History of philanthropy case study: the founding of the Center for Global Development

Abstract

This blog post details the founding and growth of the Center for Global Development (CGD), a think tank focused on improving rich-world policies that affect the global poor. The author compares the founding of CGD to the founding of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), highlighting both similarities and differences, particularly in terms of funding and the crowdedness of the field. The author argues that CGD’s unusual success can be attributed to several factors, including its timing, the leadership of Nancy Birdsall, and the generous, long-term funding provided by its founder. He also discusses how CGD’s substantial upfront funding helped it attract top talent and avoid becoming a short-term consulting firm. The post concludes by emphasizing the importance of philanthropic investment in new institutions that can have a long-term and outsized impact on global development. – AI-generated abstract