The next step to Paul Tough’s ‘Helping Children Succeed’

The core qualities that drive success in the 21st century can be learned but not necessarily taught. That is the most critical insight in journalist Paul Tough’s excellent book, “Helping Children Succeed,” which came out this summer. It is an important conclusion, in part because it takes issue with more conventional school reform, which has tended 

On SSIR: Why fund philanthropy infrastructure?

Does support for the infrastructure of nonprofits and philanthropy – the research, publications, events, networks and technology – compete with funders’ primary areas of giving? In an article published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fay Twersky and Lindsay Louie explain why the answer is no. The two work on philanthropy sector grantmaking at the Hewlett…

What does Brexit mean for global development?

In the wake of Britain’s stunning vote to leave the European Union, those of us who work in global development are trying to figure out what a Brexit would mean for the organizations and causes we care about.  Even if we think only about the practical implications, and steer clear of hand-wringing about what the 

Q&A with Joseph Asunka on the big hurdle to using aid data

The International Aid Transparency Initiative aims to make information about aid spending easier to access, use and understand. It’s meant to help individuals in developing countries and donor countries see where aid, development and humanitarian money comes from, where it goes, and whether it helps reduce poverty.  The IATI Members’ Assembly, which includes country governments,…

Why is the U.S.-India solar partnership historic?

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India announced a historic agreement to phase out the powerful greenhouse gases known as F gases and to inaugurate a partnership that will advance solar energy development in India. The agreement between India and the U.S. builds on ambitious pledges made by both nations at the 

Four questions for Steven Weber on Cybersecurity Futures 2020

Recently, leading thinkers gathered to discuss what cybersecurity could look like in 2020 and beyond. Among them was Steven Weber, a professor in the Department of Political Science and the School of Information at UC Berkeley, where he serves as faculty director of the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (founded in 2015 with a grant from the 

Why I’m inspired by Millions Learning for developing countries

Do we really need another report about global education? If the report is Millions Learning: Scaling Up Quality Education in Developing Countries, the answer is yes! Millions Learning starts with a single proposition: the 100-year gap in educational outcomes between developed and developing countries cannot be closed with a business-as-usual approach. Co-authors Jenny Perlman Robinson 

Five questions for Ruth Levine on how to close the gender data gap

Women Deliver, the world’s largest conference on the health, rights and well-being of girls and women will take place in Copenhagen from May 16 to 19. It will bring together global leaders, policymakers, advocates, journalists and businesses to focus on how to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including ways to improve maternal, sexual and 

Q&A with Micha Rosenoer: Colorado taught me the true meaning of public lands

Micha Rosenoer is West Slope Field Manager for Conservation Colorado, an organization dedicated to protecting Colorado’s public lands. This is the seventh Q&A in a weeklong series celebrating Earth Day 2016.  How did you become involved with the environment cause? I grew up in coastal California surrounded by public lands and reveled in the opportunities to trail run, 

Q&A with Natasha Hale: Tipping the scale of fairness toward tribal communities

Proposed area for Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. (Photo Credit: Adriel Heisey)   Natasha Hale is Native America Program manager for the Grand Canyon Trust, which works to protect the air, water, and wildlife of the Grand Canyon. This is the sixth Q&A in a weeklong series celebrating Earth Day 2016.  How did you become involved with 

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