Gather data to measure impact, stay curious, and be more innovative. These were some of the recommendations made at a meeting of regional philanthropists and nonprofit leaders held at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).
Hosted under the banner of the Strategic Philanthropy Initiative (SPI), the event at the Sadiyaat Island campus featured a panel discussion on the evolving landscape of regional giving — and considered how donors and foundations can amplify their impact.
The speakers at the event were: Badr Jafar, the UAE’s Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy; HRH Princess Lamia Bint Majed Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies; Muna Al Gurg, Vice Chairperson of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, founder of the Meem Foundation; and Fadi Ghandour, the founder and CEO of Wamda Capital and founder of Ruwwad.
Badr Jafar, a founding patron of SPI, emphasised the need for better networks, regulation, and data to drive more effective philanthropy, noting the UAE’s potential to become a global hub for philanthropic capital.
“Our region has always given, quietly and generously, from Zakat to Waqf, to private acts of kindness that never make the news,” he noted. “Those traditions remain sacred, but what is changing is how we give: we are moving from charity to change, from isolated acts to systems, from intention to evidence.”
"We are moving from charity to change, from isolated acts to systems, from intention to evidence."
Badr Jafar, UAE Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy
Muna Al Gurg, meanwhile, made the case for applying a private sector mindset to philanthropy, using data to track impact, and not to be able to pivot if things hadn’t work first time.
“I would like to see more people lead with curiosity,” she said, and added: “Really be innovative within your giving… and just get started…. We tend to procrastinate sometimes because the problems of the world seem so large, but I would honestly say, just start and the work will teach you.”
For Fadi Ghandour, partnerships and understanding were key to being able to quantify problems and find solutions.
“What does the community need? How big is this problem? What is required to solve it? And it's not only about money,” he said. “It's about networks, about communities, it's about partnering with government, the private sector, and universities.”
The Aramex co-founder encouraged philanthropists to “partner with the skill set of entrepreneurial minds and people that want to solve” in order to “find the formula” that works.
Sharing her experiences leading Alwaleed Philanthropies, HRH Princess Lamia reiterated the importance of baseline data and tracking your spending.
“If you don't know where you're standing now, how would you know where you are going to go moving forward?” she said. “You need to understand how you're going to use your funds and how you prioritise should be depending on data.”
