HUD USER

IPI is pleased to share the following report written by the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law. It was commissioned by the Council on Foundations as part of the Global Philanthropy Leadership Initiative, a joint program with the European Foundation Centre and the Worldwide Initiative for Grantmaker Support (WINGS).

Throughout 2010, The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of International and Philanthropic Innovation (IPI) invited delegations of housing experts from Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa to Washington, D.C. to exchange ideas and perspectives regarding housing challenges and opportunities in these countries. After each of these three learning exchanges, IPI’s staff was struck by the intelligence, energy, creativity, and dedication of these housing professionals. In this report we present brief reports and learning from each country on conditions, policies, and programs in housing and sustainable urban development, explore some common themes and challenges, and conclude with insights from national and international experts that point to fruitful directions in practice.

This paper reports on the opportunities and challenges of creating partnerships between foundations and government agencies in promoting housing as a platform. Through discussions with philanthropists, the authors examine evidence for "housing as a platform" and assess the challenges that impede public private partnerships. They find that there is a wide interpretation of philosophies that can make partnerships more difficult to establish. While foundation leaders harbor considerable skepticism about developing effective partnerships, they also recognize the benefits of collaborating with public agencies. The authors identify specific topics related to HUD's strategic interests where improvement might advance closer relationships between HUD and private foundations.