New Philanthropy Capital

New Philanthropy Capital
source
Name	New Philanthropy Capital
Formation	2002
Headquarters	London
Type	Charity, Think tank
Region served	United Kingdom

New Philanthropy Capital

New Philanthropy Capital is a London-based charity and think tank focused on improving the effectiveness of philanthropic funding. Founded in 2002, it works with donors, foundations, charities, and public bodies to support strategic giving and organisational development. The organisation combines research, advisory services, and publications to influence practice across the charitable and voluntary sectors.

History

The organisation was established in 2002 by leaders from the Charity Commission for England and Wales, Jubilee 2000 campaigners, and executives linked to the Nesta innovation foundation and London School of Economics alumni networks. Early collaborators included trustees drawn from Oxfam, Save the Children, Comic Relief, and the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. In its first decade it partnered with advisory groups connected to Big Lottery Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and Barrow Cadbury Trust, while engaging with policy debates involving lawmakers at Westminster and analysts at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Expansion in the 2010s saw strategic alliances with international funders such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and philanthropic intermediaries like CAF and European Venture Philanthropy Association.

Mission and Activities

The organisation’s stated mission is to increase the social impact of charitable resources by promoting evidence-based giving, performance measurement, and organisational capacity building. It delivers programmes spanning donor advising, impact assessment, and strategy for service providers including those operating in fields represented by National Health Service, Department for Work and Pensions stakeholders, and networks linked to UNICEF initiatives. It operates at the intersection of funders such as The Wellcome Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, and networks that include Association of Charitable Foundations members, while engaging practitioners from Teach First, Mencap, and Shelter to refine sector standards.

Research and Publications

Research outputs target donors, trustees, and charity executives, offering frameworks for outcome measurement, cost-effectiveness analysis, and commissioning practice. Notable reports have addressed topics aligned with methodologies used by Cochrane Collaboration, Nesta policy briefs, and evaluation approaches promoted by Institute for Government analysts. Publications engage with metrics used by organisations like GiveWell, Pro Bono Economics, and Social Finance, and discuss funding models similar to those explored by Big Society Capital and Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The organisation’s guides on governance, impact investing, and outcomes frameworks sit alongside resources produced by Chartered Institute of Fundraising and training materials used by Civil Society Media platforms.

Advisory Services and Consulting

Advisory work includes tailored consulting for major donors, family offices, and foundations, and strategic support for charities and social enterprises. Clients have included family philanthropists associated with trusts such as Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, corporate foundations like Barclays Foundation, and consortia that mirror collaborations among Wellcome Trust partners. Service lines cover strategic reviews, merger support akin to interventions seen in Turnaround Management Association cases, and evaluation designs inspired by practices used at RAND Corporation and Centre for Social Justice. This advisory provision has interfaced with procurement exercises run by local authorities and commissioning bodies comparable to Greater London Authority frameworks.

Impact and Criticism

Supporters argue the organisation has improved donor practice and contributed to stronger governance across the voluntary sector through tools comparable to those promoted by Institute of Fundraising and evaluative standards used by Audit Commission predecessors. Academic and sector commentators from institutions such as University of Oxford, University College London, and Harvard Kennedy School have cited its methodological contributions to outcome measurement debates. Critics, including commentators from Third Sector and analysts affiliated with New Economics Foundation, have questioned whether emphasis on quantitative metrics and cost-effectiveness privileges particular interventions over grassroots priorities, a critique echoed in discussions involving National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Friends Provident Foundation. Debates continue over balancing rigorous evaluation with participatory approaches championed by organisations like Amnesty International, ActionAid, and Human Rights Watch.

Category:Charities based in London