The practice of strategic philanthropy: insights and a framework from the field

Purpose Global philanthropy increasingly intersects with business, raising ethical questions about power, accountability and societal impact within a stakeholder-driven landscape. This study aims to examine how prominent figures in philanthropic leadership navigate these dynamics, focusing on their motivations, strategies and ethical roles. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on 43 publicly available YouTube interviews conducted by a fellow philanthropist, it analyzes perspectives from entrepreneurs, foundation executives and policymakers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Findings The findings identify four key areas in strategic philanthropy: business alignment, blending business skills with giving; ethical challenges, focusing on community trust and accountability; governance, using strong internal systems for fair impact; and innovation, creating community-driven solutions. Five shared traits – partnerships, local empowerment, data-driven decisions, risk-taking and emerging market focus – show philanthropists’ thoughtful approach. These insights counter oversimplified views, offering a three-part framework (public value, system strength and trust-building) for ethical, effective philanthropy. Research limitations/implications Public interviews mean that there might be PR bias. Practical implications Inclusion of philanthropists’ voice in the literature advances an empirically grounded, practice oriented framework that practitioners can operationalize and scholars can test and extend. Social implications Deeper appreciation for the frameworks for corporate and high net worth (HNW) philanthropy. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, there is no other paper that showcases the insider perspective from the insider's voice.