The December 2017 issue of Alliance is out. It’s been completely re-designed (for the first time in over a decade) and includes an in-depth feature on philanthropy and the media. Guest edited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Miguel Castro, we profile philanthropists who own or back media, showcases existing foundation programmes on investigative journalism and combating fake news and offer perspectives on philanthropy from leading media titles such as Spiegel Online, The Guardian and the BBC. In addition, I also write about why enlightened foundations should fund us – the philanthropy media. The new issue also contains the first ever interview – anywhere – with the founder of the Netherlands-based Adessium Foundation, Gerard van Vliet.

All of this content is free to view thanks to sponsorship from the Democracy and Media Foundation.

You might also have seen in recent weeks some powerful and profound critiques of current philanthropy practice penned by members of the Alliance editorial board, Halima Mahomed and Timothy Ogden.

Halima’s piece highlights the tensions between often lauded corporate philanthropy programs and the tax avoidance practices of their parent corporations. Against the backdrop of the Panama and Paradise papers, Halima writes about the ‘tax elephant in the philanthropy room’ www.alliancemagazine.org/analysis/global-corporations-avoid-millions-tax-philanthropy-benefitting

Tim’s piece (co-authored with Laura Starita) looks at foundation investments in arms and tobacco. The piece explains why foundations invest in arms and tobacco companies, calls for greater transparency about these investments and sets out conditions under which such investments might be justified.www.alliancemagazine.org/analysis/conflict-interests-foundations-invest-arms-tobacco

Both pieces seek to take on difficult issues in a constructive, nuanced and thoughtful way. As a ‘critical friend’ to the sector, my job as editor of Alliance is to raise issues for discussion and open up debate. Please feel free to comment at the foot of both pieces or send me your reaction and we’ll consider it for publication on the Alliance blog. 

Happy reading!