China Philanthropy

SVG in This Month’s China Economic Review: Private Philanthropy in China

This month’s China Economic Review (CER; requires a subscription to view) has a special feature on the growing trend in private philanthropy amongst China’s wealthiest businessmen (featuring our own Managing Director, Grace Chiang.) Philanthropy has traditionally been kept on the down low in China, largely for cultural reasons; however, the growing number of private foundations has set the public on edge. Many people are distrustful of the wealthy and consider the rise in philanthropic endeavors as a thinly veiled way to evade taxes or plump up their own image and that of their business.

Gratitude in Ancient Chinese Wisdom

Gratitude and thankfulness are often important motivations for our giving to others.  Here are SVG team member Renee's favorite Chinese idioms & wise sayings about this subject.  To our American clients and readers, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

-- The SVG Team 

滴水之恩，当涌泉相报 ——《增广贤文·朱子家训》 dī shuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǒng quán xiāng bào The gift of a single drop of water yields a foundation of gratitude. -- The Folk Philosophy, Zhu Family Disciplines 落其实者思其树，饮其流者怀其源 ——庾信 luò qí shí zhě sī qí shù, yǐn qí liú zhě huái qí yuán When you eat fruit, remember the tree; when you drink from the stream, remember the source. -- Yu Xin 知恩图报，善莫大焉 ——《说苑·复恩》 zhī ēn tú bào, shàn mò dà yān Cherish the kindness of others and seek to repay it. -- Shuo Yuan (Garden of Anecdotes) 投之以桃，报之以李 ——《诗经》 tóu zhī yǐ táo, bào zhī yǐ lǐ.   Don’t forget the good others have done you and seek to return the favor. -- The Book of Odes 恩欲报，怨欲忘；报怨短，报恩长 ——《弟子规》 ēn yù bào, yuàn yù wàng, bào yuàn duǎn, bào ēn cháng Gratitude should last forever while the malice of others is quickly forgotten. -- Brothers Disciplines

Microfinance in China: Past, Present & Future

Compared to other Asian countries, the Chinese microfinance sector has developed slowly. Even though the first Microfinance Institution (MFI) was introduced to China in 1996, MFIs have had a difficult time. Government regulations have stilted their progress and, much like NGOs, they have had difficulty gaining enough legal status to develop effective programs. Much is changing, however, in China’s microfinance sector. In September, famed microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus of Grameen Bank and Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, announced plans to create Grameen China. A recent article in China International Business Magazine (CIB) discusses the evolution of microfinance in China including new laws that signify a significant shift in the sector.

2009 First Half-Year Report on Charitable Donations in China

Recently, the China Charity and Donation Information Center released the 2009 First Half-Year Report on Charitable Donations in China. The report provided macro data of philanthropy given to Chinese charitable causes including the total size of donations, the portion of donations received from overseas sources, a breakdown of donations received by each charitable sector, and a demographic of donors. Below I summarize some important findings from the report.

2009 Hurun Report: Thousands with Millions

China's wealthiest are being counted. The 2009 China Rich List, published by the Hurun Report, is the yearly digest of the mainland's biggest earners and biggest spenders. This year's statistics show significant growth in the number of the country's high income individuals despite the financial crisis. Here's a brief comparison: In 2008 there were 800,000 people with wealth over 10 million RMB (1.46 million USD) versus 825,000 this year. This year there are a total of 51,000 individuals with over 100 million RMB up 1,000 people from last year. One person in 25,000 has 100,000 million RMB. Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong are the cities with the most multimillionaires; however, second and third tier cities also have a growing number of rich residents.

Taking the “I” out of Philanthropy: Giving Circles make Philanthropy Communal

When it comes to making charitable donations, the recent trend in giving circles appears to be one of the most effective ways to generate strategic gifts. Whether there are four or forty, meeting around a dining room table or a conference table, giving circles encourage members to give consistently and diversely to local, national, and international needs. According to a report from the Forum of Regional Association of Grantmakers (the Forum), the past decade has seen a significant jump in the number of giving circles across the U.S. and the longer a person is involved in a circle, the more they are likely to give additional funding. Sean Stannard-Stockton of Tactical Philanthropy cites two reasons that giving circles are key to philanthropy:

Download: A Look at China's Philanthropic Landscape

This week Grace participated in a joint Give2Asia/Social Venture Group conference call in which she discussed the current state of philanthropy in China including the impact of the Sichuan earthquake, the role of social enterprises in China, and the current opportunities/needs in China's grassroots nonprofit sector. Listen to the presentation in full below.

Click here to listen or download the call

--Georgia

Live Call and Q&A: A Look at China's Philanthropic Landscape

Hello China Philanthropy readers, I'll be doing a live call this week hosted by Give2Asia about the current overview and trends in the Chinese philanthropy landscape.  If you're interested, please RSVP and join us!

Join Give2Asia and Social Venture Group 

on Wednesday August 12, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time 

to learn about philanthropic 

opportunities and challenges in China with: 

Healthcare for China’s Kids: An Interview with Ellen Luo of the United Foundation for Chinese Orphans

Created in 2001 as the philanthropic branch of United Family Hospitals (UFH) the United Foundation for Chinese Orphans (UFCO) offers underprivileged kids one of the most basic, but also most important aspects of human life—health. Partnering with local organizations, UFCO provides medical services, modern healthcare, and training through UFH, as well as, funding for medical services that the cannot provide. UFCO currently operates in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. They partner with organizations like Baobei Foundation and Bethel Training Center for the Blind which have been featured in SVG newsletters and blog posts.  New York native Ellen Luo recently came on as UFCO’s Executive Director. She discussed UFCO’s mission, goals, and CSR with us.

CSR in Asia: What Businesses Should Be Doing Now

Last week CSR Asia posted an article on the 10 issues that will be on the top of stakeholder’s lists for the coming decade. Companies should take a close look at this information as they decide how to incorporate these issues into their CSR plans. Not only do these matters have huge impact on the people of Asia, but they can have positive or negative effects on a company’s branding and success. Last year’s milk scandal is simple proof of the damage a company can incur. Consequently, addressing the concerns of stakeholders has the potential of creating long-term success for companies.