic analysis approach): Improved stakeholder dialogue, value creation, and responsiveness to societal need; Economic Benefits: Job creation and enhanced corporate competitiveness; Challenges: Contradictory regulations, dependency culture, lack of embedded frameworks, and poor impact measurement. According to the researchers, 'The findings have several policy implications. First, the findings offer valuable guidance for cooperation among stakeholders in the UAE and other countries regarding embracing and implementing CSR initiatives. Second, the findings offer valuable lessons about CSR, which can guide companies in identifying the best CSR practices and avoiding bad practices to maximize outcomes from CSR initiatives. Third, the findings can guide public awareness campaigns regarding CSR to deepen the practice among companies. Finally, the findings indicate that the political economy of a country plays a vital role in the practice and benefits of CSR as government developmental priorities and regulations drives the CSR agendas of corporations and organizations.' Read on...

Nature: Corporate social responsibility in a non-western context: The case of the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Osman Antwi-Boateng, Noura Eisa Saeed Al Harasi

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 22 nov 2025

Online education took a transformatory shift during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education providers along with students faced many challenges including equipping students with quantitative skills essential for the labor market. Research study, 'Effectiveness of Online Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic - Evidence from Chinese Universities' (Authors: Shijie Lu of Notre Dame University; Xintong Han of Laval University in Quebec City; Shane Wang of Virginia Tech; Nan Cui of Wuhan University in China), published in Production and Operations Management 01 July 2025 (SSRN.com), analyzed more than 15329 course records from nearly 7867 undergraduate students across nine universities over four semesters (Fall 2018 to Spring 2020) and compared academic outcomes before and during the transition to online learning. Applying principal component analysis, authors identify four key policy measures that capture lockdown stringency: stay-at-home orders, workplace closures, public transportation suspension, and public information campaigns. Prof. Shijie Lu, says, 'Surprisingly, the undergraduates performed better in math after switching to online classes - improving their scores by about eight to 11 points on a 100-point scale...Contrary to the widespread belief that online education is less effective than face-to-face instruction, our findings show that students actually performed better online, at least in quantitative subjects during the pandemic. This challenges the traditional view that in-person learning is always superior and suggests that, under certain conditions, well-structured online environments can enhance learning outcomes... Our results show that online education when done thoughtfully can be more than just a backup plan during emergencies. It can be an effective tool for learning, especially in analytical subjects... These insights can help schools and governments better prepare for future disruptions — whether from pandemics, natural disasters or other emergencies — by understanding how to balance safety and learning effectiveness.' Read on...

Notre Dame News: Study of higher education during COVID-19 shutdowns shows certain subjects can be better taught online
Authors: Shannon Roddel, Shijie Lu

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 23 oct 2025

Volunteer-based travel provides oppotunities to do good, be purposeful and become a contributor to the communities and environment that one visits, in addition to exploration, exotic experiences and saving money. Some places in India are open to such socially conscious travel. Here are the few to consider - (1) World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WOOF) India, Uttarakhand: Stay at a host family; Rural life experiences; Agriculture and farm work; Connect with local community; Learn eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture practices. (2) Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), Ladakh: Participate in transforming region's education system; Experience intercutlural interactions; Engage in rural youth initiatives; Campus living and student interaction and project participation. (3) The Primate Trust of India, Goa: Opportunity for wildlife enthusiasts; Work with rescued primates and contribute to their care and rehabilitation; Experience rural Indian life. (4) Wahoe Community Volunteer Programmes, Shimla: Focuses on education, women's empowerment, spirituality, and nutrition; Tutoring children or work at community farm. (5) Ecosphere, Uttarakhand: Get involved to create sustainable livelihoods; Participate in construction of greenhouses and solar passive structures; Assist in daily rural acitivities; Provides opportunities to learn about local handicrafts and local culture. Read on...

The Beter India: Make Your Next Trip Meaningful: 5 Volunteer Experiences That Go Beyond Sightseeing
Authors: Mervin Preethi, Khushi Arora

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 22 oct 2025

The World Economic Forum's 'The State of Social Enterprise 2024' report finds that there are 10 million hybrid social ventures globally, and they generate US$ 2 trillion in revenue and create 200 million jobs. Moreover, women lead 1 of every 2 hybrid social ventures in the world, contrary to their 1 in 5 ratio in traiditonal businesses. According to the research study, 'Gender and social entrepreneurship fundraising: A mission drift perspective' (Authors: Yanhua Bird of Boston University; Junchao (Jason) Li of The State University of New Jersey; Yiying Zhu of Montclair State University; Zhenyu Liao of Northeastern University), published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes May 2025 (ScienceDirect.com), 'Female entrepreneurs are better positioned to alleviate funders' concerns over mission drift (i.e., entrepreneurs prioritizing financial gain at the expense of social missions) as they are perceived as having stronger prosocial motivation. As a result, they will garner more financial support for their early-stage hybrid social ventures relative to their male counterparts.' The research looked at archival data on social entrepreneur projects from crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But this data only provided the relationship between funding and the gender of the entrepreneur. So researchers conducted an experiment where they presented investors with potential investments to see which ones they would invest in. Prof. Liao says, 'Ultimately, we found women tend to be perceived as having a higher pro-social motivation. Those kinds of higher social motivations will translate it into stronger confidence among those investors that those women entrepreneurs are more likely to commit to those social goals in their social, entrepreneurial projects...Women entrepreneurs have some unique advantages in certain domains. These can be really powerful. (I hope this paper) shines a hopeful light on this.' Read on...

Northeastern Global News: Female entrepreneurs have an advantage when it comes to funding social enterprises, new Northeastern research finds
Author: Erin Kayata

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 sep 2025

According to UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. In some countries it is a mandatory policy for businesses and in others companies have incorporated it as a voluntary outreach to the communities they operate in. Either way CSR is becoming an integral part of corporate strategy and culture. It not only directly uplifts the communities but it also enhances company's social brand value. Corporates can create CSR programs by including following activities and improve employee engagement - (1) Community And Virtual Volunteering: Reduces company's employee turnover by approximately 50%; Work productivity is increased by approximately 13% by volunteering employees; 93% of employees who volunteer report being satisfied with their current employer. (2) Charitable Giving: Big Give research report finds that 84% of survey respondents said they were more likely to donate if the organization matched the amount. (3) Environmental Practices. (4) Public Area Cleanup. (5) Workplace Policies. (6) Volunteering In Animal Shelters. (7) Mentoring And Tutoring Programs. (8) Repairing Local Ecosystem. (9) Skill-based Micro-volunteering Opportunities. (10) Organize Fundraisers. (11) Volunteering Leave (VTO). (12) Natural Disaster Relief. (13) Cook For The Homeless Community. (14) Blood Donation Drive. (15) Knitting Clubs To Keep People Warm. Read on...

Vantage Circle: 15 Amazing CSR Activities To Boost Employee Engagement
Author: Lopamudra Banik

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 aug 2025

As the US government reduces funding and grants to nonprofits there is a transformational shift that the giving and charity sector is facing and organizations have to adapt to this reality. According to The Urban Institute, 90% of nonprofits with over US$ 10 million in annual expenses receive government support (half of their total revenue) while smaller nonprofits with budgets under US$ 100000 rely on government grants with only 13% of their revenue. All will be affected in some ways with the policy change. Alexander Puutio, academic and author, explores the challenging future of giving and philanthropy and brings views of other experts to utilize models that will last in the uncertain world. He says, 'The economic and political volatility is putting Schumpeter's (Joseph Schumpeter) creative destruction on steroids across the entire philanthropic landscape, and one result of the shakeup will be that outdated models are rapidly being discarded in search of more agile, resilient approaches that are emerging in their place. What's rising in the aftermath is a new breed of giving that is leaner, faster, and built on the principles of decentralization, distribution, and data.' Karen Kardos, Head of Philanthropic Advisory at Citi Wealth, says, 'There’s pressure, yes, and that is forcing nonprofits to stay squarely on mission to generate impact...One thing we are seeing is the acceleration of a cultural shift that has been long in the making. The old model was report-based. The new model that is quickly becoming the must-have is iterative, responsive, and grounded in outcomes, not just expenditures.' Lurein Perera, co-founder of GiveCard, who built a direct-to-recipient philanthropy model designed to cut out layers of bureaucracy, says, 'We build and maintain the infrastructure by which nonprofits are giving money directly to people, including those experiencing homelessness, via our debit cards. It's traceable, fast, and goes straight into the hands of those who need it.' Clay Dunn, CEO of VOW for Girls that operates on a model allows 100% of public donations to go directly to the field, something that's only possible through rigorous operational design, says, 'Some of the most effective campaigns we've run have been through small business networks and grassroots ambassadors. People want to give. They just need to feel like what they give matters...The cause is as important as it ever has. But now what matters even more is how you deliver on that cause and how the donors and beneficiaries perceive you in the process. Trust is the new currency without which nonprofits can't operate.' Mr. Puutio suggests the use of decentralized giving models with digital technology as an enabler and data-driven giving with human-centered design as the way forward. He says, 'Digital platforms are enabling new forms of donor engagement, localized disbursement, and transparent impact tracking. It's now possible to decentralize not just funding decisions but the entire value chain, from vetting organizations to measuring outcomes in real time...As data and dashboards become central to philanthropic decision-making, leaders must ensure that people stay at the center of the work...real impact starts with inclusion.' Read on...

Forbes: What's Next In Philanthropy? Decentralized Models And Smarter Giving
Author: Alexander Puutio

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 jul 2025

Online education got a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Even though the emergency situation faded and schools opened, but education systems around the world realized the importance of blended and hybrid learning. A Dubai Executive Council survey conducted in 2020 and backed by the UAE government found that parents expect blended or online learning to continue and become permament part of the education system. In a late 2022 study by My Online Schooling and Cambridge International showed that 83% of parents support hybrid learning models with 40% requesting explicit hybrid options for convenience and greater control. Parents perceive both benefits (flexibility; consistent education even during travel, medical and other situations; better accessibility in remote areas and students with special needs) and challenges (less effective with younger children; concerns related to social development and peer interaction; health concerns due to increase in screen time and lack of physical activity) with online education. UAE government policy and regulatory authorities also continue to encourage, support and regulate quality digital learning models. Knowledge and Human Development Authority Dubai (KHDA) oversees school education and ensures digital learning standards and teacher credentials while Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) applies e-learning protocols across institutions at the university and higher education level. According to Technavio, the UAE education market size is forecast to increase by US$ 5.1 billion, at a CAGR of 8.6% between 2024 and 2029. The Mohammad Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme (founded in 2012) and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (founded in 2002) continue to support and implement digital learning and education. Online education in UAE has now become an integral part of the education system, and regulated platforms, accreditation standards, and parental standards are ensuring that hybrid learning is effective, inclusive, and forward-looking. Read on...

The Times of India: UAE: Why nearly half of Dubai parents think online learning to continue in future, survey insight from 2020
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 jun 2025

According to experts, the new Income Tax Bill 2025 uses 'registered nonprofit organizations (NPO)' instead of multiple terms such as trust, institution etc, streamlines and simplifies tax provisions, and consolidates all provisions related to NPOs in Part B of Chapter XVII. The new bill removes superfluous provisions such as reinvestment of capital gains in a capital asset, tabulates the registration process to enhance readability, and neatly places commercial activities, compliances and violations under separate heads. Gouri Puri, Partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., says, 'This should be beneficial since many charities that are small scale cannot afford good tax counsel. Saddling them with a complex exemption regime impacted their operations significantly.' Raghav Kumar Bajaj, Counsel at Khaitan & Co, says, In the past few years, the law relating to charitable entities’ exemption has undergone substantial changes. From taxpayers’ perspective, this led to a challenge in keeping a track of annual changes in this space.' Read on...

The Financial Express: Rules for taxation of non-profit entities combined
Author: Priyansh Verma

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 may 2025

Seed grants are nominal funds that act as catalyst in the early stages of innovative and entrepreneurial projects and initiatives that seek to bring social transformations. These grants require less procedural and bureaucratic requirements and are easily accessible. In addition to supportive funding these grants can also bring collaborative approach and exploration of alternative ideas for sustainable solutions. Seed grants can have considerable impact on the success of social good initiatives - Empower innovation and community engagement; Springboard for larger funding oppotunities; Amplify social impact. With all the support seed grants can provide in the initial stages, they do have challenges and limitations - Very competitive nature of grant applications as funds are limited; Come with constraints and restrictions in terms for fund use. One of the major role seed grants play is in fostering innovation, creativity, experimentation and collaboration. The future of seed grants is promising as more emphasis is now directed towards social entrepreneurship and impact-driven initiatives. Moreover, funders are also able to realize the importance of early stage funding to encourage innovation and bring out of the box solutions in a collaborative and partnership way. Technology is also streamlining the application process and various platforms are enhancing reach and accessibility by democratizing the funding process. Read on...

fundsforNGOs: The Global Importance of Seed Grants in Social Good
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 24 apr 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies can assist social enterprises to enhance operational efficiency, improve decision-making processes and, expand and amplify their reach and impact. Utilizing vast data and developing valuable insights is now attainable through AI and ML tools. Some of the ways in which AI and ML can be applied in social sector includes - (1) Provides advanced tools for data analysis and decision-making. (2) Streamline operations and processes to optimize resource allocation and improve efficiency. (3) Identify patterns and trends through analyzing large amount of data and make better decisions and predictions. (4) Personalize and customize services to improve engagement and better serve beneficiaries and stakeholders. (5) Improve impact measurement and reporting by providing more accurate and real-time data, thus building close relations and enhance trust with funders and stakeholders. Social enterprises should also understand ethical considerations such as privacy, algorithmic bias, fairness and inclusivity etc while implementing AI and ML technologies for better and balanced outcomes. Read on...

fundsforNGOs: How can AI and machine learning support social enterprises?
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 mar 2025

The research study, 'The impact of corporate social responsibility on cybersecurity behavior: The crucial role of organizationally-prescribed perfectionism', by Prof. Byung-Jik Kim of University of Ulsan (South Korea) and Prof. Julak Lee of Chung-Ang University (South Korea), published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (09 feb 2025), examines the mediating effects of psychological safety and job stress, as well as the moderating role of organizationally-prescribed perfectionism. Drawing on theories of social identity, social exchange, and the job demands-resources model, researchers postulate that CSR influences cybersecurity behavior in employees in a positive way, first through psychological safety and then through job stress as a sequential mediator. Authors also look at how organizationally-prescribed perfectionism moderates the connection between CSR and psychological safety. Read on...

Nature: The impact of corporate social responsibility on cybersecurity behavior: The crucial role of organizationally-prescribed perfectionism
Authors: Byung-Jik Kim, Julak Lee

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 26 feb 2025

Online giving and fundraising are an important component of nonprofit functioning in the tech-enhanced environment. Social media is an important tool in online fundraising strategies of nonprofits. The Blackbaud Institute's '2023 Trends in Giving Spotlight' report finds that online giving amounted to an estimated 12% of all nonprofit fundraising in 2023. According to the research study, 'Message Content and Diversity as an Effective Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy on Social Media', by Prof. Abhishek Bhati of Bowling Green State University and Prof. Diarmuid McDonnell of University of West Scotland, published in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (December, 2024), 'When nonprofits use multiple strategies during their online fundraising campaigns, such as thanking donors for their support, telling the public about their missions and conveying how they are helping people, they receive more donations than if they stick to only one kind of post.' Prof. Bhati says, 'Previous research ['The Role of Social Media in Nonprofit Organizations' Fundraising' by academics from University of Burgos (Spain) - Teresa Elvira-Lorilla, Inigo Garcia-Rodriguez, M. Elena Romero-Merino, Marcos Santamaria-Mariscal], including our own, has found that when nonprofits frequently post on social media platforms, they can encourage donations by engaging followers as well as their extended networks. Taking the strategy our study supports - making different kinds of posts - could help nonprofits beyond simply getting more donations. We suspect that it may also reduce donor fatigue.' Read on...

The Conversation: Nonprofits get more donations when they vary their Facebook fundraising messages - New research
Author: Abhishek Bhati

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 jan 2025

India's focus on technology aligns with global technological advancements as more students and professionals pursue careers in digital subjects like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data science, data analytics, cloud computing, cyber security etc. According to College Vidya research study, there is a 25-30% increase in quarter-over-quarter enrollment for bachelors and masters programs that offer specializations in AI and data science. Moreover, there is a significant growth in doctorate program with a specialization in generative AI. Online masters programs are popular with working professionals with 1-2 years experience to seeking to upskill, while online doctorate programs seem more appealing to senior professionals with 5-6 years of experience for career advencement to high level leadership positions. Geographically, majority of those seeking doctorates come from South Indian states while bachelors and masters programs are attracting students from Tear I, Teier II and Tier III cities with most of them coming from Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and West Bengal. Rohit Gupta, COO of College Vidya, says, '...rising demand for AI and Data Science courses is a clear indication of how education is transforming to meet the demands of a digital-first economy...skills that not only enhance their individual capabilities but also contribute to larger technological advancements and industrial growth.' Read on...

The Hans India: Online tech programmes see 25-30% quarterly growth, highlights a study
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 jan 2025

There has been an overall rise in internet-based learning in European Union (EU) countries, even though some are lagging behind. According to an annual survey on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in households and by individuals in 2024, 33% of EU internet users reported that they had done an online course or used online learning material in the 3 months prior to the survey. This shows an increase of 3 percentage points (pp) from 30% in 2023. Countries that show the highest share of internat users involved in online learning are - Ireleand (61%), Netherlands (59%) and Finland (53%). While countries with least share are - Romania (10%), Cyprus (11%) and Bulgaria (17%). Read on...

European Union - Eurostat: More internet users turn to online learning in 2024
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 dec 2024

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to make an impact in various industries and regions around the world, the question arises regarding their readines to adopt, adapt and manage the change for maximum benefit. About 73% of Indian internet users are already exposed to AI in some form. Some sectors are fast adopters while others are slow. Nonprofit/social sector in India is at an early stage of AI transformation and an informed and intentional approach to building AI can provide nonprofits leverage data-driven decision-making or enhance efficiency through process automation. GivingTuesday's 'AI Readiness Survey Report India 2024' is based on a survey of 251 organizations across six regions and brings about how nonprofits in India are utilising AI, their comfort levels with various AI tools, and the challenges they experience. 55% of the organizations surveyed had used generative AI to write text or create images, while 30% had never used any form of AI. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT - (1) AI readiness of organizations is weakly dependent on capacity. High-capacity organisations are better positioned to improve their AI readiness and would benefit more from such improvements. (2) Early vs late adoption determines AI usage behaviour. Early adopters tended to be larger organizations with greater resources and infrastructure and are mostly located in urban areas. Late adopters of AI were smaller organizations with fewer staff members and constrained budgets and are located in rural areas. Only 10% of late adopters expressed interest in using AI in the future for applications beyond generative AI, and 40% did not know what they would like to use AI for. Early adopters were more experimental - approximately 60-80% wanted to use AI for features such as virtual assistants, data interpretation, prediction, chatbots, transcription, and more. (3) Indian organizations hold a mix of optimism and apprehension regarding AI. Nonprofits were hopeful that AI can bring efficiency and productivity to their work, but they also fear that it could lead to dependency, skill gaps, and job displacement. Organizations had different hopes and fears based on their area of expertise. Education nonprofits expressed confidence that AI could enhance opportunities through personalised teaching and by automating administrative tasks that overburden staff. Nonprofits working in community development saw AI as an opportunity to optimize resource allocation and identify needs. But they were aware that AI could perpetuate existing regional inequities. (4) Indian organisations were twice as likely than the global sample to have technology or data staff. (5) Compared to the global average, Indian organisations were more comfortable using AI at work - 29% gave it a score of 10 on a scale of 0-10. (6) Indian organisations focused more on the benefits of AI and had fewer concerns about data protection/privacy issues. Therefore, they are more likely to share data without having data-use or sharing agreements in place compared to the global average. The study suggests that nonprofits should first explore AI's relevance and potential use cases for their own organization. It is important to provide targeted support to smaller, resource-constrained nonprofits that wish to adopt AI. Moreover, it is necessary to establish safeguards as the vast majority of those using AI are using technology products managed by others. Understanding the nuances in current AI adoption and knowledge is integral to achieving equitable and beneficial AI adoption for the social sector. Read on...

India Development Review: Are Indian nonprofits ready for AI?
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 nov 2024

Social enterprises bring innovative solutions to social good issues through business-like methodologies. According to the report published in April 2024 by Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship in collaboration with Bertelsmann Foundation for World Economic Forum, 'The State of Social Enterprise: A Review of Global Data 2013-2023' [Contributors to the report: François Bonnici (Director, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship & Head of Foundations, World Economic Forum, Switzerland); Veerle Klijn (Policy Lead, Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, Schwab Foundation, Netherlands); Daniel Nowack (Head, Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, Schwab Foundation, Switzerland); Tiffany Bennett (Research Manager, Euclid Network, Netherlands); Dan Gregory (Associate Director, Social Enterprise UK, United Kingdom)], provides a comprehensive synthesis of the global state of social enterprise, using data from more than 80 countries gathered between 2013 and 2023. It aims to inform policy-makers and business leaders about the underestimated contribution of social enterprise towards global GDP, employment and the Sustainable Development Goals. In the foreword of the report, Hilde Schwab (Chairperson and Co-Founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship) and Brigitte Mohn (Member of the Executive Board, Bertelsmann Stiftung), say, 'As social enterprises gain momentum worldwide, the need for reliable data increases. Since 2013, a range of actors have been gathering data in more than 80 countries. Their insights reveal that social enterprises are a significant economic force driving positive outcomes worldwide...The report highlights the power of such data and calls on governments, international organizations and the social enterprise ecosystem to invest in and coordinate for a strong data infrastructure at a global level...Social enterprises are not merely catalysts of change; they embody a fundamental shift in how businesses can tackle societal problems on a global scale. At the same time, they prioritize benefits for employees, communities and the planet alongside financial returns. They are at the forefront of the transition towards a fair, sustainable and equitable economy - the stakeholder economy.' HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT: The global data indicates that there are approximately 10 million social enterprises across the world, which means they comprise more than 3% of all businesses; Social enterprise accounts for around 2% of global GDP and 3% of all businesses; They generate around US$ 2 trillion in revenue each year; They create nearly 200 million jobs; They bridge the gender gap, with one in two social enterprises worldwide led by women, compared to one in five for conventional enterprises; They deliver against all the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those focused on health and education, climate and jobs, thereby reducing poverty and inequality; According to Statista.com, Social enterprise is larger than the US$ 1.79 trillion apparel industry and almost twice the size of the US$ 1.01 trillion advertising industry; The study reveals gaps and challenges in social enterprise data. These challenges include the availability and quality of data, the comparability of the available data and the difficulty with quantifying social and environmental value creation; Barriers faced by social enterprises include - limited access to finance, lack of public awareness and recognition, lack of government support, inadequate legal and/or fiscal framework, limited access to procurement processes. The report concludes, 'Robust data on social enterprise is critical to inform policy-makers on the design of policies and the most effective allocation of resources.' Read on...

World Economic Forum: The State of Social Enterprise: A Review of Global Data 2013-2023
Authors: François Bonnici, Veerle Klijn, Daniel Nowack, Tiffany Bennett, Dan Gregory

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 oct 2024

Artifical Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the solutions for social issues such as poverty, healthcare, education and environment. Nonprofit accelerator Fast Forward, under its AI for Humanity initiative, is supporting startups to develop AI-based solutions for global issues. Kevin Barenblat, co-founder of Fast Forward, says, 'Apart from early tech nonprofits like Wikipedia, Khan Academy or Mozilla, it didn't feel like there were enough examples of people who were using tech to make the world better. So our vision for the AI for Humanity initiative is to support entrepreneurs who are building and using AI to make the world better.' Startups in the Fast Forward accelerator include those that are empowering scientists in low-income countries to cure neglected diseases, reducing backlogs in Indian courts to ensure fair and speedy trials, bridging the global digital divide by bringing online learning offline, addressing early childhood education disparities in India, and providing free, virtual mental health interventions to people who need them. AI's use also bring about ethical considerations. Mr. Barenblat says, 'We often see in the for-profit world that people build these cool tools and then they try to figure out what problem they solve. But in the nonprofit space, the entrepreneurs are typically fixated on the problem - be it education, health inequity, or the climate problem - and they're slotting in AI to make their solution better. Because they're using AI for a specific use case, they can set guardrails that are appropriate for the way that they're using the AI.' He mentions challenges that nonprofit tech startups face, 'Tech startup challenges include things like getting product-market fit right, competing for resources and funding, and usually they focus on marginalized customers who are not easy to reach. So I think AI helps, but at the end of the day, they're still trying to help humans.' Read on...

Triple Pundit: How a Tech Accelerator is Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Good
Author: Abha Malpani Naismith

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 27 sep 2024

According to Goodera website (goodera.com), Skill-Based Volunteering (SBV) involves assisting and helping nonprofits in specific work areas through professional skills, knowledge and expertise. Leila Saad, CEO of Common Impact, says, 'SBV involves a little more effort than traditional volunteering. Employees use their professional skills in areas such as technology, HR, and finance to support a nonprofit that has an internal need. In particular, companies that have (artificial intelligence) expertise are interested in giving that resource back to nonprofits. According to Stanford Social Innovation Review article 'The Promise of Skills-Based Volunteering' (Authors: Christine Letts; Danielle Holly), 'Employers sometimes cast a wary eye on SBV, though, because it is complex to implement, it requires a longer-term commitment, and the results of the engagement can be harder to measure. Traditional community engagement programs such as grantmaking and volunteerism - by contrast - more readily align with a company's short-term quarterly outputs. And because the goals of these types of projects are narrower, the results can be easier to measure.' Tammy Perkins, chief people officer at ProService Hawaii, says, 'Making volunteering part of our workplace culture boosts employee morale, fosters teamwork, improves our community, and strengthens company culture. We think of volunteering less as a way for employees to polish their skills and more as a way for us to use our collective expertise to support these vital community services.' Meg Garlinghouse, vice president of social impact at LinkedIn, sees benefits for the company's workers and says, 'Employees are gaining and refining skills like empathy, teamwork, communication, problem solving, creativity, presentation skills, and more. According to a six-year study that the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship conducted of a professional services firm found a 36% reduction in attrition for employees who participated in SBV, compared with those who did not. A 2024 Deloitte survey found that 91% of professionals indicated volunteer opportunities can have a positive impact on their overall work experience and connection to their employer. According to the SHRM's 2024 Employee Benefits Survey, more than 1/4 (28%) of 4529 respondents said that their organization provided the benefit of time off for volunteering. Ms. Perkins says, 'Ultimately, a purpose-driven workforce leads to better performance and a stronger, more unified organizational culture, and the nonprofit organizations who benefit are often under-resourced, especially in the area of HR.' Read on...

SHRM: Skills-Based Volunteering Uses Employee Talents to Benefit Nonprofits
Author: Kathy Gurchiek

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 aug 2024

One of the most critical challenge that nonprofits face is effective and efficient allocation of their limited funds towards their various activities. According to the research study, 'Allocation of Nonprofit Funds Among Program, Fundraising, and Administration' (Authors: Telesilla O. Kotsi of The Ohio State University; Arian Aflaki of University of Pittsburgh; Goker Aydin of Johns Hopkins University; Alfonso J. Pedraza-Martinez of University of Notre Dame), published in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (2023), 'U.S. nonprofits declare three types of expenses in their IRS 990 forms: program spending to meet beneficiaries' needs; fundraising spending to raise donations; and administration spending to build and maintain capacity. Charity watchdogs, however, expect nonprofits to prioritize program spending over other categories. We study when such expectations may lead to the 'starvation cycle' or underspending on administration and fundraising.' Researchers have developed a mathematical model that can guide nonprofits to prioritize and optimize spending for present and future success. Capacity, that consists of organization's resources such as infrastructure, equipment, staff etc, is crucial and is related to the administrative costs. Researchers found that striking a right balance on allocating funds for program costs depends on the nonprofit's existing capacity. Early stage nonprofits need to spend more on adminstrative costs to build solid foundation and long-term resilience. When some capacity is build then emphasis should shift to fundraising. Researchers explain, 'That approach allows them to gather the funding necessary to maximize their existing capabilities. Importantly, the share of spending for administration or fundraising should align with the organization's anticipated future needs.' Big established donors are now classifying percentage of their grants to adminstrative costs and recognize the need for better managed organization for long-term success. Nonprofit rating organizations are also broadening their criteria to look at an organization's overall well-being and impact, and not just on their minimizing spending on administration and fundraising. Read on...

The Conversation: Nonprofits can become more resilient by spending more on fundraising and admin - new research
Authors: Telesilla Kotsi, Alfonso J. Pedraza Martinez

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 20 aug 2024

The research study, 'How Companies Restrain Means-Ends Decoupling: A Comparative Case Study of CSR Implementation' (Authors: Andromachi Athanasopoulou of Queen Mary University of London; Emilio Marti of Erasmus University.; David Risi of Bern University of Applied Sciences; Eva Schlindwein of Bern University of Applied Sciences), published in Journal of Management Studies, utlizes the concept of means-ends decoupling to examine why companies continue to be major contributors to environmental and social problems despite committing increasingly to corporate social responsibility (CSR). Means-ends decoupling occurs when there is a gap between implementation and achievement ['From Smoke and Mirrors to Walking the Talk: Decoupling in the Contemporary World' by Patricia Bromley of University of Utah and Walter W. Powell of Stanford University; 'Means versus Ends in Opaque Institutional Fields: Trading Off Compliance and Achievement in Sustainability Standard Adoption' by Frank Wijen of Erasmus University]. The research study shows that experimentation is critical for impactful CSR, which has implications for both companies that implement CSR and companies that externally monitor these CSR activities, such as sustainable investors and ESG rating agencies. Authors analyzed CSR activities of four companies and found that two realized their intended CSR goals as a result of experimentation approach while the other two did not. Authors explain, 'In a CSR context, experimentation means that companies produced knowledge about the local effects of their CSR practices and used this knowledge to adapt their CSR practices on an ongoing basis. By establishing a close link between the production of CSR knowledge and the adaptation of CSR practices, these companies were able to achieve their intended CSR goals...By contrast, in the companies that failed to realize the intended CSR goals, consistency - not experimentation - was central to their CSR implementation. In these companies, the emphasis was on standardizing CSR initiatives based on perceived best-practices among senior managers. There was no feedback loop.' How Companies Can Foster Experimentation in Their CSR Implementation - (1) Companies should mobilize broadly for CSR. (2) Companies should instill confidence in the business case for CSR among their employees. How Sustainable Investors and ESG Rating Agencies Can Monitor Experimentation - (1) They should monitor who is involved in the production of CSR knowledge. (2) They should monitor and examine who is involved in the adaptation of CSR practices. Even though experimentation brings in more challenges but authors suggest that this approach strongly outweigh its potential drawbacks. Read on...

Harvard Business Review: Creating a Corporate Social Responsibility Program with Real Impact
Authors: Andromachi Athanasopoulou, Emilio Marti, David Risi, Eva Schlindwein

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 13 jul 2024

cOAlition S, launched on 04 September 2018 by a group of national research funding organisations, with the support of the European Commission and the European Research Council (ERC), is an initiative to make full and immediate Open Access to research publications a reality. On its website (coalition-s.org), cOAlition S signals the commitment to implement the necessary measures to fulfil its main principle - 'With effect from 2021, all scholarly publications on the results from research funded by public or private grants provided by national, regional and international research councils and funding bodies, must be published in Open Access Journals, on Open Access Platforms, or made immediately available through Open Access Repositories without embargo.' cOAlition S is build around Plan S that is a set of principles that ensure open and immediate access to funded research publications. It was born from the cooperation between the Heads of the participating Research Funding Organisations, Marc Schiltz, the President of Science Europe, and Robert-Jan Smits, previously the Open Access Envoy of the European Commission. It also drew on significant input from the Scientific Council of the ERC. cOAlition S presented a proposal 'Towards Responsible Publishing (TRP)', that includes a vision for a community-based scholarly communication system fit for open science in the 21st century, where scholars can rapidly and transparently share the full range of their research outputs and participate in new quality control mechanisms and evaluation standard. According to the proposal, the main challenges that a future scholarly communication system should address include that - The dominant publishing models are highly inequitable; The sharing of research outputs is needlessly delayed; The full potential of peer review is not realised; The coupling of editorial gatekeeping with academic career incentives is damaging science. To address these challenges, cOAlition S proposed a set of five guiding principles - (1) Authors are responsible for the dissemination of their findings, (2) All scholarly outputs are shared immediately and openly. (3) Quality control processes are community-based and open, to ensure trustworthiness of research findings. (4) All scholarly outputs are eligible for consideration in research assessment. (5) Stakeholders commit to support the sustainability and diversity of the scholarled publishing ecosystem. The report, 'Towards Responsible Publishing': Findings from a global stakeholder consultation, presents the findings of a global multi-stakeholder consultation conducted between November 2023 and May 2024 by Research Consulting Limited (UK) and Leiden University's Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS) (Netherlands) on behalf of cOAlition S. Johan Rooryck, Executive Director of cOAlition S and Bodo Stern, Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Chair of the TRP Steering Group at cOAlition S, in the foreword of the report write, 'Research funders have the responsibility to make sure that their funding is used in ways that improve the scholarly publishing landscape for the benefit of the research community and society. The 'Towards Responsible Publishing' proposal is therefore a logical next step for cOAlition S funders to help make the publishing system fit for the 21st century. It builds on Plan S and goes further in proposing a way to disseminate research that is not only more open, but also more trusted, equitable, efficient, and sustainable...This report presents the findings of that consultation: it shows an insightful picture of researchers' attitudes towards innovative research practices, such as open access publishing, preprint posting, open peer review and the incentives needed to embrace these behaviours.' For the report, authors collected 11145 responses from researchers via a global survey, reached 440 respondents through an initial feedback survey, engaged 72 participants via focus groups, and attracted a total of 10 organisational feedback letters from low- and middle-income countries that were underrepresented in the data. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT - When deciding how to reach their target audiences, researchers continue to rely on the current journals ecosystem; When deciding what to read, researchers once again prioritise the reputation of a journal; The consultation revealed support among researchers for some of the practices encouraged in the TRP proposal, such as preprint posting and the open sharing of peer review reports; Across the most represented disciplines in our data (medical and health sciences, life sciences, social sciences, engineering and arts and humanities), views regarding preprint posting are broadly aligned; Views are slightly more positive for respondents who have posted a preprint in the last three years; The highest resistance to the publication of open peer review reports was in the field of Law (39%), followed by Arts and Humanities (36%). In this context, consultation participants highlighted that existing recognition and reward mechanisms are inadequate for incentivising adoption of these practices, which will highly affect their uptake by researchers; The consultation found that, on balance, researchers would support the integration of practices like preprint posting (48% would support the practice vs 27% who would be opposed) and open peer review (47% would support the practice vs 29% who would be opposed) into journal publication workflows; Lack of clear implementation guidance emerged as a significant concern during the consultation; The need for a gradual, collaborative implementation approach involving pilots and engagement with existing initiatives was emphasised; Without broader engagement, cOAlition S' efforts risk being viewed by low- and middle-income countries as an imposition by wealthier nations; Shifting more publication responsibilities to individual authors could disproportionately overburden under-resourced researchers with limited institutional support services; Consultation participants highlighted the perceived importance of peer review and dedicated editorial roles in scholarly communication; Consultation participants saw a significant increase in preprint posting as potentially risking the proliferation of poor-quality, unvetted research outputs that may flood the public domain unchecked; The problem of subpar research making it through the peer review and publication process, while undesirable, already exists to some extent in the current system; The complexity of the proposed system may make it challenging for nonexperts like journalists, policymakers and the public to navigate the research landscape effectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS - Based on the findings from this global multi-stakeholder consultation, we conclude that there is support for some of the principles and practices encouraged in the TRP proposal. This highlights opportunities for cOAlition S to make progress in their desired direction of travel, building on select parts of the proposal; cOAlition S is well-placed to pursue the preprint posting and open licensing activities in the near term; In the medium-term, cOAlition S could focus on encouraging and promoting open peer review across the publishing landscape, including both preprints and journal articles; Realising the full vision of the TRP proposal will require longer-term efforts and cooperation with other stakeholders to update recognition and reward mechanisms at a global scale and ransition funding and infrastructures to support a globally inclusive, scholar-led publishing ecosystem. Read on...

Zenodo: 'Towards Responsible Publishing': Findings from a global stakeholder consultation
Authors: Andrea Chiarelli, Ellie Cox, Rob Johnson, Ludo Waltman, Wolfgang Kaltenbrunner, André Brasil, Andrea Reyes Elizondo, Stephen Pinfield

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 24 jun 2024

According to a 2018 HelpAge India report, about 25% of senior citizens in urban India face abuse. Rising cases of elderly abuse and abandonment are a cause of serious concern for Indian social fabric. Even though governmental policies and many nonprofits are working to curb it but challenges remain. Dr. Rajkumaar and Srujana founded Joy Foundation in 2006 in Hyderabad (India) with focus on rural health and road accident healthcare, especially for elderly. The organization also founded an old age home for abandoned seniors. Dr. Rajkumaar, who also runs two hospitals, says, 'The burden of health and care often falls on the wife and children, causing a rift between breadwinners and senior citizens. While I can't fully blame the breadwinners, as supporting a family is challenging, this is where we step in. For me, it's not a big expense, but for them, it's a big relief.' Read on...

The New Indian Express: Spreading hope for elderly people
Author: Anshika Aggarwal

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 24 jun 2024

Stanford alum Abdul Aleem returned to Bihar (India) during COVID-19 and in 2021 co-founded BuiltX SDC (Sustainable Design & Construction). The startup is bringing an innovative concept in India's architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry by exclusively working with nonprofits to fulfil their infrastructural needs. The organization provides low-cost high-quality sustainable and environmentally-friendly design and construction to nonprofits with focus on healthcare and education sector. Mr. Aleem says, 'BuiltX is more than just a construction organization; it's a movement towards sustainable and equitable infrastructure, Our core values of empathy, integrity, and innovation drive every project we undertake. We are dedicated to building a future where every child has access to quality education and every individual can receive world-class healthcare, regardless of their financial background.' Their partnership model utilizes Integrated Project Delivery mechanism that ensures a streamlined process from start to finish, managing every detail and allowing non-profit partners to focus on their mission and impact. One of their projects is Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital (Bihar, India), the largest eye hospital in Eastern India. Read on...

Free Press Journal: Sustainable Design & Construction: Pioneering Infrastructure For Non-Profits In India
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 22 jun 2024

Jenifer Morgan, global editions editor at Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR), says, 'Social innovation isn't just a Western phenomenon.' Nicholas Jackson, Editor-in-Chief of SSIR, explains and cites expamples to put forward a point that local inovation at one place can become a change agent at other places with similar issues and challenges. He tells about SSIR's international partnerships and collaborations for spread of knowledge and social research. He says, 'I encourage you to read widely and to look for solutions and inspiration everywhere, even in unlikely places.' He cites SSIR article 'Who Knows Agroforestry Best?' (Authors: Evelyn R. Nimmo; André E. B. Lacerda; Leandro Bonfim; Joel Bothello), that provides example of Brazilian nonprofit organization CEDErva (Center for the Development and Education of Traditional Erva-Mate Systems) that promotes traditional practices for tending to - and harvesting - the land, as the conventional approaches to sustainable agriculture were not working. Learning from this, other countries such as Bolivia, Laos, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of the Congo etc, that are rapidly losing tree cover, can adopt and adapt the CEDErva approahcs to find solutions to their own challenges. Other social innovation examples include - A New Zealand social enterprize 'Take2' is offering job training during periods of incarceration and other paths to job security as a form of rehabilitation; A global team in Czech Republic has brought about a new life for old brick and other building materials, which are being turned into 'green concrete' and used in the development of sustainable architecture. Read on...

Stanford Social Innovation Review: Social Innovation Isn't Just a Western Phenomenon
Author: Nicholas Jackson

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 20 may 2024

According to the annual 2023 European Union survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals, 30% of EU internet users aged 16 to 74 reported that they had done an online course or used online learning material in the three months prior to the survey. In 2022 the participation in online education was 28%. The top 5 EU countries that have the highest share of internet users doing an online course or using online learning material - Netherlands (54%); Finland (53%); Sweden (48%); Spain (47%); Estonia (45%). The bottom 5 with least online education popularity include - Romania (10%); Cyprus (16%); Bulgaria (17%); Greece (17%); Poland (18%). Increase in online learning - Netherlands (+12 percentage points); Sweden (+7 pp); Malta (+5 pp); Estonia (+5 pp); Croatia (+5 pp). Decrease in online learning - Greece (-12 pp); Cyprus (-5 pp); Austria (-2 pp); Slovenia (-2 pp). Read on...

European Union - Eurostat: Increase in online education in the EU in 2023
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 apr 2024

According to the report, 'Grounded in Tradition, Looking to the Future: Understanding Next-Generation Philanthropy in the Middle East', conducted by the Pearl Initiative, the Zovighian Partnership, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and based on a survey of 80 emerging and established philanthropists based in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Levant, and Egypt, points out the inclination of younger philanthropists towards individual-driven giving and a shift away from traditional family foundations. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT - Nearly 60% of respondents believe direct funding is the most effective strategy; Over 45% are embracing non-traditional methods like impact investing, microlending, and donor-advised funds; Female philanthropists are more likely to invest in initiatives supporting women and girls, potentially leading to a rise in efforts promoting female economic inclusion; 65% of respondents believe in the positive impact of philanthropy in the Middle East over the next five years. Badr Jafar, Founder of the Pearl Initiative and CEO of Crescent Enterprises, says, 'Data and research are crucial for enhancing philanthropic impact. This is especially true as the next generation transforms the practice by demanding more hands-on involvement and prioritizing accountability.' Lynn Zovighian, Founder of the Zovighian Partnership, says, 'Delivering this first-time research was crucial for our philanthropic community,' Read on...

Daily News Egypt: Next-generation philanthropy in MENA: Shift towards individualized giving
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 25 mar 2024

A team of researchers that include Prof. Seoyoun Kim of Department of Sociology at Texas State University, Prof. Cal Halvorsen of School of Social Work at Boston College and Prof. Koichiro Shiba of School of Public Health at Boston University, are working on a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded project 'Volunteering, polygenic risk, and cardiovascular biomarkers in multiple ancestry' to examine whether frequent and sustained volunteering affects changes in cardiovascular biomarkers, while also accounting for genetic risk factors. As more than 50% of adults over the age of 50 in the U.S. report at least one cardiovascular risk, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and chronic inflammation, the study would potentially provide new ways to manage risk in vulnerable populations. Even though there has been evidence of benficial impact of volunteering on the cardiovascular health of volunteers but it is not evident that frequent and sustained volunteering has a comparable effect across various population subgroups. Moreover, genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular disease biomarkers has never been studied in the context of volunteering. This study will provide understanding of the pathways by which genetic, social and behavioral factors affect cardiovascular health in older adults. Read on...

Texas State University Newsroom: NIH-funded study investigates cardiovascular benefits of volunteering
Author: Jayme Blaschke

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 27 feb 2024

Nonprofits with their resource crunch have to make sure efficiency remains the key in all aspects of their work. Nonprofit finance teams have to fulfil their reporting duties under tight budget and time. Technology can come to their rescue when the right and cost effective solution is implemented. Grant Gevers, Senior Consultant for Nonprofits at Sage UKI Ltd., shares insights at Third Sector Summit from Sage's 'Fast Close. Faster Insights' report, and explains how cloud-based automation is reshaping financial operations. There are benefits to shortening month-end close cycle - Quicker preparation and dissemination of key financial reports; Improved managerial decision making; Eliminate bottlenecks and highlight inefficiencies leading to enhanced finance operational efficiency. According to the research by Sage, the average nonprofit takes around seven working days to close its books while nonprofits who are using automation are closing on average 1.5 days earlier than those who are not automating key processes, such as journal entry, bank reconciliation, or reviewing transactions. Three benficial steps of automation to finance teams - (1) Reduce the complexity of chart of accounts. (2) Complete reporting without exporting to Excel. (3) Month-end tools and collaboration. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SAGE REPORT: Automating the financial close helps save 24 days a year; 40% of respondents say that the time saved is used to analyse data and find insights and trends and also to invest in training and development; 82% of finance leaders said that they are saving on headcount costs through using automation. Read on...

Third Sector: How automation is helping nonprofit finance teams make a bigger impact
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 16 jan 2024

According to the National CSR Portal website of Govt. of India (csr.gov.in), India Inc, spent Rs. 25000 crore in 2021-22 toward Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 18000 companies contrbuted to this and implemented 40000 developmental projects. 65% of this fund has been allocated to health, education and poverty related issues, while the environment sector received less than 7%. Historically, the fund for environmental issues has never exceeded 10%. Anuja Malhotra (Policy Manager) and Abi Tamim Vanak (Director) at the Centre for Policy Design, Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), explain the reasons behind this skewed fund allocation and what is required to streamline funds towards environmental sector and steps needed to optimize its potential. Explaining the low allocation, the authors say, 'This may be attributed to a lack of quantifiable metrics in the environmental and ecological sector, the long gestation period required to calculate 'returns' and lack of usable monitoring, reporting and evaluation frameworks. These challenges are further exacerbated by the fact that executing environmental projects requires expertise and often involves engaging and collaborating with highly specialised institutions.' Policy initiatives such as Schedule VII of Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, includes the environment as a key CSR focus area for implementation, and the Reserve Bank of India’s latest report on currency and finance, equitable CSR funding is listed as one of the key policy options to mitigate climate risk, will streamline CSR funding towards environmental issues. Authors suggest following steps to optimize its potential - (1) Companies interested in investing in protecting and restoring India's natural resource base should prepare for a long-term funding strategy if they want to achieve effective results. (2) Funders must recognise that working in the environmental sector necessitates close collaboration with local communities and other relevant stakeholders. (3) Avoid large-scale but homogenous activities such as tree plantations. Investments in more socio-ecologically responsible restoration strategies require strategic and well planned design and operationalisation of interventions that minimise unintended consequences. (4) investing in the development and use of technology for carbon sequestration potential may prove useful in creating a knowledge base for India's transition to green credits, carbon markets, and green growth. (5) A long-term goal and vision will also help companies plan and pace their expenditures, thereby reducing unspent balances. In addition, companies may align their CSR investment goals with their ESGs (Environmental, Social and Governance) strategies and try to reduce their carbon footprints. Moreover, for long-term continued success, CSR funds can serve as a platform to operationalise the science-policy-practice interface by investing in well-researched and carefully designed projects and, develop collaboration with civil society and policymakers to develop sense of shared responsibility and ownership. Read on...

MONGABAY: How to strategically align CSR funds to meet India’s sustainability goals
AuthorS: Anuja Malhotra, Abi Tamim Vanak

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 dec 2023

Social entrepreneurs leverage technology and innovation to solve societal issues and are often for-profit ventures. Bill Drayton founded Ashoka in 1980 and is considered as the 'father of social entrepreneurship'. Social entrepreneurship ecosystem is growing through socially responsible investing, conscious sonsumerism, corporate social responsibility (CSR), environment concerns, responsible governance etc. Following is the list of 10 most successful social entrepreneurs - (1) Bill Drayton, founder and CEO of Ashoka, is a pioneer of social entrepreneurship and also serves as chair of the board for Get America Working! and Youth Venture. (2) Rachel Brathen, yoga teacher, author of 'Yoga Girl' and founder of yoga studio called Island Yoga Aruba in Caribbean and oneOeight.tv, provides health, yoga and meditation services and is one of the top social media influencers in fitness. (3) Shiza Shahid, co-founder and promoter of Malala Fund, manages operations and efforts of Mala Yousafzai that focus on gender equality, women empowerment and girl education. (4) Blake Mycoskie is the founder of TOMS Shoes that donates one pair of shoes for every one sold by their organization and raises awareness on issues like global poverty and health. TOMS has donated 100 million pairs of shoes as of 2020. (5) Scott Harrison founded Charity: Water in 2006 that works on providing clean water to people in developing nations and funds projects like building wells and sanitation facilities. He is the author of the book 'Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion, and a Mission to Bring Clean Water to the World.' (6) Muhammad Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 1983 and popularized the concepts of microfinance and microcredit. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 2006. Grameen Bank provides funding to villagers to bring them out of poverty and as of May 2022, 90% of its about nine million borrowers are women. (7) Jeffrey Hollender is a consultant, speaker, activist for CSR and author of several books including 'How to Make the World a Better Place'. He is co-founder and CEO of Hollender Sustainable Brands and former CEO and co-founder of Seventh Generation, a popular business for natural products. (8) Xavier Helgesen, Christopher 'Kreece' Fuchs, and Jeff Kurtzman are co-founders of Better World Books , an online bookstore that funds global literacy. (9) Marc Koska introduced a non-reusable, inexpensive syringe that can be used in underfunded clinics. He founded SafePoint Trust in 2006, which delivered four billion safe injections in 40 countries via his auto-disable syringes. (10) Sanjit 'Bunker' Roy founded Barefoot College in 1972, that is a solar-powered college for the poor. Read on...

Investopedia: The 10 Most Successful Social Entrepreneurs
Authors: Shoshanna Delventhal, David Kindness, Jiwon Ma

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 09 nov 2023

According to the recent report by Great Place to Work India, nonprofit sector in India have 45% women in its workforce which is 24% higher than the other industries. The survey highlighted on average NGOs work across 13 locations, with 323 individuals and 97% of them working full time. The report finds that 80% of NGOs in India primarily focus their efforts on promoting quality education, ensuring good health and well-being, and working towards eradicating poverty. Yeshasvini Ramaswamy, CEO of Great Place To Work India, says, 'Over the years, we've witnessed incredible achievements in initiatives like Polio eradication and the Aanganwadi initiative by the Government of India, which have positively impacted the lives of millions.' According to the NGO Darpan Portal, top states based on number of NGOs are - Uttar Pradesh (15%); Maharashtra (14%); Delhi (8%); West Bengal (7%). Moreover, 94% of NGO employees expressed deep satisfaction with their organisations' societal contributions. Read on...

Zee Business: Indian NGOs employ 45% women, 24% more than other industries: Report
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 oct 2023

Online education has become an integral part of education delivery around the world. COVID-19 pandemic further boosted the expansion of remote learning. Online learning provides higher education students flexibility to study and work due to its convenience and accessiblity. To find out student preferences in online learning models and what aspects of remote education does students value most, McKinsey surveyed 7000 students across 17 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The research covers eight dimensions of the online learning experience encompassing 24 attributes. This provides a broad view of student expectations with online higher education. DIMENSIONS AND ATTRIBUTES - SEAMLESS JOURNEY -> (1) Clear Road Map (Online program structure; Readiness assesment and leveling; Online course preview) (2) Easy Digital Experience (Mobile user experience; Omnichannel; Digital Access Offline). ENGAGING PEDAGOGY -> (3) Balanced Learning Formats (Asynchronous classes; Synchronous classes; Peear-to-peer learning in online setting; Multiple multimedia resources (4) Captivating Delivery (Up-to-date content and faculty relevance; Digital-content attractiveness; Short and dynamic content; Visual content as film) (5) Practical Learning (Skills certification and portfolio building; Virtual reality and simulation; Apprenticeships and internships (6) Adaptive Learning (Intelligent personalized platform). A CARING NETWORK -> (7) Timely Support (Academic success; Coaching; Nonacademic support; Career support; IT support) (8) Strong Community (Institution- or student-led networking). HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RESEARCH - All students surveyed did online classes during pandemic and 65% of them agree to continue aspects of their virtual learning experiences; Students value flexiblity and convenience of online learning and out of 11 learning features that should remain virtual the top 3 mentioned by them are - recording classes and making them available to watch later, easy access to online study materials, and flexibility that enables students to work and study; Top 3 reasons cited by students who do not intend to enroll in online education programs include fear of distraction, lack of discipline, and lack of motivation; In 80% of the countries surveyed, students said the top reason they prefer face-to-face education is that getting help from instructors is easier through in-person rather than online learning; Students' satisfaction with their online learning experiences varies significantly across countries; Three core tenets of successful online education (The basics such as timely content, course structure, and faculty relevance still matters; Expensive features such as virtual reality (VR), simulations, and sophisticated visual content are not necessarily valued; Student age and program type do not significantly influence the perception of online learning experiences' quality); The three steps that help higher education institutions successfully transform their online education programs to boost student satisfaction and engagement (Listen to students, set transformation goals, and evaluate the broader online learning landscape; Combine core attributes of an online program with differentiating elements; Design an action plan and governance structure for implementation and adoption); There are six criteria for higher education institutions to consider when redesigning the online student experience (Scale; Customization; Talent; Speed to market; Regulation; Investment). Read on...

McKinsey: What do higher education students want from online learning?
Authors: Felipe Child, Marcus Frank, Jonathan Law, Jimmy Sarakatsannis, Brenda Affeldt, Mariana Lef

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 09 sep 2023

Social enterprises aim to overcome socio-economic issues, but face myriad challenges themselves due to lack of resources and limited funding. In recent times many social enterprises got started around the world but as the sustainability issues remain their failure rate is also high. The recent research, 'Social Enterprise Performance in South Africa: The Role of Strategic Planning and Networking Capability' (Authors: Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi of University of Fort Hare, Motshedisi Mathibe of University of Fort Hare, Progress Hove-Sibanda of Nelson Mandela University), published in Taylor & Francis Online on 15 May 2023, finds that for social enterprises to enhance their performance, network capability and strategic planning are key. Addressing these challenges can help their owners and managers respond to the challenges such enterprises face. At the core of this is addressing the challenge of funding and sustainability. This research provides new insights into the management for performance of social enterprises, especially in a developing country context. The research included 147 social enterprises in Eastern Cape province of South Africa, one of the poorest regions. Social enterprises were divided into three groups - (1) Focus on poverty alleviation through empowerment projects. (2) Focus on improving livelihoods of communities through agricultural support mechanisms. (3) Focus on assisting communities to respond to health challenges such as HIV/AIDS, the COVID-19 pandemic and tuberculosis. The survey questions focused on asking about how each social enterprise made strategic decisions; the relationship between the social enterprise and its networks; and the enterprise’s continued value creation amid challenges. A model was developed to see how these three issues related to performance. The results showed that three important capabilities were needed to enhance social enterprise performance - (1) The need for strategic planning that involves clearly defining the direction in short and long term, what are goals and tactics, and how to achieve them. (2) The need was for strong networks. Building networks involves continued interaction between the social enterprise and its stakeholders. Networking capabilities allow the social enterprise to remain relevant to other important role players in the community. (3) The need for the social enterprise to keep a focus on its main business, the social aspect mandate of value co-creation. Resarchers recommend - Be proactive in improving their internal processes and structures; Channel financial and non-financial resources such as tangible assets and intangible assets to support strategic planning, networking capabilities and value co-creation; Need clear channels for sharing essential information with stakeholders, including communities, towards achieving the social goal of the enterprise. Read on...

The Conversation: Businesses that address social or environmental problems often struggle to survive: 3 things that can help them
Authors: Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi, Motshedisi Mathibe, Progress Hove-Sibanda

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 27 aug 2023

The survey of more than 1000 nonprofit CEOs and 100+ funders on the state of US volunteer engagement by Do Good Institute (School of Public Policy, University of Maryland) and partially funded by the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, found that even though volunteers are the lifeline for nonprofits and more so during and after the pandemic as they struggle with increased demand, limited resources and reduced staffing, but those volunteers are now harder to engage. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SURVEY - 64.4% of nonprofits reported an increase in demand for their organizational services in 2022; 51.1% expanded their delivery of services, and 48.5% boosted staff workloads to help meet demand; 28.7% of nonprofits are operating with less funding and paid staff than they had before the pandemic; 46.8% of CEOs say that recruiting sufficient volunteers is a big problem for their organizations; Many nonprofits reported they were retaining very few volunteers, and their volunteers were doing less; Nonprofits seem more convinced of the benefits of volunteer engagement (Volunteers allow the organization to provide more detailed attention to the people served ballooned from 37% in 2019 to 65.6% in 2022. Volunteers increase the organization’s return on resource investments increased from 43%to 68.4% over the same time); There is a gap between funders and nonprofits on both the value and challenges surrounding strategic volunteerism (72.2% of nonprofit leaders and only 25.2% of funders felt that volunteers improve the quality of services or programs. 65.6% of nonprofit leaders and ony 29.3% of funders report volunteers provide more detailed attention to people served). Nathan Dietz, researcher at the Do Good Institute and School of Public Policy at UMD, says, 'This gap in funding and staffing makes volunteers even more important for many mission-driven organizations. Nonprofits will likely face staff burnout or service delivery issues if this continues...' Prof. Robert Grimm, director of Do Good Institute, says, 'While nonprofits are putting more effort behind engaging volunteers today, they are experiencing the triple whammy of greater demand for their services, fewer volunteers and few funders with a track record of supporting volunteering, These troubling trends must be reversed.' Jeffrey Glebocki and Betsy McFarland, co-directors of the Initiative for Strategic Volunteer Engagement, say, 'This research will be used to spark a national conversation for greater philanthropic investment in strategic volunteer engagement - and to equip more nonprofits to embrace strategic volunteer engagement for greater impact.' Read on...

Maryland Today (UMD): New Research Reveals Nonprofit Volunteers More Valued Than Ever, But Scarce
Author: Kaitlin Ahmad

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 jul 2023

Self-care or wellness is an important topic for years and to have self-care policies in organizations for their employees is becoming a necessary consideration. COVID-19 also exacerbated the issue for businesses and organizations. Joseph F. Duffy, author of the book 'Being a Supervisor 1.0.', SVP of Recruitment at the nonprofit leadership search firm of Dennis C. Miller (DCM) and former president of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Paterson (New Jersey, USA), says that in the post-pandemic scenario the organizational leaders face the challenge of 'great resignation' phenomenon that includes increased instances of employee stress and burnout, and self-care is an important thing needed. According to Mr. Duffy, 'Too often this topic has been referred to Human Resource Departments with the intent of addressing employee self-care needs by modifying employee benefits packages, offering programs/activities such as diet, smoking cessation, exercise classes, stress management etc.' Mr. Duffy suggests a more systematic approach to promoting emplyees' self-care needs and having a proper mechanism to create, maintain, manage and measure it - (1) Include self-care in every employee's job description, up to, and including the CEO. (2) Include it in every employee's annual performance review. (3) Have it as a standing agenda item for supervision meetings. (4) Have it as a standing agenda item for team meetings. (5) Develop a formal written policy and procedure on self-care, definition, statement of importance, expectations, and resources. (6) Consider having this policy and procedure require every employee to have a written self-care plan. (7) Include this self-care policy and self-care education in the new employee orientation program. (8) Include self-care in ongoing employee training offerings. (9) Include self-care opportunities in your employee benefits offerings e.g. exercise, yoga, meditation, mind-fulness classes, nutrition couseliing, smoking cessation, EAP (Employee Assistance Program) etc. Read on...

The NonProfit Times: 9 Steps Toward Staff 'Self-Care' Policies
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 28 jul 2023

Nonprofit sector's human resources departments had been facing challenges, specifically in recrruiting and retaining talent, in the COVID'19 years and after. Nonprofit HR's Annual Talent Management Priorities Survey 2023 provides insights into the concerns of social sector organizations related to human resource management. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SURVEY FOR 2023 - 80% organizations are prioritizing talent acquisition; Top 3 recruitment priorities (66% are attracting/hiring diverse talent; 44% are strengthening employer brand to attract better talent; 50% increasing recruiting budgets); 93% are prioritizing culture and employee engagement; 73% are prioritizing performance management; 79% are prioritizing learning and development; Top 3 learning and revelopment or training efforts (Leadership - 67%; Supervisory Skills - 66%; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - 73%); 66% are prioritizing total rewards (compensation and benefits); 61% are not prioritizing talent analytics/metrics; 70% are not prioritizing talent-focused technology; 65% have a formal talent management strategy/plan that will guide its work in 2023; Top 3 elements included in formal talent management strategy/plan (Talent acquisition like branding, recruitment, hiring, onboarding - 84%; Retention planning like culture management, employee engagement, feedback management - 84%; Learning and development like staff development, leadership development, mentoring, shadowing - 82%). Read on...

Nonprofit HR: 2023 NONPROFIT TALENT MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES SURVEY RESULTS
Author: NA

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 jun 2023

According to a study commissioned by The Times of India on CSR spends by NSE listed companies, CSR project spends in FY22 at Rs 14558 crore were marginally lower than Rs 14615 crore in the previous year. On the contrary, the number of companies that become part of CSR community increased to 1278 from 1251 in the previous year. As per 2021 amendment companies can defer CSR funds for a specific period. Companies have option to support multi-year projects and can transfer the unspent amount from an ongoing project to a separate bank account and can utilize it in the next three years. Pranav Haldia, MD of Prime Database says, 'Top areas continued to be healthcare and education, garnering nearly 60% of spends. Another area that gained prominence is the newly-introduced schedule of disaster management.' Shivananda Shetty, Head of ESG Advisory at KPMG, says, 'Companies are formulating multi-year projects of higher value, as the average per capita project expenditure is showing a positive trend. Read on...

The Times of India: CSR spends remain flat at Rs 14.6k crore in FY22: Study
Author: Rupali Mukherjee

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 30 may 2023

Collaborations between philanthropic community (nonprofits, NGOs, social enterprises etc) and science & technology leaders and organizations can help solve some pressing problems that world is facing like hunger, poverty, disceases, climate change etc. Here are four ways this collaboration is trying to bring necessary change - (1) Fighting 'Legacy' Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Example - Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) recently partnered with Calibr, a division of Scripps Research, to study and potentially commercialize a compound that may improve upon current TB treatments. (2) Recruiting Gamers to Advance Medicine: Example - Scientists at Dotmatics, an R&D software development firm that partners with research universities like MIT and the University of Oxford, worked with gaming companies to develop an online video game that recruited thousands of willing 'citizen scientists' to analyze cellular-level changes in patients with COVID-19 and other diseases of the immune system. This took just days instead of weeks and provided reams of data that will be used to make softwares work even faster in future. (3) Growing Sustainable Food Solutions: Example - Good Food Institute (GFI) in partnership with alternative protein developers like Fishtown Seafood and UPSIDE Foods and many others, is working to commercialize and scale cultivated or plant-based meat products and as a result reduce global greenhouse emissions related to agricultural activities and meat production. (4) Electrifying Transportation in Latin America: Example - The Green Climate Fund, a major funder of low-carbon solutions, is partnering with local governments and other stakeholders across Latin America in a large-scale effort to speed the region's transition to EVs (Electric Vehicles). Read on...

Forbes: 4 Ways Technology And Philanthropy Are Supporting Innovation
Author: Serenity Gibbons

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 29 apr 2023

Even though India is on a development and growth path, but there are areas that require special attention particularly the social issues like poverty, unemployment, gender inequality, and environmental degradation. According to the Lancet study 'Progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators in 707 districts of India: A quantitative mid-line assessment using the National Family Health Surveys, 2016 and 2021' (Authors: S.V. Subramanian of Harvard University, Mayanka Ambade of Laxmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute India, Akhil Kumar of Harvard University, Hyejun Chi of Korea University, William Joe of Institute of Economic Growth India, Sunil Rajpal of Korea University, Rockli Kim of Korea University), India is not on-target for 19 of the 33 SDGs indicators. The critical off-target indicators include access to basic services, wasting and overweight children, anaemia, child marriage, partner violence, tobacco use, and modern contraceptive use. For these indicators, more than 75% of the districts were off-target. Because of a worsening trend observed between 2016 and 2021, and assuming no course correction occurs, many districts will never meet the targets on the SDGs even well after 2030. Abhishek Dubey, founder and CEO of Muskaan Dreams, suggests that India needs more social impact entrepreneurs to make a positive difference in society. Social entrepreneurs are capable to put their talent and energy for social causes that they value along with generating revenue and profits. The are well suited to contribute effectively to India's growth story for following reasons - (1) Tackling social problems at scale (2) Promoting inclusive growth (3) Solving environmental challenges (4) Innovating for social impact (5) Bridging the gap between the public and private sectors (6) Creating sustainable ventures. Read on...

Forbes: Why India needs more social entrepreneurs
Author: Abhishek Dubey

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 23 mar 2023

As the world is becoming more divided and tussle-oriented, the usual development strategies with a top-down approach driven by international trade and investments are losing their effectiveness. Prof. Andrew Sheng of University of Hong Kong and Prof. Xiao Geng of The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen, explain that in such a scenario a systemic bottom-up approach can yield progress. According to them, 'Poverty, inequality, climate change and environmental degradation are complex systemic challenges. Yet prevailing policy approaches focus on devising separate solutions to specific problems, or even specific facets of problems, with little to no regard for how their solutions - and the underlying problems - interact...Only by recognising the interconnected nature of our social, ecological and economic systems, and addressing problems holistically, can we optimise their functioning and ensure human and planetary well-being.' They quote environmental scientist Donella Meadows's definition of a system as 'an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organised in a way that achieves something.' Prof. Sheng and Prof. Geng further elaborate, 'Multilateral action - implemented by nation-states - tends to be even less efficient...What is needed instead are bottom-up strategies underpinned by community-based and non-profit social enterprises.' According to Peter Drucker, successful non-profits, 'dedicated to "doing good"', but also 'realise that good intentions are no substitute for organisation and leadership, for accountability, performance and results.' Authors suggest harnessing the power of already-existing tools and resources. They explain, 'Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are far better equipped than their large counterparts to deploy the mission-driven management social enterprises require. MSMEs - 90% of all businesses globally - account for 70-80% of total employment...Yet, MSMEs do not have access to formal capital markets, let alone the holistic policy and institutional framework - including supporting infrastructure and a consistent legal environment - that would enable them to act as effective social enterprises...technology has enabled the creation of a 'global knowledge commons', through which social enterprises can access the knowhow - and, through trusted accreditation, the financing - they need.' Read on...

IPS Journal: A social-enterprise development model
Authors: Andrew Sheng, Xiao Geng

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 24 feb 2023

The COVID-19 crisis brought many challenges to the organizations in the nonprofit sector. Lisa Brown Alexander, president and CEO of Nonprofit HR, says, 'Since 2020, nonprofits have seen decreases in revenue, decreases in funding, decreases in opportunities to host fundraisers, which for many organizations is a revenue lifeline.' The crisis lead to financial challenges to nonprofits on one side while on the other there was increase in demand for their services and hiring requirements. According to the Nonprofit HR's 2023 Talent Management Priorities Survey of leaders in social impact organizations, HR leaders identified talent acquisition, performance management and talent-focused technology as their top three priorities this coming year. In 2022 the focus was on culture, learning and development, and performance management. Rebecca Dixon, executive director of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), says, 'The priority shift to a focus on finding and keeping employees makes sense.' Ms. Alexander and Ms. Dixon suggest 5 tactics for social impact organizations for talent management in coming months - (1) Focus on strategies to keep great talent. (2) Keep pace with your competitors. (3) Invest in technology, particularly tech that supports your staff. (4) Be competitive in pay and benefits. (5) Integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into your organization's talent management. Read on...

WTOP News: 5 ways nonprofits can win at talent management in 2023
Author: Vanessa Roberts

Mohammad Anas Wahaj | 31 jan 2023

According to the research by Prof. Praveen Kopalle from the Tuck School of Business (Dartmouth College), Prof. S. Arunachalam of the Rawls College of Business (Texas Tech University), Prof. Hariom Manchiraju of the Indian School of Business (ISB), and Prof. Rahul Suhag of the Kenan-Flagler Business School (University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill), what's good for society and the environment can also be good for a company's bottom line. Firms spending on CSR activities impacts their profitability. Researchers studied data from 2320 unique firms in India between the years 2012 and 2017, completing two forms of empirical analysis - (1) A difference-in-differences design, analyzed companies' CSR spending, advertising, and gross profit margins before and after the passage of the India's CSR law. (2) A regression discontinuity, looked at firms very close to law's threshold (on both sides) and compared the differences in their pricing. According to Prof. Kopalle, 'If both techniques are pointing in the same direction, then we can establish a casual inference that the law is what's making the difference.' After making data more comprehensible, researchers identified three categories of the firms - (1) Newspender: Firms that started spending on CSR after the law was passed. (2) Prosocial: Firms that spent on CSR even before the law was passed. (3) Nonspender: Firms that didn't spend on CSR after the law, and chose to explain to the government why they didn't do so. Mentioning key findings, Prof. Kopalle says, 'The Newspenders start saying more about CSR in their ads and it ends up positively impacting their gross margins...consumers reward socially responsible, profit-maximizing companies and absorb the corresponding price increases without reducing their purchase quantities...At the company level, you can do well by doing good. It's not a zero-sum game...Between using advertising and price as leverage, and having the law as a backup, it gives a cohesive and well-founded story to consumers, so they say it's worthwhile to pay more for products from these companies.' The research also provides proof that governments in emerging economies can use mandatory CSR laws as an innovative strategy to nudge companies to contribute to social causes. Read on...

Tuck School of Business News: Corporate Social Responsibility is not a Zero-Sum Game
Author: Kirk Kardashian