Devex Pro Insider: We follow the money, and give you advice on how to get it

Philanthropy has always been critical to development. Now, it’s a lifeline, as government donors fall by the wayside like dominoes. But as Laura Savage of the International Education Funders Group recently put it: “Philanthropy is often looked to as a checkbook, and it is so much more than that.” Savage was a speaker at one of our Pro Funding briefings, which have become a mainstay on our calendar of events to help you make sense of the tectonic shifts in today’s funding landscape. That, of course, includes philanthropy, which is more than a sector. It’s a world unto itself — one that is experiencing the aftershocks of the foreign aid crisis like everyone else. “There’s just a lot of uncertainty, a lot of fear,” said Randall Kempner of the Climate Philanthropy Catalyst Coalition, one of the panelists at our briefing on The power of networks: Rethinking how philanthropy engages and invests, hosted by my colleague Raquel Alcega. “We’re past the chaos of January, February, but we’re not at a point of … new understandings of what philanthropy’s position should be,” added fellow panelist Melanie Ormos of Forward Global. Concrete answers, such as aid money, are scarce, but we’ve been gathering insights from myriad philanthropic players as they plot a path forward. Savage, Kempner, and Ormos, for example, talked about the importance of philanthropic networks, the often-invisible spaces where funders gather, reflect, and sometimes generate change. All three speakers agreed that the latter is especially crucial nowadays — and that networks need to do more than convene. Ormos highlighted the range of reactions among Forward Global’s members. Some are taking “a very offensive strategy,” while others are more constrained by governance structures or political sensitivities. What matters, she said, is that funders are informed — and pushed — to act, not freeze up. We’ve been talking to groups ranging from Lever for Change to Co-Impact on what actions they’re taking — and what advice they have — to navigate these turbulent times. More on that below. And we’re far from done. Ahead of the 4th International Finance for Development summit in Seville, Spain, we’re presenting a series of briefings breaking down what this pivotal gathering means. Coming up: On June 3, we take on debt, power, and justice with lolanda Fresnillo, David Grigorian, Eric LeCompte, and Hannah Ryder as the Seville negotiations enter crunch time. On June 5, British International Investment’s Chris Chijiutomi goes behind the scenes on investing in fragile African markets — and what DFIs need to succeed where aid is retreating. And in case you missed it, we launched our Seville series with a look at whether multilateral development banks can step up to meet the moment (Hint: their incremental steps may not be enough). Also in today’s edition: China cashes in on debt, women’s organizations are on borrowed time, and the World Bank shakes up its external and corporate relations. Bits and pieces Shedding light on a black box. Applying for a large philanthropic grant can be a grueling, intimidating, and bewildering process. So, we spoke to Jenna Schornack, managing director for awards and social impact at Lever for Change, on how the organization connects fundraisers to funds. Through its open competitions, Lever for Change deploys multimillion-dollar grants — sometimes up to $100 million, as seen in the MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change competition — to bold, high-impact projects. So, what are some tips for tapping into this giant pool of money? • Expect to invest significant energy into a comprehensive application. Lever for Change, for instance, requires full proposals upfront — not just concept notes. • Learn from other proposals, which Lever for Change allows you to do. • Prioritize partnerships with other organizations, though make your role in the ecosystem clear. And don’t get discouraged if you didn’t land the big grant. There’s value in participating that could nab you that next grant. A moment to lean in. We also pulled back the curtain on how to partner with Co-Impact, a global philanthropic collaborative, in our latest Pro Funding briefing. Gladys Onyango, director of Africa at Co-Impact, argued that this isn’t the time to pull back or reassess; rather, it’s a moment to lean in. For Onyango’s organization, that means a systems-change approach, backing local leadership and an emphasis on five-year, multimillion-dollar commitments. Onyango also offered advice for how to work with her organization: • Be strategic and adaptive. In a moment defined by volatility, funders are drawn to organizations that stay grounded in their mission while showing flexibility in how they deliver. • “Double down on relationship-building.” Fundraising is never just transactional. Staying in touch with existing funders and engaging new ones requires consistent, thoughtful communication. • Articulate clearly and convincingly why your organization’s work matters now more than ever, and how it responds to the issues Co-Impact and other funders are trying to address. More than speeches in Seville. Another prominent philanthropic figure — Gargee Ghosh, president of global policy and advocacy at the Gates Foundation — pointed to another culprit that is holding back lower-income countries. It’s not aid cuts, but rather mounting debt. She praised the late Pope Francis for putting debt “back on the global agenda in this Jubilee year - not just as a moral call, but as a reminder of what’s at stake. Across Africa, Latin America and South Asia, governments are being forced to choose between repaying creditors and investing in their people,” she wrote on a LinkedIn post. “Without action, more than 50 countries will continue spending more on debt service than on health or education,” she added. “The path forward won’t be a one-size-fits-all: Some countries urgently need debt relief. Others need more reliable, better-coordinated financing to grow their way out of crisis. But what’s clear is this: the current system isn’t working for the people who need it most. As we head toward the International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, I hope we see more than just speeches. Let’s see real commitments.” How do you say ‘I owe you’ in Mandarin? Speaking of debt, many countries owe a lot of it to China. A new report by the Lowy Institute has an interesting breakdown on “China’s transition from lead bilateral banker to chief debt collector of the developing world.” Among its findings: In 2025, the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries will make record-high debt repayments totaling $22 billion to China. “Beijing has transitioned from capital provider to net financial drain on developing country budgets as debt servicing costs on Belt and Road Initiative projects from the 2010s now far outstrip new loan disbursements,” the report states. Breaking point. Here’s a stark reminder of the on-the-ground reverberations of the global aid cuts. Half of women’s organizations helping women in crises may shut down within six months due to those cuts, according to UN Women. Based on the results of a rapid global survey conducted among 411 women-led and women’s rights organizations across 44 crisis contexts, UN Women’s report finds that 90% of surveyed organizations have been hit by funding cuts. “Women and girls simply cannot afford to lose the lifelines that women’s organizations are providing,” said Sofia Calltorp, chief of UN Women Humanitarian Action. “Despite their roles as essential providers, advocates, and watchdogs, women’s organizations have been severely underfunded even before the recent wave of reductions. Supporting and resourcing them is not only a matter of equality and rights, but it is also a strategic imperative.” WHA reflections. Devex was all over the World Health Assembly, with coverage of the major developments — progress on a pandemic treaty! — along with incisive conversations on what those developments meant at our Devex CheckUp @ WHA78 summit. Our health team was on the ground in Geneva, Switzerland, where the action took place. But as my colleague Sara Jerving observed, a lot of smaller NGOs didn’t have that luxury: “WHA felt disconnected from reality. It's hosted in one of the most expensive cities in the world, with side events in five-star hotels, at a time when the financial floor is falling out beneath the global health community and multilateralism is under threat,” she tells me. “Sending a team to attend can cost an organization a small fortune. Even hotels near the airport hit nearly $500 a night. Given that organizations are facing cuts, sending staff on such a pricey trip wasn't possible for many (even in years past, when there weren't mass foreign aid cuts, this has been a problem). It means that a global convening to make decisions on the health of the world's population had even less representation from low- and middle-income countries than usual — even though they make up much of the world’s population.” ✉️ Do you have insights into any of this week’s bits and pieces? Let me know by replying to this email. Moving on The World Bank recently brought on four new department heads for its external and corporate relations as part of the bank’s strategy to be faster, simpler, more efficient, and deliver more impact, according to an announcement shared with Devex by World Bank sources. The new faces are: Lauren Tilstra, director of communications and content: With a track record of advising Fortune 50 leadership, Tilstra most recently held the role of chief of staff and assistant vice president of global communications at Verizon. She began her career at Martha Stewart Living and Time Warner, where she shaped executive voice, philanthropic strategy, and communicated several major public acquisitions and divestitures. Roya Rahmani, director of global engagement: As Afghanistan’s ambassador to Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and then later to the United States, Rahmani built extensive networks across governments, civil society, the military, and faith-based organizations. Currently chair of Delphos International Ltd., Rahmani previously served as director-general for regional cooperation at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as country director for an international NGO. Edith Jibunoh, director of external affairs: Jibunoh joined the World Bank Group in 2001-2003 as a junior communications associate, and then again in 2014 as a communications adviser. Since then, she has held several key roles, including stakeholder engagement adviser, civil society adviser, and currently manager for external and corporate relations in the East Africa vice presidency. Prior to joining the bank, she was global policy director at the ONE Campaign and served as chief of staff and adviser on international relations at the Nigerian Ministry of Finance. Jakob Kopperud, director of government and multilateral relations: Kopperud joined the World Bank Group in 2003 as Nordic country counselor. More recently, he served as special representative to Europe, special representative to the U.K. and Ireland, and adviser on multilateral affairs. He is currently the acting director for government and multilateral relations, based in Paris. Prior to joining the bank, Kopperud worked in the Multilateral Affairs Department at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Did we miss one? Is there a change on the horizon? Let us know at devexpro@devex.com.