Philanthropy, private foundations, and global development

Private foundations have been engaged in global development for a century, but their power and resources have grown massively over the past decade. A new group of givers and foundations have emerged, valuing impact effectiveness, measurability and technological innovation, aiming to challenge the status quo of development and bring radical change to the world’s poor. Spearheading this movement is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, an immense political and economic force in international politics, that practices the Global South as a laboratory of new experiments. This chapter explores central themes from the past, present and future influence of philanthropy and private foundations on global development.