Principles of Accountability for International Philanthropy
Basic information
- Host or sponsor: Umbrella organisation
- Type: Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Year established: 2007
- Status: Active
- Thematic area: Philanthropy
- Summary: The Council on Foundations and the European Foundation Centre (EFC) created a Joint Working Group to develop a set of principles (integrity, understanding, respect, responsiveness, fairness, cooperation and collaboration and effectiveness) and good practice options of accountability for international philanthropy. They address accountability to mission, grantees, and partners and, ultimately, to the intended beneficiaries of transnational philanthropic activity.
Contact details
- Host organisation: Joint Working Group of the Council on Foundations and the European Foundation Centre
- Website: www.cof.org www.efc.be
- Address: Council on Foundations 1828 L Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20036 United States European Foundation Centre AISBL 51 rue de la Concorde 1050 Brussels Belgium
Areas addressed
- Principles or standards: Principles-based
- Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
- General commitment to transparency
- Fundraising standards
- Governance and Management:
- General commitment to good governance
- Beneficiary / client / supporter participation:
- General commitment to beneficiary participation
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
- General commitment to evaluation
- Commitment to integrate learning in future
- Cross-cutting thematic areas:
- Human rights
- CSO collaboration and partnership
Further info: The Principles include commitments to taking sufficient time to research and develop an understanding of the context in which a funded activity will take place, and to respect cultural differences. In addition, the Principles emphasise the importance of working in collaboration with partners to ensure that projects and reporting requirements align with local needs and capabilities. Finally, the Principles highlight the need to stay long enough to be effective and to keep activities focused on organisational mission.
Participation
- Reasons for participation
- Enhancing credibility, quality or reputation
Compliance
- Monitoring mechanism: Commitment only
- Has sanctioning mechanism: No
Assessment
The Principles of Accountability for International Philanthropy offer a set of common norms of behaviour for foundations operating internationally. Given the increasingly influential role of international foundations in determining policy and programme activity in many developing countries in particular, these Principles have filled a gap in self-regulation at global level. Their focus on process, rather than specific content, makes them widely applicable to not only foundations, but also bilateral and multilateral donor agencies.
Similar initiatives
EFC Principles of Good Practice, Philanthropy Australia Code of Practice, Philanthropic Foundations Canada's Statement of Values and Ethical Principles, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy's Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best (United States), Treasury Guidelines Working Group of Charitable Sector Organizations and Advisors and Council on Foundations's Principles of International Charity (United States)
