FIVE GOOD REASONS TO RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS

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FIVE GOOD REASONS TO RESEARCH FOUNDATIONS

• Patrick Develtere
• HIVA - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Belgium
  - May 2003

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A multilevel governance

• A new governance system at local, national,
  regional and international
• Multi-stakeholdership involving non-state actors
• Examples illustrate a prominent role for the
  actors of the third sector/social economy
• Examples do not show the foundation sector

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First reason to research foundations

• We must examine the position and identify the
  role of foundations in the new governance system

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The foundation sector within the third
sector/social economy

• French revolution public interest state
  affairs
• 19th century emergence of mutual interest
  associations
• before WWII boom of non-profit organisations
• after WWII third sector behind the scene

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The foundation sector within the third sector

• Since the 1980s
• repositioning of the old actors of the social
  economy
• new actors social enterprises, community
  interest companies, social interest companies,
  social co-operatives,
• growth of the foundation sector
• social corporate responsibility

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Second reason to research foundations

• We must examine the position of foundations
  within the third sector/social economy

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The collective identity of foundations

• The foundation sector heterogeneous
• A common identity card must illustrate
• the morphology of the sector
• the scope of the activities of the sector
• its contribution to the economy society
• its social base
• its multiplier effect

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Third reason to research foundations

• We need to make the common identity card of the
  foundation sector

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The foundation sector in a globalising world

• Moral appeal to tackle a number of global
  challenges
• social exclusion and poverty
• sustainable development
• multicultural society
• international co-operation

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Fourth reason to research foundations

• We must identify the specific contributions of
  the foundation sector to global challenges

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Foundations the world of academia

• Several research groups work on advancing our
  understanding of the Third Sector
• A growing interest among students for topics
  related to the third sector
• e.g. management of social enterprises
  philanthropy, voluntarism, empowerment of civil
  society...

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Fifth reason to research foundations

• We must use research and teaching as powerful
  tools to promote the third sector/social
  economy/foundation sector

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Five reasons to research foundations

• Identify the place of the foundations in
  governance
• Identify the place of the foundations in the
  Third Sector
• Make the identity card of the foundation sector
• Identify the contribution of the sector to global
  challenges
• Use research to promote the sector