Devex Pro Insider: As aid evaporates, are philanthropies in a charitable mood?

I can only imagine how, on an average day — before U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office and erased the U.S. Agency for International Development — philanthropies were already flooded with funding requests. I can’t even begin to imagine the tidal wave of pleas they’re getting now in the wake of the aid cuts. A “sea change” is what the sector needs at the moment, said Elizabeth Dale of the Dorothy Johnson Center for Philanthropy during a Devex Pro briefing, though panelists expressed doubts about how much philanthropy can step up. Indeed, the overwhelming consensus is that philanthropic foundations cannot fill the cavernous financial void left by the world’s largest bilateral donor. But that also doesn’t mean they’re sitting idly by as the development community finds itself in free fall. New initiatives are being rolled out — such as Humanity AI, a $500 million, five-year endeavor financed by a coalition of philanthropic leaders to ensure communities far beyond Silicon Valley have a stake in the future of artificial intelligence. Co-chaired by the Omidyar Network and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, its founding members include the Ford Foundation, Siegel Family Endowment, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, among other heavy hitters. New mindsets are kicking in: Open Philanthropy, the San Francisco-based foundation known for its data-driven approach to cost-effective giving, is placing big bets on transformative economic growth projects, said Justin Sandefur of Open Philanthropy, speaking recently at Devex Impact House on the sidelines of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund annual meetings. Philanthropies are also maintaining support for social causes that have come under political fire: “It’s heartening that despite everything, the sector appears to remain committed to diversity,” said Jason Ludwig of the Council on Foundations, which reported growth in both people of color in grantmaking roles and women serving as foundation CEOs. And they’re doing all this while under attack themselves. Trump has made no secret of his disdain for groups he deems progressive, threatening nonprofits and foundations with charges such as terrorism and tax evasion that are both far-reaching and legally dubious. All in all, it’s a tough time to be in the business of giving, but — like the aid sector as a whole — it’s an opportunity to evolve and meet the moment. Bits and pieces Soros in the spotlight. Perhaps no philanthropist has been in Trump’s crosshairs more than billionaire businessman and perennial conservative boogeyman George Soros, who also happens to be a major Democratic donor. But George and his son Alex aren’t taking the threats lying down. Lawyers for the Soros-funded Open Society Foundations have started preparing briefs to respond to an expected IRS inquiry, according to The Wall Street Journal, which noted that, “Adding salt to the wound, the proposed IRS changes are being driven by an adviser to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who once ran Soros’s hedge fund.” But not everyone has a beef with George Soros, a Holocaust survivor and human rights advocate. He recently received the European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma in Berlin, Germany, for his work with the Roma community. “The Roma have endured centuries of discrimination and marginalisation, rooted in a long history of violence — from the Holocaust to forced sterilization, child removals, and evictions,” Soros said in a statement. “I’ve always believed that open societies must protect the rights of all people — especially those who are excluded. Working alongside Roma leaders and communities has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life’s work.” Money for MFAN. Open Philanthropy seems to be wading into advocacy work with its latest gift: a grant for the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, or MFAN, which advocates for U.S. foreign assistance. “MFAN has long championed bipartisan efforts to make U.S. development and humanitarian aid even more impactful, and this support from Open Philanthropy comes at a pivotal moment,” said Tod Preston, MFAN’s executive director, in a release. “This funding will help MFAN expand our work with Congress to advance common-sense measures and rebuild the United States’ programming capabilities in the wake of the dramatic changes over the last several months.” Mea culpa. Speaking of Open Philanthropy, last week we wrote about how Justin Sandefur was explaining a kind of "venture philanthropy" philosophy. He said he expected to see "mega transformational hits" and that those hits would be accompanied by "a lot of zeroes.” We took this to mean he'd be writing big checks to those organizations — ones with lots of zeroes on them. Our colleague who moderated the session told us he actually meant that the foundation had a high-risk, high-reward model, which it expects will see it back a mixture of highly successful ventures, alongside others that come to nothing — zeroes. Apologies for the confusion. Nature of the beast. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie made his fortune and fame by expanding America’s steel industry, eventually giving almost 90% of that fortune away. He’s often depicted in a regal pose in black-and-white photographs. We’ve come a long way. Today’s do-gooders are portrayed very differently — in slick, stunt-filled, fast-paced YouTube videos. That’s where you’ll find MrBeast urging his nearly 450 million subscribers (you heard that right) to give to the global south, whether it’s raising money to expand clean water access or helping GiveDirectly provide cash transfers. He’s received plenty of flak for a superficial understanding of development and a white savior complex. But think tanker Tim Hirschel-Burns argues in an interesting Substack post that MrBeast has become aid’s “biggest spokesperson.” He, too, once dismissed MrBeast as a “counterproductive distraction.” Today, he’s a defender of his algorithm-driven fame: “MrBeast’s message is one of universalism and solidarity,” he writes. “There is a basic assumption underlying his charitable initiatives that people everywhere deserve a decent life and that there is no sharp line between our compatriots and people abroad. His videos implicitly reject the idea that poverty is the result of sloth and sin, and they take it for granted that narrowing the gap between the haves and the have-nots is a good thing.” Coming to DC. The historic East Wing of the White House may be history — who needs permits when you’re president — but Washington, D.C., is getting a few new additions to its streets that are sure to attract policy wonks. Directly across from the White House stands the newly opened Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, a privately funded museum dreamed up by Michael Milken. The one-time disgraced financier of junk bonds was pardoned by Trump in 2020 and reinvented himself (and rehabbed his reputation) as chair of the Milken Institute, the nonprofit think tank in California that’s become a mecca for “accelerating measurable progress on the path to a meaningful life.” Now, the nation’s capital can get a taste of that progress in Milken’s new museum, writes Rob Copeland of The New York Times, who notes the museum is located in a building that occupies “the defunct headquarters of a bank that closed in a money-laundering scandal two decades ago, now lavishly spiffed up in a gilded style that wouldn’t be out of place in the renovated Oval Office across the street.” That’s not all. The California-based Skoll Foundation, which makes grants and investments to reduce global poverty, will be moving its headquarters from Palo Alto to D.C. by summer 2026 to be closer to “global leaders, policymakers, and many of our portfolio partners and key collaborators,” according to the foundation. Like Michael Milken, Jeff Skoll, the brainchild behind his eponymous foundation, wears many hats. After his stint as the first president of eBay, Skoll went on to become a film producer for critically acclaimed hits such as “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Waiting for ‘Superman.’” Runways over roads. The African Finance Corporation is known for funding major infrastructure projects. But it just announced a partnership with Lagos Fashion Week 2025 to empower Africa’s creative industries as engines for inclusive economic growth. It’s not just a fashionable partnership — it’s a lucrative one. According to AFC, Africa’s apparel and textile exports are projected to reach $15 billion by 2030. Infrastructure, eh? AFC is also plowing ahead with other partnerships. The bank recently secured a $100 million, 10-year term loan facility from FinDev Canada, Canada’s bilateral development finance institution. “This landmark transaction represents AFC's debut in the Canadian market … while also marking FinDev Canada’s inaugural infrastructure financing in Sub-Saharan Africa,” AFC said. Hairy memories. Speaking of style, Hillary Clinton has taken her fair share of jabs for lacking it, especially in the 1980s and ’90s. The focus on Clinton’s looks over her résumé as a former secretary of state, senator, and first lady often drew criticism about the double standards and superficial scrutiny that women politicians face. I guess times, and hairdos, have changed. To celebrate her birthday, the Clinton Foundation “sat down with her hairstylist to talk about the looks that defined so many unforgettable moments — and the woman who’s always been unafraid to take risks, and lead with confidence.” Fans can scroll down to see her different looks, read the stories behind them, and cast a vote for their favorite. Moving on Jennifer Alcorn is leaving her role as deputy director of global partnership development at the Gates Foundation. Unitaid has announced the election of Anne-Claire Amprou, French ambassador for global health, as the new chair of its Executive Board. She will take over leadership following Marisol Touraine’s term in December 2025. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announced that Fatmata Binta, an award-winning chef and advocate for African agrifood systems, will become FAO regional goodwill ambassador for Africa. Sarah Callaway is the new deputy government relations director of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, where she will champion USGLC’s engagement with Congress. Callaway, who joins USGLC after serving at the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay and UNICEF USA, also previously was the legislative director for Rep. Thomas Rooney, a Republican from Florida. Dr. Delese Mimi Darko — former head of the Food and Drugs Authority in Ghana — has become the first director-general of the African Medicines Agency, a specialized agency of the African Union to improve access to quality medical products, support local production, and evaluate products for priority diseases. According to AMA: “The Director General's successful onboarding in Kigali, the seat of AMA's permanent headquarters, is a strong statement of intent that Africa is taking ownership of its pharmaceutical destiny.” Thelma Ekiyor is the new International CEO of Women for Women International. Prior to joining WfWI, Ekiyor served as chair of the Nigeria Office for Philanthropy and Impact Investing; in the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, where she co-founded the largest all-women’s accelerator in Nigeria; at the TY Danjuma Foundation; and for the West African Civil Society Institute in Ghana. Regina Faranda has retired after 25 years with the Department of State, all in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. “I’ll update as I go forward. Until then, please know that I am grateful for those who serve the public, those who serve us all. You make a difference. You will succeed,” she wrote on LinkedIn. Anne Healy is joining the Recoding America Fund after most recently serving as director of the Office of the Chief Economist at USAID. Healy previously led the agency’s Development Innovation Ventures and has held key roles at J-PAL, Evidence Action, and the State Department. Dr. Hamid Jafari is leaving his role as director of polio eradication for the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. "He has been a visionary leader … and in his tenure with the vaccine preventable disease world, he has left an enduring legacy in global health,” WHO said. The Mastercard Foundation announced the appointment of Alan Jope and Roberta L. Jamieson to its board of directors. Jope is the former CEO of Unilever PLC, and Jamieson is the former president and CEO of Indspire, Canada’s largest Indigenous charity. Boston Consulting Group has appointed Amyn Merchant as a new chief risk officer, having previously served as head of BCG’s audit and risk committee. As reported by the Financial Times: “The previous chief risk officer, Adam Farber, resigned from the role in July after revelations that BCG helped establish the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The launch of the aid effort, which was designed to supplant the UN, was marred by the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.” Christian Mumssen has been appointed director of the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department at the International Monetary Fund. Mumssen, who succeeds Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, will assume his new role on Nov. 3, 2025. Coming up SOCAP25 takes place from Oct. 27 to Oct. 29 in San Francisco, California. The annual conference is where “movement makers and institutional investors learn from each other, academics share research with operators on the ground, entrepreneurs showcase their scalable, world-changing ideas, deals are set, and people take action.” The Paris Peace Forum takes place in the French capital from Oct. 29 to Oct. 30. According to its website: “The Forum is a platform to originate, shape & share multi-actor responses towards global peace & sustainable prosperity. By convening key decision-makers and fostering collaboration between governments, international organizations, businesses, and civil society, we ensure that diplomacy is not just discussed but reinvented to meet the demands of a changing world.” + Heading to the Paris Peace Forum? My colleague Fiona Zublin will be there in person — say hi on the ground or drop her a line at fiona.zublin@devex.com.