August 7, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
As they grow in wealth and influence, foundations need to be under greater public scrutiny, writes David McCoy, a senior research fellow at the Center for International Health and Development at University College London.
In an opinion article in The Guardian, a newspaper in London, Dr. McCoy focuses on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, saying he is concerned by the fund’s effect on global health.
It has the power to set health agendas, but “unlike other big global health institutions, the foundation is unaccountable,” he writes. “Though it has an advisory board and consults widely, some in the health community feel it only listens to what it wants to hear.”
The Seattle foundation, which this week reported that its assets had grown to $30.2-billion after a sharp decline, has said it is doing more to seek outside input.
In June, Jeff Raikes, the organization’s chief executive, said he wants to create a “culture of listening” within the grant-making organization and this fall the foundation will survey all its current grantees with the assistance of the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a research organization in Cambridge, Mass.
What do you think of Dr. McCoy’s views? How should foundations be more accountable to the public?
