Journal Articles by Susan Phillips
Policy and Politics, 2013
Recent policy emphases in the United Kingdom (UK) show growing attention to localism interconnect... more Recent policy emphases in the United Kingdom (UK) show growing attention to localism interconnected with philanthropy. This appears to offer significant opportunities for community foundations – geographically embedded multi-purpose charities envisaged as combining various grant-making roles with community leadership. Using a theoretical framework derived from
political geography, we explore and conceptualise how community foundations conceive and operationalise their community leadership role across the UK’s localism discourses; we find their
strategies and approaches to be differentiated rather than shared. This challenges the understanding of ‘community foundations’ as a single model in its UK expression and questions their envisaged
potential as collective pan-UK lead-players within localism policy.
Nonprofit Policy Forum
Investigations of how Oxfam Great Britain (GB) managed its safeguarding systems and handled revel... more Investigations of how Oxfam Great Britain (GB) managed its safeguarding systems and handled revelations of sexual exploitation by its staff highlighted a variety of internal governance and culture issues, and a lack of transparency as it sought to protect its reputation. The current models of reputation management do not fully explain its actions, however. This article argues that five systemic factors in the environment in which nonprofits operate create undue pressures for protection of reputations and contribute to poor assessment of risks, inadequate accountability systems and limited transparency. These factors include: a stress on success and related competition for market share and pressures for growth: expectations of low overheads; challenges of governance and risk management; lack of public awareness; and regulatory gaps. Drawing on media coverage and the commissions of inquiry, the analysis shows how all of these contextual factors were at play in the Oxfam case, and suggests potential reforms. Oxfam Great Britain (GB) became the epicentre of a crisis in early 2018 when news broke that several of its employees delivering humanitarian aid in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake had been dismissed for sexual exploitation of local women and for bullying and intimidation. Reports of sexual abuse and misconduct soon surfaced in other highly respected international NGOs (INGOs), including Save the Children, Médecins Sans Frontières and Amnesty International. Oxfam was not alone: it just happened to be "holding the bomb went it went off" (Cooney, 2019b). Operating as part of a global confederation of 19 affiliates, whose work is coordinated through Oxfam International based in the Netherlands, Oxfam GB is a separate legal entity, governed by its own trustees, and as a registered charity is under the regulatory authority of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 1 The inquiry conducted by the Charity Commission (CCEW, 2019a) on how Oxfam GB handled the incident and managed its safeguarding mechanisms concluded that there were structural weaknesses and inadequate resourcing of its quality assurance and accountability systems-although these were widely regarded as being among the best of any INGO (Mazurana and Donnelly, 2017) 2 In addition, its trustees and executives did not exercise adequate oversight relative to risks, and it allowed an internal culture to exist that tolerated bad behavior. While there was no intentional cover-up, it avoided "full and frank" reporting to the regulator, funders and the public (CCEW, 2019a:74). Indeed, the inquiry (CCEW, 2019b: 1) clearly implied that, through its lack of transparency, Oxfam GB put protecting its reputation and donor relationships in the short term above protecting those it serves or maintaining public trust over the longer term. The problems inherent in the current system of nonprofit reputation management are not specific to Oxfam or to INGOs, and these deeper issues-which were ignored in the Charity Commission's report-will not be fixed by individual organizations. Rather, they reflect certain systemic aspects of the
Journal of Business Ethids, 2019
Social impact investing (SII) is transforming the availability of private capital for nonprofits ... more Social impact investing (SII) is transforming the availability of private capital for nonprofits and social enterprises, but
demand is not yet meeting supply. This paper analyzes the perceived barriers faced by nonprofits in engaging with SII,
arguing the need to assess differences using a policy field framework. Four parameters of a subsector are conceptualized
as shaping participation in SII: the scale of investment required, embeddedness in place, the need for radical innovation,
and the configuration of intermediaries (such as loan funds and market brokers). Based on 25 interviews with leaders of
nonprofits and intermediaries in affordable housing and community economic development in Canada, the study finds that
significant barriers are a lack of knowledge of the market, inadequate financial literacy, and the challenges of measuring and
valuing social impacts. In addition, nonprofits report that, in spite of the inherent importance of social impact in this form of
investing, they currently make limited use of evaluation and impact metrics, and perceive that intermediaries and investors,
particularly in affordable housing, still put a greater emphasis on financial over social returns.
The role of institutionalized philanthropy is a blind spot in Canadian scholarship on public mana... more The role of institutionalized philanthropy is a blind spot in Canadian scholarship on public management. This article identifies five ways in which private “family” foundations add value to public management: through their roles in grantmaking; advancing social innovation; field building; shaping ideas; and advocating for policy and social change. An assessment of how well Canada's largest family foundations—those holding more than $100 million in assets—perform on each of these indicates they are not realizing their potential and need to be more attentive to their claim to public legitimacy. Equally, governments need to be more creative in how they work with the philanthropic sector.
The concept of “community” in community foundations is being reframed – less strictly tied to the... more The concept of “community” in community foundations is being reframed – less strictly tied to the specific locales that originally
defined their boundaries and increasingly about a process of engagement and a resulting sense of belonging. The greatest asset of a community foundation is not the size of its endowment, but its knowledge of community and ability to use this knowledge for positive change. This article explores the Canadian network
of community foundations’ use of the reporting tool Vital Signs to implement a knowledge-driven approach to leadership
and how it is using this knowledge in more inclusive, engaged models of community to drive change agendas in their own communities
and, collectively, at a national scale.
With Ian Bird, Laurel Carlton and Lee Rose
Nonprofit human service agencies are an essential part of the social safety net and their role in... more Nonprofit human service agencies are an essential part of the social safety net and their role in many policy fields such as community care, workforce development, and disability services is growing. The funding, delivery and entire configuration of human services systems is in transition in the US, as in many other countries, albeit with great variation depending upon local and regional circumstances. Consequently, nonprofit human service agencies need to develop sustainable program and business models that are also responsive to the heightened expectations on transparency and accountability. In addition, policymakers and government officials will need to work closely with nonprofit human service agencies in order to ensure effective and efficient service delivery. Drawing on evidence from the policy and nonprofit litera-tures, this brief offers a set of hypotheses about the implications, and possible paradoxes, for the nonprofit sector that are likely to emerge from the increasingly competitive environment among service providers and corresponding pressure by public and private funders for more collaboration among agencies. We explore both public policy for nonprofits in human services and strategic responses by this sector, considering the first order effects designed to enable nonprofits to adapt to a reconfigured model, and the second order effects in which governments and nonprofits address the consequences of the first round. These effects are likely to vary by organizational size and by service field, resulting in quite different outcomes and relationships with government for large multi-service agencies and those in highly regulated fields such as
Since the 2008 financial crisis, the third sector policy and regulatory regimes in the ‘Anglo-Sax... more Since the 2008 financial crisis, the third sector policy and regulatory regimes in the ‘Anglo-Saxon cluster’ have been subject to considerable policy churn. Comparing the reforms in the ‘meta-policies,’ regulations and financing in England, US, Canada and Australia, this analysis identifies both significant policy convergence and divergence. A new ideational landscape has emerged that is dominated by a focus on transparency, impact and social innovation. Convergence is not the whole story, however. In particular, the overarching meta-policies are absent, increasingly weak or divisive, suggesting a future characterized by the sporadic intervention of parochial politics and the likelihood of increased difference.
VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 2013
ABSTRACT The nature of charity reporting and transparency is changing significantly; while the lo... more ABSTRACT The nature of charity reporting and transparency is changing significantly; while the longstanding focus on financial reporting remains, there is much greater emphasis on illuminating governance systems and impacts. Regulatory regimes are becoming more polycentric with the expansion of third party watchdogs and emergence of new self-regulatory bodies. With more open access to data, transparency has become an independent force in these regimes. The article outlines a conceptual model of charity regulatory regimes and applies this to analyze recent developments of regulation-by-transparency in Canada. Although the intent of encouraging greater transparency is seldom questioned, this Canadian case study demonstrates how transparency can become politicized, damaging the relationship between the regulator and the charitable sector. In addition, the open data movement means that charities now operate in a world in which neither they nor state regulators control access and use of information.
VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, 2012
The regulation of charitable fundraising is no longer just about the regulation of fundraising bu... more The regulation of charitable fundraising is no longer just about the regulation of fundraising but about good governance, and increasingly involves coregulatory regimes which blend elements of self-and state regulation. Canada's charitable sector has undertaken a bold experiment in creating a comprehensive certification system for good governance, including fundraising, which reframes the target of regulation from the informed donor to the well-performing charity and has the ambitious goal of building a community of practice for self-improvement. At the same time, the federal government has introduced new guidance on fundraising that not only outlines accepted cost to revenue ratios but also specifies standards of good governance. It is an open question as to whether this new self-and state regulation will remain as dual systems or evolve into a hybrid co-regulatory regime in which government integrates sector certification into its own risk management.
Being a director at a nonprofit organization often means making guesses instead of properly infor... more Being a director at a nonprofit organization often means making guesses instead of properly informed decisions. One source of the "information fog" is fragmented funding. Nonprofit organizations have multiple types of funders, most of whom are not their direct beneficiaries. Predicting funder behaviour is therefore more of an art than a science. Planning for the future, setting goals, and making decisions all suffer in the nonprofit sector because of a lack of timely and accurate information.
Beginning in 1985 the Government of Canada significantly restructured and retrenched the welfare ... more Beginning in 1985 the Government of Canada significantly restructured and retrenched the welfare state, relatively undeterred by public or organised opposition. The ability of Canadian civil society organisations (CSOs) to influence the outcomes of reform was minimal at the best of times, and has diminished over time. In part, this stems from the underlying fragility of Canadian CSOs, even in their most activist period. Over the past three decades, political representation within the Canadian social policy community has itself been dramatically restructured, reshaped by both government and from within, exposing this underlying fragility. With less resistance from civil society and fewer sources of fresh ideas, the federal government was able to steer a course of retrenchment of the welfare state. This article analyses these changing patterns of representation and welfare state restructuring in Canada through major periods of realignments from 1985 to 2005, speculating on the future of the ‘new politics’ of the welfare state.
Canadian Public Administration/Administration publique du Canada, 2004
Abstrnd: Although governing in Canada is in transition towards a model of horizontal "governance"... more Abstrnd: Although governing in Canada is in transition towards a model of horizontal "governance" that emphasizes collaboration with a variety of non-governmental actors, the contracting culture and its associated accountability regime remain a legacy of "new public management." As part of this transition, however, contracting is being used not only as a means to control performance but also as a governance tool to guide the development of more collaborative relationships between government as a whole and entire sectors. In its relationship with the voluntary sector, the Government of Canada is caught in these contradictory trendsbetween the control of contracting and the collaboration inherent in a governance contract. This article first examines the impact on voluntary organizations of the very stringent federal rneasures over contribution agreements that were brought in as a reaction to crisis in 2000. The effects are found to be significant and overwhelmingly negative, imposing direct financial costs on voluntary organizations and stifling innovation. The authors then consider whether the implementation of the Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector and its Code of Good Practice on Funding might mitigate the negative effects of these accountability measures.
Policy and Society, 2010
Governments are an important source of funding for the nonprofit and voluntary sector. Yet, the u... more Governments are an important source of funding for the nonprofit and voluntary sector. Yet, the use of funding instruments is conditioned by the political and institutional context. This paper proposes three financing models -charity, welfare state and citizenship -which capture the link between the choice of public financing and the broader institutional context. The financing models are then used to examine the evolution of funding patterns in Canada. We argue that the evolution of financing models in Canada has gradually constrained instrument choice and more importantly, a market-oriented application of funding instruments has dominated the financing debates at the expense of a broader focus on preconditions of applying the instruments effectively. As a result, funding instruments in Canada are poorly suited for fostering innovation and investing in capacity development in the voluntary sector. #
Policy and Society, 2010
Civil society organizations (nonprofits, social enterprises, voluntary, community and charitable ... more Civil society organizations (nonprofits, social enterprises, voluntary, community and charitable organizations) are not only an integral part of the delivery of health, education, social, and other services in most developed countries, but also critical contributors to a healthy democracy and a strong economy. How civil society organizations are financed is a key aspect of their sustainability. Such financing is undergoing significant innovation and transformation. This financing ranges from traditional government funding and philanthropic support to new forms of revenue-generating social enterprises. In this themed issue of Policy & Society we bring together international scholars to critically examine the current changes underway in financing the third sector. The volume identifies and analyzes particularly innovative and effective strategies for financing this sector and assesses the implications for public policy through an intentionally broad range of cases that draw on the experience of a number of different countries in financing the third sector. #
Canadian Public Administration/Administration publique du Canada, 1997
In this paper, we propose a needed reconceptualization of the study of gender and public administ... more In this paper, we propose a needed reconceptualization of the study of gender and public administration that is sensitive to emerging issues of public-service renewal. Five central themes are examined and new research directions illustrated. The first theme is the nature of commitment. We argue in favour of the development of new social ecological models for the study of work and suggest ways in which personal projects analysis as a methodology can illuminate the nature of commitment and efficacy. Second, we challenge the utility of studying fixed job needs and motivations, arguing that examination of "free traits" and organizational niches may provide a deeper understanding of the pursuits of public servants. Third, we urge researchers to move beyond assumptions about chilly organizational climates. Our finding of a striking linkage for women between perceptions of climate and appraisals of work projects adds a new dimension to the study of organizational climate. Fourth, the paper suggests that, rather than focusing on different management styles, future research should concentrate on the nature of and organizational support for projects of "managing people." Fifth, we address the question of whether things are getting better for women in the public service. We conclude that a sensitive answer to this question goes beyond numbers and beyond conventional research.
Canadian Public Administration/Administration publique du Canada, 1997
Society and Economy, 2004
Uploads
Journal Articles by Susan Phillips
political geography, we explore and conceptualise how community foundations conceive and operationalise their community leadership role across the UK’s localism discourses; we find their
strategies and approaches to be differentiated rather than shared. This challenges the understanding of ‘community foundations’ as a single model in its UK expression and questions their envisaged
potential as collective pan-UK lead-players within localism policy.
demand is not yet meeting supply. This paper analyzes the perceived barriers faced by nonprofits in engaging with SII,
arguing the need to assess differences using a policy field framework. Four parameters of a subsector are conceptualized
as shaping participation in SII: the scale of investment required, embeddedness in place, the need for radical innovation,
and the configuration of intermediaries (such as loan funds and market brokers). Based on 25 interviews with leaders of
nonprofits and intermediaries in affordable housing and community economic development in Canada, the study finds that
significant barriers are a lack of knowledge of the market, inadequate financial literacy, and the challenges of measuring and
valuing social impacts. In addition, nonprofits report that, in spite of the inherent importance of social impact in this form of
investing, they currently make limited use of evaluation and impact metrics, and perceive that intermediaries and investors,
particularly in affordable housing, still put a greater emphasis on financial over social returns.
defined their boundaries and increasingly about a process of engagement and a resulting sense of belonging. The greatest asset of a community foundation is not the size of its endowment, but its knowledge of community and ability to use this knowledge for positive change. This article explores the Canadian network
of community foundations’ use of the reporting tool Vital Signs to implement a knowledge-driven approach to leadership
and how it is using this knowledge in more inclusive, engaged models of community to drive change agendas in their own communities
and, collectively, at a national scale.
With Ian Bird, Laurel Carlton and Lee Rose
political geography, we explore and conceptualise how community foundations conceive and operationalise their community leadership role across the UK’s localism discourses; we find their
strategies and approaches to be differentiated rather than shared. This challenges the understanding of ‘community foundations’ as a single model in its UK expression and questions their envisaged
potential as collective pan-UK lead-players within localism policy.
demand is not yet meeting supply. This paper analyzes the perceived barriers faced by nonprofits in engaging with SII,
arguing the need to assess differences using a policy field framework. Four parameters of a subsector are conceptualized
as shaping participation in SII: the scale of investment required, embeddedness in place, the need for radical innovation,
and the configuration of intermediaries (such as loan funds and market brokers). Based on 25 interviews with leaders of
nonprofits and intermediaries in affordable housing and community economic development in Canada, the study finds that
significant barriers are a lack of knowledge of the market, inadequate financial literacy, and the challenges of measuring and
valuing social impacts. In addition, nonprofits report that, in spite of the inherent importance of social impact in this form of
investing, they currently make limited use of evaluation and impact metrics, and perceive that intermediaries and investors,
particularly in affordable housing, still put a greater emphasis on financial over social returns.
defined their boundaries and increasingly about a process of engagement and a resulting sense of belonging. The greatest asset of a community foundation is not the size of its endowment, but its knowledge of community and ability to use this knowledge for positive change. This article explores the Canadian network
of community foundations’ use of the reporting tool Vital Signs to implement a knowledge-driven approach to leadership
and how it is using this knowledge in more inclusive, engaged models of community to drive change agendas in their own communities
and, collectively, at a national scale.
With Ian Bird, Laurel Carlton and Lee Rose