Philanthropy networks instrumental in building social impact ecosystems

A new in-depth case study of AVPN, formerly the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, reveals the dynamic, innovative world inside a philanthropic intermediary organisation. As Asia’s largest philanthropy network organisation, AVPN brings together more than 600 members— including funders, non-governmental organisations, public sector actors, and corporations among others—to drive capital toward addressing Asia’s most pressing challenges.

Evolution of philanthropic ecosystem building in Asia

The case, written by Cambridge Judge Business School Visiting Research Fellow Dr Shonali Banerjee, features data collected from a series of interviews conducted with senior AVPN stakeholders in 2023. Dr Banerjee notes: “For those of us who study philanthropy, most research has always featured funders – the philanthropists, big foundations, or even the formal institutions that support philanthropy. We’re delighted to debut one of the only academic case studies of a philanthropic intermediary organisation, particularly one that serves such a multi-functional purpose in Asia. I believe that we should all be watching and learning from organisations that broker connections among unlikely collaborators, and do so with AVPN’s level of success.”

The case study features insights from ten AVPN executives and senior advisors, including AVPN Chief Executive Officer Naina Subberwal Batra and Chief Knowledge Officer Roshini Prakash Nair, who have been deeply involved with the development of the case study since its inception.

“AVPN’s role in the social impact ecosystem in Asia-Pacific has evolved significantly over the last decade. As our membership grew in number and diversity, so did their engagement and sophistication in driving systemic change. We share our journey as a field-building intermediary organisation in the hope that it will be a guide and resource for others like us in the ecosystem actively seeking to secure a better future for our planet and communities.” said Roshini Prakash Nair.

We’re delighted to debut one of the only academic case studies of a philanthropic intermediary organisation, particularly one that serves such a multi-functional purpose in Asia. I believe that we should all be watching and learning from organisations that broker connections among unlikely collaborators, and do so with AVPN’s level of success.

The work of Cambridge judge and AVPN

Cambridge Judge researchers have worked closely with AVPN since 2020, with the organisation contributing significantly to prominent industry reports on philanthropy for international development published in 2020[1] and 2022[2], and the 2024 Cambridge University Press book Reimagining Philanthropy in the Global South[3].

AVPN and the Cambridge Centre for Strategic Philanthropy also co-hosted a landmark virtual convening of Asian voices in January 2023, entitled “System Change in Philanthropy for Development: Lessons from Southeast Asia”. In November and December 2023, Dr Banerjee and Cambridge Judge faculty delivered an executive education programme for the AVPN Academy on maximising philanthropic impact for AVPN’s cohort of Asia Philanthropy Fellows.

In keeping with the Cambridge Judge commitment to providing rigorous, open-access philanthropy research, Dr Banerjee and AVPN hope that this case study will serve as an useful and informative resource for organisations working in the philanthropy and social impact sectors.