In Italy venture philanthropy has been the recipient of selective attention so far, with different results. It has driven the contamination of practices: «Some foundations have launched initiatives that could be traced back to enture philanthropy, but are not called by the same name», admits Giorgio Righetti, director of ACRI, the association of banking foundations. But it has also encouraged the critical analysis of several insights. «The social impact that volunteering generates on the territory», explains Righetti, «not just the delivery of a service. This is active citizenship, participation, a culture of solidarity». «As well as positive aspects», echoes Gianpaolo Barbetta, head of the Strategy Unit for Philanthropy of the Cariplo Foundation, «venture philanthropy has negative aspects as well. If you concentrate on measuring the single organisation you may loose sight of the effectiveness of activities: the real point is changing the starting point».
«The venture philanthropy approach can ensure that organisations are followed for longer than required by normal calls for proposals. And in this sense it is another instrument», says Righetti. But reconciling these two instruments is not simple; the first aims at supporting the organisation, the second aims at supporting its projects. In the first case importance is given to those who carry out activities, in the second to what is being done. How can these two approaches be seen as being complementary? «When you create a community foundation», answers the director of ACRI, «you are already going beyond what is normally called for in a call; you are talking about a subject that didn’t exist in the territory and that in some way is being reactivated». It is as if local empowerment could be the “Italian way” for venture philanthropy. Indeed in this sense several other interesting experiments are already underway. The CRT Foundation has created a foundation called Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, an independent organisation which has launched Torino Sharing, a social housing project that offers temporary housing and reinvests rents into similar operations. It is also in business with Oltre Venture, which belongs to PerMicro, a microcredit institution which helps neo-entrepreneurs to define their business plans and start up their activities.
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