Smart Risks: How Small Grants are Helping to Solve Some of the World's Biggest Problems

Jennifer Lentfer is Director of Communications, Thousand Currents and creator of the blog, how-matters;

This book is essential reading for all those who wonder how their donations and work can make a difference in developing countries – from aid agency staff and policy makers, to globally engaged individuals. Concerned citizens in wealthy countries are starting philanthropy groups, joining giving circles, and travelling internationally to lend support. Their contributions focus on five guiding question, such as ‘who is a smart risk?’ and ‘what is your role in smart risks?’ They include case studies, personal stories of lessons learned over time, provocative insights on power and privilege, and practical frameworks for choosing, investing in, and measuring the impact of grassroots organizations and movements. As never before, international aid is in the hands of ordinary people. . Yet, they are torn between the feelings that ‘something’ must be done about global poverty and that foreign assistance is creating dependency and fueling corruption overseas.A growing community of international small grant-makers know how to find and fund effective grassroots initiatives. Compared to donor-c

"Smart Risks is an important read for anyone who cares about poverty, inequality and social justice movements around the globe." (Erica Kohl-Arenas, Assistant Professor, The New School)"Every philanthropist committed to supporting meaning, transformative change should read this book." (Jennifer and Peter Buffett, co-presidents, NoVo Foundation)