Philanthropy’s Bid to End Slavery in the Modern Age

A philanthropic group opened its doors last year with a mission statement that echoed the anguished tracts of 19th-century abolitionists. Slavery is widespread and pernicious, the Freedom Fund declared, and we will raise private money to end it.

Today, the organization’s ambitious plan is unfolding, and it’s an interesting application of modern philanthropy to an age-old evil. An estimated 35 million people worldwide are trapped in debt labor, forced labor, sex trafficking, or some other form of slavery. Freedom Fund this year began supporting local Harriet Tubmans — the grassroots organizations that rescue slaves and help communities vulnerable to exploitation. It’s also bringing in outside evaluators to measure each group’s impact and identify strategies that might work for the broader anti-slavery cause.

“You want to fund the frontline efforts, which are important and transformative, but it’s the rigorous analysis and the sharing of data that will help drive bigger change,” says chief executive Nick Grono.

How the Freedom Fund Works:

Billionaire Backing

Three foundations with anti-slavery programs created the Freedom Fund: the San Francisco-based Humanity United, begun by eBay billionaire Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam; the Legatum Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Legatum investment firm in Dubai; and the Walk Free Foundation, an Australian group founded by mining magnate Andrew Forrest and his wife, Nicola.

$100-Million Goal

The Freedom Fund aims to raise $100 million by 2020. Each of the founding partners contributed $10 million. An early U.S. donor: artist and human-rights activist Molly Gochman, who pledged $6 million after visiting Freedom Fund grantees in India. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to partner with groups on the ground in a way I feel like my funds are being efficiently used,” Ms. Gochman says.

Funneling Money to ‘Hotspots’

The fund is investing heavily in seven “hotspot” regions. It’s supporting local organizations that take different approaches to fighting slavery — variety that will offer insights into what works, Mr. Grono says. In the first of the hotspot areas, northern India, 16 Freedom Fund-backed groups are working to raise awareness about slavery (typically bonded labor); protect the vulnerable; rescue and rehabilitate victims; and prosecute perpetrators.

Accountability to Donors

The Freedom Fund issues quarterly reports to donors showing money paid out to each group; ratings based on whether each met its established goals; and tallies of interventions, rescues, and other outcomes.

Measuring Impact

Researchers with the Institute for Development Studies, a highly regarded British think tank, are on the ground in northern India to assess each group’s impact. “To be honest, we just don’t know what works most effectively and what kind of bang for your buck that you get with these interventions,” Mr. Grono says. “But we need to know.”

Attracting Strategic Philanthropists

A hundred million dollars is not enough to end slavery, Mr. Grono says. But he believes the Freedom Fund’s data-driven analysis will yield credible conclusions about how to deploy resources effectively — which will, in turn, attract philanthropists who demand proof that their money is going to make a difference.

The Next Polio Campaign?

Laura Murphy, director of the Modern Slavery Research Project at Loyola University at New Orleans, visited Freedom Fund groups last summer. “It was incredibly impressive work,” she says. Ms. Murphy hopes the fund represents a marshaling of money and resources akin to the campaigns that wiped out polio and reduced rates of malaria.