OBGP 3330 - From Zero to Impact: Can Philanthropy Effectively Address Today’s Growing Inequalities? (NEW)

With governments marred in debt, curbing inequality has become even more challenging than before. This class is about the role philanthropy can play in solving this roadblock. More broadly, it is about bold ideas and how to turn them into actual initiatives through philanthropy. It is about building the world of tomorrow through powerful narratives and sound project management.

By studying new trends in philanthropy on both sides of the Atlantic, students in this class will also become familiar with initiatives rooted in the social investment paradigm. They will also consider the effects and constraints of scaling successful initiatives and reflect on whether some locally successful initiatives can inspire the national policies of tomorrow.

Learning Outcomes

• Familiarity with key philanthropy players active in the social sector, and key trends in philanthropy
• Improved project management skills
• Improved pitching and reporting skills

Professional Skills

Students from this class will get a taste of the expectations of a highly competitive workspace. They will also understand the relevance and practical use of project management tools, as well as impact measurement tools, in building/monitoring robust projects.

Fluency in English (oral and written)

Basic knowledge of project management tools and methods

Feedback will be provided in writing for individual Policy Briefs while Exposes/Pitches will be debriefed with all students and then by the instructor. Possibility to book time for individual feedback too.

• In Class Presence: 24 hours a semester
• Reading and Preparation for Class: 60 hours a semester (it's normal to ask them to spend a double amount of time that they spent in the classroom on readings)
• Research and Preparation for Group Work: 30 hours a semester
• Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 30 hours a semester