Addressing wicked problems. Collaboration, trust and the role of shared principles at the philanthropy and government interface

Abstract

Collaborative activities at the interface of philanthropy and government are increasingly assumed to be a desirable answer to complex—even wicked—public problems. Against this backdrop, this article discusses different types of collaborations, their accompanying levels of difficulty, and the roles that philanthropies might play in these efforts. Although this collaboration might hold promising potential, it will be argued that success will be very difficult to achieve. Consequently, indications are that philanthropies interested in increasing their collaborative activities at the interface of government might need to adjust their expectations and enhance their frustration tolerance. However, trust is seen as the central driver of collaborations across all sectors. By adopting a common approach to managing philanthropic practice, such as a joint performance management, that includes a broad understanding of performance beyond fixed indicators, it is argued that philanthropies are able to operationalize the resource trust. The Philanthropy. Insight Assessment Tool is proposed as a starting point for a joint conversation on the current and future philanthropic practice and its principles, including debates on the practical value of performance management systems.