Ariadne’s Grant Skills Week 2022: What does accountability mean for social justice funders?

Ariadne’s annual Grant Skills Week is an opportunity for funders to delve more deeply into their grantmaking practice and to gain practical advice and skills relating to a specific aspect of their work. As one of Ariadne’s flagship events, it is attended by social change and human rights funders from across Europe with an interest in developing their own skills and the practices of their foundation. This year, the event will explore what accountability means for funders and how philanthropy can be more accountable as a sector, building on the commitment to accountability outlined in our Human Rights Grantmaking Principles, co-developed with the Human Rights Funders Network and Gender Funders CoLab.
During the Grant Skills Week 2022 taking place online 25 to 27 October 2022, we will examine questions around philanthropy’s role in the accumulation and distribution of wealth and around its relationship with the movements that it seeks to support through the following sessions:

Session 1: Opening session
Tuesday 25th October 2022
13:30 – 15:00 BST | 14:30 – 16:00 CEST | 8:30 – 10:00 EST
This opening session will provide core components of accountability, answering questions such as: What does accountability mean? How is it an important part of a democratic system? What could it mean for philanthropy? Why should funders integrate it into their work?
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Session 2: How is philanthropy accountable for the unequal distribution of wealth?
Wednesday 26th October 2022
15:30 – 17:00 BST | 16:30 – 18:00 CEST | 10:30 – 12:00 EST
Philanthropy is increasingly being called upon to account for the origins of the wealth that underlie foundations. Some foundations are starting to critically examine the exploitative practices that generated the money they are now responsible for and are exploring ways of repairing that historical harm. As institutions charged with acting in the public interest, they feel a responsibility to account for their role in inequitable systems of wealth generation. Some philanthropists are also calling for changes to tax systems to ensure that more money is put into public coffers. In this session, you will hear practical examples of how philanthropy is challenging its own relationship to wealth. What does accountability mean for how foundations approach their investments?
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Session 3: To whom is philanthropy accountable?
Thursday 26th October 2022
14:00 – 16:00 BST | 15:00 – 17:00 CEST | 10:00 – 12:00 EST
Traditionally, foundations have seen themselves as accountable to their own boards, with the focus being on due diligence and impact as they aim to achieve outcomes, often set by the foundation itself, while exposing themselves to as little risk as possible. In this model of philanthropy, supported organisations are a means to an end. However, some foundations are reimagining philanthropy with social movements at the centre. In this conception, foundations are accountable to those they support, with a responsibility to resource movements and organisations in an equitable way. What are the implications of this for how foundations understand risk?
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Tickets for the full package (all 3 sessions) cost £100. Registration will close 20 October.