As the world grows and innovation accelerates, our thinking patterns and worldview must evolve to match. Despite the abundance of data, knowledge and tech advancements available to us, we continue to be shaped by narrow beliefs, outdated paradigms, and mental models from the past.

Philanthropy is one of most affected to this regard. Complexity of the world and myriads of systemic challenges we face has grown significantly since the Roman Empire, while our  concept of philanthropy as purely an act of giving has remained almost intact since then. Due to this fact, the whole nonprofit structure has been shaped by the old paradigms of "gives and gifts" with nonprofits main activity of fundraising and grant-writing. It's became a game of who will promise better outcomes, with little attention to the actual impact and primarily focus on media stories and synthetic data.

Philanthropist are operating in vacuum, disconnected from the challenges on the ground, effectively outsourcing or buying the impact. Nonprofits, having semi-permanent income, relying on "one off" gifts, facing major constrains of building capabilities and retain talents, are forced to focus on "media-impact", with less systemic and long-term initiatives. As the result, philanthropist are disengaged, philanthropic sector is shrinking, further exacerbating exiting and creating new problems.

As the challenges we face become apparent and governments and international organisations continuously failing to meet the complexity and multiplicity of the problems, more and more nonprofits has emerged, creating "race to the bottom" archetype and highly-competitive market for grants. Those who did manage to land consistent "donors", more often than not stick to the doing more of the same.

The fact is, that with random "acts of generosity" or "Gifts" it's impossible to create and execute long term systemic solutions. Despite great knowledge of the actual problem, nonprofits are incapable of solving it.  Furthermore, we cannot solve problems with the same level of thinking that created them.

To overcome these challenges, New Philanthropy has to emerge. Philanthropy that is operating on new principles. Where philanthropist is no longer  "donors", but an active participant in the process of solving complex social and ecological problems. The one, who has gained great wisdom and understandings throughout his career path and share his experience to the greater good. The One, along with nonprofit organisations, co-creating systemic, long-term, and sustainable solutions.

Jizendo is our commitment to rewire this new way of philanthropy. To invite philanthropists to proactively design the future, not being a mere donors and observers of dying world. To change their mental models and empower with philosophical and practical tools to "become a change they want to see".

Needless to say, we have no other choice, but to be more engaged into a holistic philanthropy, where we use our minds, hardened by our vast experience, to create a better future for all. Jizendo philosophy in ingrained in our daily practices and we hope it will become a valuable source of wisdom and inspiration for everyone.