Giving Thought

In episode 55, we talk to Julia Unwin CBE, Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Civil Society Futures, former CEO of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust and prolific thinker and writer on issues affecting civil society. As part of a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss: What is the Civil Society Futures Inquiry & how did it come about? What is the PACT framework and how is it intended to guide civil society orgs in the future? There is a lot of interest at present in ‘place-based’ approaches. Why is this, and what is the power of place? We are seeing the emergence of new organisational models within civil society, including many that look less like traditional hierarchies and more like networks. What opportunities and challenges might this bring? We are also seeing new approaches such as participatory grantmaking, which seek to shift power as well as money towards recipients, gain traction? Will this be a big trend in coming years? Do charities and funders need to be more t