TAI Weekly

TAI Weekly|Equity at Risk - Governance in a Changing Climate

By TAI (Role at TAI)
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TAI Weekly

WHAT'S NEW? 

While the world watches the US go to the polls today, the business of government has been going on. The White House Office of Management and Budget released draft guidance and a toolkit outline to enhance public participation across US Federal agencies. This initiative aligns with the U.S. commitment under the global Open Government Partnership. Feedback is sought until November 29. 

In Nigeria, Yiaga offers new insights from the “Turn Up Democracy” project on engaging youth in citizen-centered governance,  addressing public discontent with political elites and enhancing democratic participation.

Amanda Taub suggests that the true value of democracy lies in its capacity to resolve disagreements, rather than being upheld purely as a moral value. “Democracy is a game,” she says. What do you think? 

Alejandro Toledo, former President of Peru, has been sentenced to 20 years and six months in prison for his involvement in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, which implicated numerous Latin American leaders in a bribery scheme orchestrated by the Brazilian construction giant. 

Enrique Mendizabal emphasizes that the key issue is not democracy itself but polarization. Read his insights on the implications of polarization for democratic systems.

On World Cities Day, the International Centre for Tax and Development highlighted the potential of subnational property taxes to address critical development challenges, underscoring their role in funding local governments and enhancing public service delivery.

What do we know of the practices and governance of the international development industry? Glassdoor for Primes, analyzes the business practices of 26 major organizations involved in delivery of global development and humanitarian response. 

The UK Treasury has published a new policy paper addressing offshore tax non-compliance, detailing measures to enhance compliance concerning both income and non-financial assets, including cryptocurrencies and complex offshore structures.

FROM OUR MEMBERS 

USAID: A new ex-post evaluation of USAID- and World Bank-funded

social accountability intervention in the education sector highlights key insights: Projects that understand their systemic context and appreciate others’ contributions are more likely to achieve systemic change. 

FORD FOUNDATION: commissioned a new study, Strengthening the Enabling Infrastructure for Collaborative Funds,  takes a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities that exist within these complex ecosystems. Collaborative funds are a crucial part of grantmakers' infrastructure. When done well, they help extend the scale, reach, innovation potential, and dynamism of investments and enable funders us to work together across issue areas and initiatives. 

OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS: This year's Nobel Prize in Economics went to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and Jim Robinson, igniting intense discussions. Here, Yuen Yuen Ang, argues that their theories not only fail to explain China’s economic growth, but are also wrong in asserting democracy explains prosperity in the West. We should celebrate democracy for its intrinsic value, “instead of making exaggerated promises that democracy alone will make nations rich and powerful.”

ESSENTIAL READING!

To get you excited for TAI’s forthcoming study on intermediary funders read Paula Castells Carrion’s introductory blog  For good governance funders, the study will highlight Global-South-based and rooted regranters with a strong record on governance issues. For all funders, it will provide insights on the role of intermediaries in today’s funding ecosystem. The study will also address important questions, such as how can we rethink accountability and trust throughout the funding chain.

TOOLS AND TRENDS FOR FUNDERS 

Funders must nurture collaborative, diverse and inclusive spaces/movements that will allow us to envision the types of governance and institutions we need. Read more of TAI’s Eszter Filippinyi’s takeaways from the 2024 Responsible Leaders Innovation Forum.

Flexibility, autonomy, and trust—core funding, also known as unrestricted funding, is key to helping organizations thrive. Read insights from Oak Foundation’s latest article to learn why core funding made up 43% of the Foundation’s 2023 grants.

Porticus and the Center for Continuing and Distance Education have created an online, asynchronous course on collaborative and inclusive philanthropy practices and tools. It’s open to anyone, anywhere. Philanthropy experts from across the globe share what has worked (and what has not) to foster collaboration and inclusion across diverse projects.

Clare Gibson Nangle and Marianne Møllmann discuss trust-based philanthropy and what that means for grant-making. But trust goes in both directions. And too often, the buzz created by one trust-based funding approach overshadows the reality that many bad practices persist.

ESSENTIAL WATCHING!

Watch how Uganda youth are standing up against corruption and finding new ways to make their voices heard in this UNISHKA Research Service update.

FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK:

The climate crisis and implications for equity and governance

The catastrophic flash floods in Spain reflect the heightened risks we all face from climate change. They recall those in North Carolina in the US just a few weeks ago - one of 24 confirmed climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each to affect the United States in 2024 alone. Of course, the ability to respond is far more limited in most countries. This feeds into the necessary debates about climate equity and mobilizing fiscal space to deal adequately with the climate crisis. For example, recent Devex analysis reveals that debt repayments for poor countries now far exceed the climate finance they receive, jeopardizing their ability to meet development and climate goals.

Equity in climate justice emerges as a vital theme of Brazilian scholars reflecting on the legacy of slain activist Chico Mendes. They highlight the urgent need for innovations that prioritize socioeconomic equity as the foundation of environmental justice. 

It matters who tells the climate story and how as underscored in the New Economy Hub's report on South Africa. Dominant media and community perceptions shape narratives surrounding climate change and the energy transition.

Is philanthropic funding adapting to these realities? Asher Orkaby and Tim Mueller detail the evolution of climate philanthropy in recent decades, including the key plays by TAI members such as Hewlett Foundation and the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. Previously on the margins, climate has since been redefined by an increasingly global coalition of funders, but will need to keep adapting to balance the adaptation/mitigation needs with equity and power concerns.

ESSENTIAL LISTENING!

Looking for a new weekend podcast: What about this chapter of the TrustMakers series? Kristin Lord, CEO of IREX, and Alex Heath, Edelman’s U.S. Head of Social Impact and Sustainability, discuss how global NGOs can build trust in society from the ground up.

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