Giving Compass' Take:

• Rohini Nilekani at India Development Review discusses how recognizing failure early, acknowledging one’s personal and institutional role in it, and then embarking on course correction is critical for success. 

• What can philanthropists, funders, and social entrepreneurs do to make failure part of an open conversation that leads to growth?

• Here's an article on unleashing the true potential of philanthropy in civic society. 

A lot of ink is spilled, and awards are bestowed celebrating the success of the social sector–and there is much to celebrate. But the truth is, if innovation is essential to the ultimate achievements of the sector, we should spend less time on success, and more time on failure.

We lament the inability of the social sector to scale, but we do not support organisations to innovate on a continuous basis. We know that acceptance of failure is an essential part of innovation, which in turn is required for a successful outcome. Yet we do not bridge the gap.

If innovation is essential to the sector, we should spend less time on success, and more time on failure.

Progress on this issue will require candid communication between social entrepreneurs and the philanthropic community. Unfortunately, such candour is rare.

Read the full article about talking about failure in the social sector by Rohini Nilekani at India Development Review