VA£U€$ – The Blog

"A laser-like focus on measuring impact", is Ed Penhoet's description of the philosophy of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which he ran from 2004 to 2007. In a keynote conversation with Matthew on June 25th, he rejected criticism that the foundation, established in 2000 by one of the founder's of Intel, was too obsessed with measurement. This criticism has implicitly been accepted by his successor, Steve McCormick, however, who has relaxed some measurement requirements in order to take what Penhoet calls, with a smile, a slightly "fuzzier" approach.

In general, too much philanthropy is unfocused and doing things in which it is impossible to know what difference, if any, the giving is making, says Penhoet.

Penhoet also questioned the usefulness of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, an organisation we praise in the book as a leading...more