Skoll Foundation Explained

Skoll Foundation
Formation:1999
Type:Private foundation and Supporting organization
Headquarters:Palo Alto, CA, United States
Leader Title:Chief Executive Officer
Leader Name:Donald Gips
Disbursements:$56,000,000
Expenses:$17,329,423
Expenses Year:2018
Endowment:$1,127,000,000
Endowment Year:2018

The Skoll Foundation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California.[1] The foundation makes grants and investments intended to reduce global poverty. Billionaire entrepreneur Jeffrey Skoll created the foundation in 1999.[2]

The total assets of the foundation (including its affiliated funds) amount to $1.127 billion as of 2018.[3] The combined entities made grants totaling about $71 million in 2018 (and disbursements of $56M), based on unaudited numbers reported by the foundation. According to the most recent audited financial statements,[4] the non-grant expenses for the foundation totaled around $17 million in 2018.

History

Skoll set up the foundation in 1999 to fund social entrepreneurship[5] through awards, grants and educational programs at Oxford and Harvard Universities.[6] Skoll, the first president of eBay, created the Skoll Foundation after setting up the eBay Foundation.[7] [8]

In 2001, Skoll hired Sally Osberg, formerly the founding executive director of the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.[9] Osberg was the foundation's first employee, president and CEO. Osberg claims that she led the organization through its startup, implementation and renewal phases. Osberg and her colleagues set up platforms to connect civil society members with private and public sector leaders. These platforms included partnerships with Sundance Festival and Oxford's Saïd Business School.[10]

In 2003, Skoll established the private Skoll Foundation. The two entities, which have distinct governing bodies but share staff and offices, together operate the foundation's grantmaking and other programs.[11]

In 2018, Richard Fahey assumed the role of interim president after 14 years of executive leadership at the foundation.[12] In February 2019, Donald Gips was appointed as the foundation's CEO. Formerly, Gips served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa.[13] In March 2021, the foundation hired Marla Blow as its president and chief operating officer. She had formerly served as the senior vice president for social impact in North America for the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.[14]

The foundation, which moved to its Palo Alto headquarters in 2004, also collaborated closely with the Skoll Global Threats Fund, established in 2009, to address climate change, pandemics, water security, nuclear proliferation, and conflict in the Middle East. Some of the fund's initiatives supported by the foundation have included an app, developed in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Health, that allowed monitoring of health conditions and potential infection by the Zika virus during the 2016 Olympics;[15] supporting surveillance technologies that identify epidemics at their earliest outbreak;[16] and development of an online tool that will help policymakers identify global water risk and food security hot spots.[17]

The foundation began funding research into pandemic preparedness and prevention in 2009. Simultaneously, the organization funded research into climate change water scarcity, nuclear weapons and conflict in the Middle East; it called this its Global Threats Fund. Previously, the foundation partnered with Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org to fund Nathan Wolfe's 2008 research into cross-species transmission amongst Cameroonian bushmeat hunters.[18] In 2018 the fund created Ending Pandemics, a non-profit spun out from its research into pandemic detection and rapid response.[19]

Skoll increased the foundation's 2020 grant to $200 million to respond to the pandemic's economic, health and social impact.[20] The African Field Epidemiology Network, a group that works with Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention were the foundation's first COVID-related grantees. The foundation also gave sixty-four past and current Skoll grantees $50,000 in emergency funding during this period.[19]

Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford

In 2003, the foundation donated $7.5M to the Saïd Business School at Oxford University to establish the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. The center studies and promotes socially purposed businesses and hosts a one-year MBA programme in social entrepreneurship.[21] The grant also funded an endowed lectureship, program director, visiting fellows, five MBA student fellowships, visiting fellows, and the annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.[11] [22] The Skoll Centre's activities concentrate on educating social change leaders, practical research and convening leaders in the social change field.[23]

Skoll World Forum

The annual Skoll World Forum assembles social entrepreneurship leaders at the Said Business School at to discuss solutions to social challenges.[24] The foundation held its first forum in 2004.[25] Attendance was roughly 1200 as of the 2019 Forum,[26] and the delegates represented around 80 countries.[27] The event facilitates impact investing.[28]

Notable speakers

The Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship

Each year, the Skoll Foundation presents the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship.[29] The foundation accepts nominations from within its network.[30] The following list of Skoll Awards organized by year. Skoll claims the awards are to raise awareness through storytelling. "We felt that part of our mission was to create a ceremony where these folks are given more notoriety.”[31]

Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship awardees
Year Organization Awardee(s)
2005 Bunker Roy[32]
2005 Ann Cotton[33]
2005 Paul Rice[34]
2005 Martin Burt[35]
2005 Nina Smith[36]
2005 Victoria Hale[37]
2005 Amitabha Sadangi[38]
2005 Nick Moon Martin Fisher[39]
2005 Sonidos de la Tierra Luis Szaran[40]
2006 Afghan Institute of Learning Sakena Yacoobi[41]
2006 Jeroo Billimoria
2006 Jim Fruchterman
2006 Mindy Lubber
2006 Albina Ruiz
2006 Taddy Blecher
2006 Health Care Without Harm Gary Cohen
2006 Institute for Development Studies and Practices Quratulain Bakhteari
2006 Karen I. Tse
2006 PeerForward formally, College Summit J.B. Schramm
2006
2006 John Wood
2006 Heidi Kuhn
2006 Saude Crianca Vera Cordeiro
2006
2006 Blaise Judja-Sato
2007 Fundacion Escuela Nueva Vicky Colbert[42]
2007 Joe Madiath[43]
2007 Roshaneh Zafar[44]
2007 Manchester Bidwell Corporation William Strickland[45]
2007 Rupert Howes[46]
2008 [47]
2008 Michael Eckhart[48]
2008 Connie Duckworth[49]
2008 [50]
2008
2008 [51]
2008 OneSky Jenny Bowen[52]
2008 Voice of the Free, formerly Visayan Forum FoundationMaria Cecilia Flores-Oebanda[53]
2009 Bart Weetjens[54]
2009 Bioregional Development Group [55]
2009 Gaia AmazonasMartin von Hildebrand [56]
2009 Soraya Salti[57]
2009 Juan E. Méndez, Paul van Zyl [58]
2009 Wendy Kopp[59]
2009 Gary White[60]
2010 Scott Gilmore[61]
2010 Marc Freedman[62]
2010 Michael Jenkins[63]
2010 [64]
2010 Andrew Young[65]
2010 Ambrosuis Ruwindruarto, Silverius Oscar Unggul[66]
2010 Molly Melching[67]
2011 Health Leads Rebecca Onie[68]
2011 New Teacher Center Ellen Moir[69]
2011 Madhav Chavan[70]
2012 Tim Hanstad[71]
2012 [72]
2012NidanArbind Singh[73]
2013 Carne Ross[74]
2014 Sal Khan[75] [76]
2014 [77]
2014 Fundación Capital Yves Moury[78]
2014 Mabel van Oranje[79]
2014 [80]
2014 Medic Mobile Josh Nesbit[81]
2014 Jockin Arputham[82]
2014 Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) Sam Parker[83]
2015 lasdair Harris[84]
2015 Safeena Husain
2015 Jagdeesh Rao Puppala
2015 Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs Ma Jun (environmentalist)
2016 [85]
2016 Bryan Stevenson[86]
2016 Chuck Slaughter[87]
2016 Namati Vivek Maru[88]
2016 Oren Yakobovich[89]
2017 Kola Masha[90]
2017 Build Change Elizabeth Hausler[91]
2017 Last Mile Health Raj Panjabi[92]
2017 Bradley Myles[93]
2018 Jennifer Pahlka[94]
2018 Barbara Bush[95]
2018 Selco Foundation[96]
2019 Nancy Lublin[97]
2019 [98]
2019 mPedigree
2019 mPharma Gregory Rockson
2019 Julie Cordua
2020 ARMMAN Aparna hedge[99]
2020 Centre for Tech and Civil Life
2020
2020
2020 Drew Kodjak

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Investing in, Connecting and Celebrating Social Entrepreneurs, with Sally Osberg, Skoll Foundation. 2017-08-07. Tony Loyd. en-US. 2019-11-27.
  2. Web site: Jeff Skoll. Forbes. en. 2019-11-27.
  3. Web site: Skoll Financials. 2020-01-26. Summary_Financials.
  4. Web site: Consolidated Financial Statements and Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants. Skoll Foundation. August 26, 2019. Grant Thornton LLP. 2020-01-26.
  5. News: Brown . Des Dearlove and Peter . Profile: Jeff Skoll, founder of eBay . . en . 2022-06-27 . 0140-0460.
  6. Web site: 2012-03-30 . Philanthro-capitalism may sound ugly, but it could be the future . 2022-06-27 . The Guardian . en.
  7. Web site: Jeff Skoll . 2024-10-29 . Independent Sector . en-US.
  8. Web site: Jeff Skoll . 2024-10-29 . Forbes . en.
  9. Web site: Dolan . Kerry A. . Jeff Skoll's Billion-Dollar Plan To Save The World . 2022-06-27 . Forbes . en.
  10. Web site: Jonker . William F. Meehan III and Kim Starkey . 'Tough-Minded Optimism': Savvy Leadership Advice From 17 Years At The Skoll Foundation Helm . 2022-07-14 . Forbes . en.
  11. Arrillaga-Andreessen . Laura . Chang . Victoria . Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case Study No. SI-67 . Stanford Graduate School of Business.
  12. Web site: Interim Chief Named at Skoll; Global Giving CEO to Depart. 2018-03-09. The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 2019-11-27.
  13. Web site: Donald Gips '89 Named CEO of Skoll Foundation . 2019-02-12 . 2022-06-24 . .
  14. Web site: Skoll Foundation Names Corporate Philanthropy Leader as President. March 16, 2021 . 2021-07-15.
  15. July 20, 2016. How Crowd-sourcing Technology Is Monitoring Zika And Other Health Conditions During The Olympics. Huffington Post. February 17, 2017.
  16. August 5, 2016. With Rockefeller Long Gone, Who's Watching Out for New Pandemics?. Inside Philanthropy. February 17, 2017.
  17. July 29, 2016. As Clouds Head for the Poles, Time to Prepare for Food and Water Shocks. Huffington Post. February 17, 2017.
  18. News: Svoboda . Elizabeth . 2008-10-20 . Deep in the Rain Forest, Stalking the Next Pandemic . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-07-14 . 0362-4331.
  19. Web site: Dolan . Kerry A. . How The Billionaire Behind The Movie 'Contagion' Is Working To Stop This Pandemic—And The Next One . 2022-07-14 . Forbes . en.
  20. Web site: Di Mento . Maria . 2020-06-24 . Jeff Skoll Adds $100 Million to His Efforts to Fight the Pandemic . 2022-07-14 . The Chronicle of Philanthrophy.
  21. Web site: 2003-11-26 . Business with a conscience . 2022-06-28 . The Guardian . en.
  22. News: Skoll Foundation . 2022-06-28 . Stanford Graduate School of Business . en.
  23. Web site: Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Saïd Business School. www.sbs.ox.ac.uk. en. 2020-01-26.
  24. News: May 7, 2016. Social entrepreneurs can give the government a lift. Financial Times. February 17, 2017.
  25. Web site: Previous Events. Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship. en-US. 2020-01-26.
  26. Web site: Questioning Big Philanthropy At The Skoll World Forum. Dolan. Kerry. April 16, 2019. Forbes. January 26, 2020.
  27. Web site: Skoll About the Skoll World Forum. 2020-01-26.
  28. Web site: 2012-03-30 . Philanthro-capitalism may sound ugly, but it could be the future . 2022-06-28 . The Guardian . en.
  29. News: Sullivan . Paul . 2017-07-07 . Award-Winning Philanthropists Explain the Roots of Their Giving . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-06-26 . 0362-4331.
  30. Web site: Haber . Jason . Kickstarters That Are Helping Social Entrepreneurs Succeed #BusinessofGood . 2022-06-26 . Entrepreneur . June 30, 2016 . en.
  31. News: Sullivan . Paul . 2017-07-07 . Award-Winning Philanthropists Explain the Roots of Their Giving . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-07-14 . 0362-4331.
  32. Disrupting poverty: How Barefoot College is empowering women through peer-to-peer learning and technology . 2011-07-03 . . Williams . Gregg . 2022-06-25 .
  33. Web site: Ann Cotton . 2022-06-25 . .
  34. Web site: A life that's far from the daily grind: Paul Rice, head of Fair Trade USA . 2012-01-12 . 2022-06-25 . . Mitchell . Eve .
  35. Social Entrepreneurs as Responsible Leaders: 'Fundación Paraguaya' and the Case of Martin Burt . 2012-08-30 . 2022-06-25 . . Stoetter . Nicolas . 111 . 3 . 413–430 . 10.1007/s10551-012-1417-0 . 23325676 . 144756810 .
  36. Two Keys to Sustainable Social Enterprise . 2015-05-01 . . Osberg . Sally R. . 86–94 . 2022-06-25 . Martin . Roger L..
  37. Web site: OneWorld Health wins Skoll award . 2005-03-21 . 2022-06-25 . . Levine . Daniel S. .
  38. Web site: How One Man's Simple Low-Cost Tools Are Helping Millions of Farmers Tackle Climate Change in India . 2016-12-23 . 2022-06-25 . . Pal . Sanchari .
  39. Web site: KickStart International Receives $2 Million in Financing From Citi . 2016-12-23 . 2022-06-25 . . Pal . Sanchari .
  40. Web site: Important prize for Szaran . En el Este . es.
  41. Web site: Project to Convert Minefields Into Vineyards Is Among Recipients of Skoll Grants . 2006-04-20 . 2022-06-25 . . Wallace . Nicole .
  42. Web site: Make School a Democracy . 2015-02-28 . 2022-06-25 . . Kirp . David L. .
  43. Web site: Oakland's Global Footprint wins Skoll grant . 2007-03-14 . 2022-06-25 . .
  44. Web site: Awards & Achievements . 2022-06-25 . .
  45. Web site: Bill Strickland's education revolution . 2013-11-22 . 2022-06-25 . . Thornhill . John .
  46. Web site: UK charity chief scoops international enterprise award . 2007-03-20 . 2022-06-25 . . Jump . Paul .
  47. Web site: Jeff Skoll's Billion-Dollar Plan To Save The World . 2012-09-18 . 2022-06-25 . . Dolan . Kerry A. .
  48. Web site: Michael Eckhart Retired Managing Director Citigroup, Inc . 2022-06-25 . .
  49. Web site: New Foundation Takes Aim at Urgent Threats . 2009-04-14 . 2022-06-25 . . Storm . Stephanie .
  50. Web site: Using outsourcing to help alleviate poverty in Africa and South Asia . 2014-06-19 . 2022-06-25 . . Marc . Gunther .
  51. It's Not All About Growth for Social Enterprises . 2013-01-21 . 2022-06-25 . . Tripp . Kimberley Dasher .
  52. Web site: How One Social Entrepreneur Saved Thousands of Lives . 2014-10-17 . 2022-06-25 . . Steimle . Josh .
  53. Web site: New award for anti-trafficking advocate . 2008-05-07 . 2022-06-25 . .
  54. 2021-10-18 . A Silent Killer in Bangladesh Wells . 2022-06-25 . AAAS Articles DO Group. 10.1126/article.31487 .
  55. Web site: 2013-12-02 . Judges . 2022-06-26 . The Guardian . en.
  56. Web site: 2013-09-03 . Gaia Associate voted one of Colombia's Top 10 Leaders . 2022-06-26 . Gaia Foundation . en-US.
  57. Web site: 2015-12-20 . Riyadi to hold annual Jumana Salti Tournament, retire No. 10 jersey . 2022-06-26 . Jordan Times . en.
  58. Web site: McPherson . Susan . 2021-11-04 . If you are looking to be a changemaker, elevate your mission and purpose . 2022-06-26 . Fast Company . en-US.
  59. Web site: Teach For All co-founder and CEO Wendy Kopp named Baccalaureate speaker . 2022-06-26 . Princeton University . en.
  60. News: 2021-03-23 . Climate Solutions: Preserving Our Water Systems with Matt Damon, Arun Krishnamurthy & Gary White . 2022-06-26 . The Washington Post.
  61. Web site: Carlyle . Erin . Building Markets: Meet The Start-Up Bringing Investors To The Fastest-Growing Economies in the World . 2022-06-26 . Forbes . en.
  62. News: Hannon . Kerry . 2015-11-13 . Finding a Purpose, and Winning a Prize for It . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-06-26 . 0362-4331.
  63. Web site: 2017-01-30 . Our Mission . 2022-06-26 . Forest Trends . en-US.
  64. News: Galbraith . Kate . 2015-01-08 . Mapping the World's Problems . en-US . The New York Times . 2022-06-26 . 0362-4331.
  65. Web site: Skoll Foundation . 2022-06-26 . One Acre Fund.
  66. Web site: 2020-11-19 . Cerita Ruwindrijarto dan Kepakan Sayap Kupu-kupu di Pagerharjo . 2022-06-26 . Mongabay.co.id . en-US.
  67. Web site: Tostan and Molly Melching Receive 2010 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship Tostan International . March 29, 2013 . 2022-06-26 . en-US.
  68. Addressing the Root Causes of Health Problems: Rebecca Onie of Health Leads Health Affairs Forefront . 2022-06-26 . Health Affairs Forefront . 2013 . en . 10.1377/forefront.20130322.029619. Prina . Lee-Lee .
  69. Web site: 2021-06-25 . Supporter List - New Teacher Center . 2022-06-26 . newteachercenter.org . en-US.
  70. Web site: Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship . 2022-06-26 . Pratham UK . en.
  71. Web site: Meehan . William F. III . Bill Drayton and Social Entrepreneurship: How a Social Movement is Changing the World...and Launching Another: EVERYONE A CHANGEMAKER . 2022-06-26 . Forbes . en.
  72. Web site: 2019-05-13 . 'A pretty good place to start': Serving Myanmar's farmers . 2022-06-26 . The Myanmar Times.
  73. Web site: Skoll Nidan . 2023-07-21.
  74. Web site: Our Supporters . 2022-06-26 . Independent Diplomat . en-US.
  75. Web site: Supporters . 2022-06-26 . Khan Academy . en.
  76. News: Kalbag . Sachin . 2015-12-06 . Tata Trusts, Khan Academy in 5-year education partnership . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-06-26 . 0971-751X.
  77. Web site: Bart Houlahan . 2022-06-26 . Yale Center for Business and the Environment . en.
  78. Web site: 2022-03-31 . Instituciones firman convenio para fortalecer el ecosistema emprendedor. es. Institutions sign an agreement to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem . 2022-06-26 . El Nacional (Venezuela).
  79. Web site: Bermudez . Caroline . 2014-03-23 . Network Aimed at Ending Child Marriage Recognized With $1.25-Million Skoll Award . 2022-06-26 . The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
  80. Web site: Global Witness receives two prestigious awards: The Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the TED Prize . 2022-06-26 . Global Witness . en.
  81. Web site: silicon . 2016-08-17 . These giant rats are big heroes in health innovation . 2022-06-26 . Silicon Republic . en.
  82. Web site: Srinath Perur . 2014-06-12 . Jockin Arputham: from slum dweller to Nobel Peace Prize nominee . 2022-06-26 . The Guardian . en.
  83. Web site: Skoll Foundation – Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor . 2022-06-26 . en-GB.
  84. Web site: 2015-04-13 . Innovative community fisheries initiative wins top social entrepreneurship prize . 2022-06-26 . Mongabay Environmental News . en-US.
  85. News: Pillai . Soumya . 2017-12-03 . Breakthrough India smashes gender-based violence . en-IN . The Hindu . 2022-06-26 . 0971-751X.
  86. Web site: Videos . 2022-06-26 . Equal Justice Initiative . en-US.
  87. Web site: Living Goods receives Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship . 2022-06-26 . The Life You Can Save . en-US.
  88. Web site: Vijayann . Meera . A New League Of 'Barefoot Lawyers' Will Transform Justice In The Next 15 Years . 2022-06-26 . Forbes . en.
  89. News: 2016-04-15 . Secretive human rights group fights abuses with military-style precision . en . Reuters . 2022-06-26.
  90. News: 2017-11-07 . Nigeria's 'great farm' model bears fruit in time of high insecurity . Financial Times . 2022-06-26.
  91. Web site: 2017-03-27 . Build Change receives $1.25 million grant to retrofit homes in emerging nations before disaster strikes . 2022-06-26 . The Denver Post . en-US.
  92. News: 2019-03-01 . Donors increasingly believe in pooling resources to create a bigger impact . Financial Times . 2022-06-26.
  93. News: Spence . Rick . 2017-04-11 . Skoll Foundation gives $1M social entrepreneurship prize to a for-profit organization . en . Financial Post . 2022-06-26.
  94. Web site: 2018-10-11 . Angaza is a 2018 Skoll Award Recipient . 2022-06-26 . Angaza . en-US.
  95. Henne . Kathryn . Shelby . Renee . Harb . Jenna . 2021-07-01 . The Datafication of #MeToo: Whiteness, Racial Capitalism, and Anti-Violence Technologies . Big Data and Society . English . 8 . 2 . 10.1177/20539517211055898. 245466000 . free .
  96. Web site: 2018-05-21 . The Bridge Maker . 2022-06-26 . The Indian Express . en.
  97. Web site: Trying to make the world a better place: (left to right) Skoll Award winners Gregory Rockson of mPharma, Nicola Galombik and Maryana Iskander of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Nancy Lublin of Crisis Text Line, Bright Simons of mPedigree and Julie Cordua of Thorn. . 2022-06-26 . WJCT Public Media . en-US.
  98. Web site: Asiedu . Kwasi Gyamfi . Ghana's budding health tech sector is finally getting deserved global recognition . 2022-06-26 . Quartz . April 18, 2019 . en.
  99. Web site: Skoll Foundation Unveils Social Entrepreneurship Winners . 2022-06-26 . The NonProfit Times . en.

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