This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module will give an advanced level overview of the current state of philanthropy advising in the UK. Aimed at those working in or seeking to work in the voluntary sector, especially in roles that involve working directly with individual philanthropists and institutional donors, it will cover a range of topics that will facilitate a detailed and critical analysis of the role of philanthropy advising. It will allow students to explore this knowledge through its application in real life contexts that are encountered in professional practice. Academic approaches to advising donors from a range of perspectives including structural issues (tax, legal and wealth management) and strategic approaches (theory of change, goal-setting and distributional consequences) will be covered in order to fully understand and reflect on the role of philanthropy advisers.
To enable this advanced level knowledge to be used in practice, we will explore the current debates in advising donors, including the different approaches, outcome-orientations, methods of measurement and impact assessment. Students will gain from all of this a critical understanding of philanthropy advising and its role in society, and the ways in which private philanthropists and institutional donors are, and can be, supported.
Contact time: 43
Private study hours: 157
Total hours: 200
MA in Philanthropic Studies. Also available as a Wild Module.
Main assessment methods
Essay, 2,000 words (40%)
Book review, 2,000 words (40%)
Online forum participation (20%)
Reassessment methods
100% Coursework
Beeston, E. & Breeze, B. (2023) Advising Philanthropists: principles and Practice. London: Directory of Social Change
Brest, Paul & Harvey, Hal (2018, 2nd Edition) Money Well Spent: a strategic plan for smart philanthropy, New York: Bloomberg.
Bull, Gemma and Steinberg, Tom (2021) Modern Grantmaking: A Guide for Funders Who Believe Better is Possible. London: ModernGrantmaking.com
Buchanan, Phil (2019) Giving Done Right: Effective Philanthropy and making every dollar count. New York: Public Affairs.
Frumkin, Peter (2006) Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Putnam-Walkerly, Kris (2020) Delusional Altruism: Why philanthropists fail to achieve change and what they can do to transform giving. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
Stanford PACS (2021) The Stanford PACS Guide to Effective Giving. Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.
Tierney, Thomas J., & Fleishman Joel L. (2011). Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets Results New York: Public Affairs Books.
Wrobel, Ben & Massey, Meg (2021) Letting Go: How Philanthropists and Impact Investors Can Do the Most Good by Giving Up Control. US: www.lettinggobook.org
The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
8.1. Demonstrate an advanced critical understanding of the range of theories and key conceptual approaches to advising donors.
8.2. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the evolution of philanthropy and the role of advisors in the United Kingdom and beyond, and
be able to critically evaluate the impact of this on current debates and future directions.
8.3. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the role of the environment in which philanthropy advising exists and the role of different actors and
how they interact to shape the legal, fiscal and cultural context of philanthropy.
8.4. Systematically evaluate the literature on the existence and role of philanthropic intermediaries.
8.5. Evaluate the different models and methods of supporting donors and be able to produce reasoned and justified opinions on a range of
contemporary issues relating to advising individual philanthropists and institutional donors.
8.6. Act autonomously in creating and presenting critical ideas for applying theoretical, empirical and practical knowledge in the tackling and
solving of tasks related to advising donors.
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
9.1. Make critical evaluations in order to effectively gather appropriate and reliable library and web-based resources for postgraduate study
9.2. Act autonomously in using web-based resources to augment knowledge gained from online seminars and web-based study materials
9.3. Demonstrate self-direction, critical judgement, and theoretical knowledge in accessing, interpreting and analysing data
9.4. Use selected resources to construct critical arguments and be able to communicate these conclusions clearly to specialist and non-
specialist audiences
9.5. Apply problem solving skills in the planning and implementation of professional practice based tasks
9.6. Apply critical reflection to both individual and organisational practice.
University of Kent makes every effort to ensure that module information is accurate for the relevant academic session and to provide educational services as described. However, courses, services and other matters may be subject to change. Please read our full disclaimer.
