Because together we can achieve more
This text was taken from the editorial note for June’s edition of PEXnews. Click here to subscribe to receive future PEXnews.
Two and a half years into my role at DAFNE, the European umbrella organisation of national donor and foundation networks, and five months into PEX, where more than 50 European and thematic philanthropy networks meet, I notice that we are just at the beginning – at the beginning of co-creating a European community of practice, trust and collective impact.
Investing in building trusted relationships, in coordinating and aligning our work, in sharing vision and passion, will be rewarded. This is the way we can create impact today and overcome enormous challenges facing our societies and the next generation. Because together we achieve more:
- Together we can advocate for an enabling environment for philanthropy across Europe, which paves the ground for foundations and philanthropic organisations to operate freely, effectively and with less barriers;
- Together we can build powerful coalitions with governments, business and citizens, helping individual foundations but also the sector at large to be more efficient;
- Together we can create a space for rich and deep knowledge exchange, allowing us and our foundation members to make decisions based on the most relevant resources and intelligence, thus, benefiting our organisations and our society.
In this edition of PEXnews you will read about a wide range of concrete examples of how European philanthropy networks create value for the field by establishing connections and collectively striving for excellence – of each individual organisation and each of us, professionals.
Foundations across Europe have been at the forefront responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and have become visible to the public as never before. There are now high expectations towards the role philanthropy can play in the resilience building phase that is so urgently needed across Europe. Philanthropy networks are here to support foundations and their partners to live up to these high expectations and seize the momentum. This can be a game changer for European philanthropy as a whole.
Max von Abendroth
Executive Director, DAFNE