Smart risks : how small grants are helping to solve some of the world's biggest problems / edited by Jennifer Lentfer and Tanya Cothran.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Lentfer, Jennifer, editor.

Cothran, Tanya, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Charities--Developing countries.

Charities.

Charities--Economic aspects.

Developing countries.

Physical Description:

ix, 190 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby, UK : Practical Action Publishing Ltd, [2017]

Summary:

As never before, international aid is in the hands of ordinary people. Concerned citizens in wealthy countries are starting philanthropy groups, joining giving circles, and traveling internationally to lend support. Yet, they are torn between the feelings that 'something' must be done about global poverty and that foreign assistance is creating dependency and fueling corruption overseas. A growing community of international small grant-makers know how to find and fund effective grassroots initiatives. Compared to donor-controlled, large-scale, project-based international aid funding, small grant-makers use the concept of 'smart risks' to build upon existing human and social capital and to make a lasting changes in people's lives. Smart Risks brings together the wisdom of experts with wide-ranging experience within the development sector. Their contributions focus on five guiding question, such as 'who is a smart risk?' and 'what is your role in smart risks?' They include case studies, personal stories of lessons learned over time, provocative insights on power and privilege, and practical frameworks for choosing, investing in, and measuring the impact of grassroots organizations and movements -- Back cover.

Contents:

Introduction / Jennifer Lentfer and Tanya Cothran

Making local to global connections / Tanya Cothran

Community resilience : an untapped resource for sustainable development / Clement N. Dlamini

Peace begins at home / Ruairi Nolan

Dedication, incentives, and what drives local leaders / Weh Yeoh

The real experts / Jennifer Lentfer

Respect at the core : insights on fostering local leadership / Mary Fifield

Unearthing community wisdom : patience, perseverance, and partnerships / Rajiv Khanna

When local leaders say, 'Thanks but no thanks' / Scott Fifer

Local leaders in the driver's seat / Tanya Cothran

Leaving the room / Jennifer Lentfer

When small is too small : recognizing opportunities to scale smart risks / Caitlin Stanton

Small grants as seed funding for entrepreneurs / Caroline J. Mailloux

Grants, not loans / Tanya Cothran

Building accountability from the ground up in Liberia Blair Glencorse

Out of the comfort zone : addressing the needs of women's rights defenders / Keely Tongate

Fruitful failures and the pull of curiosity / Marc Maxmeister

What if we saw 'mistakes' as fuel for innovation? / Rajasvini Bhansali

Charity rankers : who is defining effectiveness? / Logan Cochrane and Alec Thornton

The solution within : communities mitigate their own risks / Daniela Gusman

Does your financial report make people feel poor? / Nora Lester Murad

What 'real-time' community feedback can tell you that evaluations can't / Marc Maxmeister and Joshua Goldstein

Dusty sneakers, girls' dorms, and challenging our assumptions / Sasha Rabsey

Rigorous humility : reconciling the desire for certainty and the space for possibility / Jennifer Lentfer

The dissonance / Nora Lester Murad

Uncomfortable conversations / Jennifer Lentfer

Ten rules for helping / The Barefoot Guide Connection Whose capacity needs to be built? / Jennifer Lentfer

Questions to focus organizational learning for social change / The Barefoot Guide Connection

What happens when we listen? / Rajasvini Bhansali

The five essential qualities of grassroots grant makers / Jennifer Astone

Conclusion / Jennifer Lentfer and Tanya Cothran.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1853399302

9781853399305

1853399310

9781853399312

OCLC:

966465233