Private Foundations

HC 1557, Thirteenth Report of Session 2010-12 - Volume I: Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

Author:: House of Commons - International Development Committee
Publisher:: TSO (The Stationery Office)

Price: £15.50

'Private Foundations (HC 1557)' reports that private philanthropy is improving the lives of some of the world's poorest people, but the Department for International Development (DFID) must do more to engage private foundations in coordinated global efforts to improve the effectiveness of aid.

While private foundations make a huge contribution, concerns have been raised about their transparency and accountability. Foundations should sign up to International Aid Transparency Initiative guidelines and be brought into global structures to ensure that they coordinate their work with other donors.

DFID currently engages with foundations on an ad-hoc basis and the report recommends a more systematic approach to the Department's relationship with private philanthropic organisations.

The Committee recognises that DFID officials cannot meet all small foundations on a one-to-one basis, but it believes that the Department should make more efforts to engage with them. A designated contact official for foundations should be established and a DFID minister should hold an annual meeting with groups of smaller foundations. The Department should also produce a publication indicating what DFID funding foundations might apply for, and how to apply.

DFID should include foundations as fully as possible in future development events and processes, including:

the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness;
the forthcoming Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development; and
discussions of a post-2015 Millennium Development Goal Framework.

Extent	108 pages	ISBN	9780215040565
Size	A4	Price	£15.50
Format	Paperback	Published	20 Jan 2012
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges