For many foundations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a means to direct their efforts according to a larger, internationally recognised development framework, potentially increasing the value of those efforts by dovetailing them with those of others.

Portugal’s Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (CGF) saw in the SDGs an opportunity for the Foundation to be clearer in communicating its intentions and more focused on its mission, while at the same time providing a coherent basis for collaboration with other sectoral and non-sectoral institutions. Internally, too, the SDGs offered an opportunity for cohesion and the strengthening of a sense of common purpose. CGF engaged Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) to help align its work more closely with the SDGs. RPA worked with CGF on a foundation-wide analysis, devising metrics to assess progress and developing implementation and communications tools for both internal and external use.

The means used in the analysis are at least as interesting as the results and might help other organisations navigate similar exercises. Given the complexity of a large foundation with many areas of interest, some of which weren’t an obvious fit with the SDGs (for example, the work done on arts and culture), RPA met with each department to understand their priorities and goals and assess current activities and programs. This enabled RPA to help map key programs—including the more difficult-to-align arts and culture initiatives – to specific SDGs.

What came out on top for CGF’s work on arts and culture were targets that focused in on education, sustainable cities and communities, enhancing scientific research, and empowering youth. Specifically:

  • SDG 4.7 – Education: “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to (…) appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development”)
  • SDG 11.4 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage”.
  • SDG 9.5 – Enhance scientific research, (…) encouraging innovation and substantially increasing (…) public and private research and development spending
  • and SDG 4.4 – Increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills.

Read the full article about foundations and the SDGs by Margarida Espírito Santo, Donzelina Barroso, and Renee Karibi-Whyte at Alliance Magazine.