Summer 2017

Issue

Summer 2017

Volume 15, Number 3

After Donald Trump’s election as President, Americans poured tens of millions of dollars into the coffers of the ACLU. And the ACLU, having spent the last decade strengthening its 50 state affiliates, was ready to make good use of the money. Read the inside story of the ACLU’s overhaul in the Summer 2017 issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review, “A Revamped ACLU Takes on Today’s Fights,” coauthored by ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero.

Features

Human Rights

A Revamped ACLU Takes on Today’s Fights

By Anthony D. Romero & Geri E. Rozanski 4

The ACLU pursued a 10-year plan to expand the capacity of its affiliates nationwide and defend people’s constitutional rights against the threats of a Trump presidency.

Organizational Development

Creating Breakout Innovation

By Joanna Levitt Cea & Jess Rimington 15

Nonprofits, community groups, and philanthropists are embracing cocreation as a way to engage a wider community in tackling pressing problems.

Philanthropy & Funding

The Chinese Collectivist Model of Charity

By Christopher Marquis, Qi Li & Kunyuan Qiao 3

In the West, most wealthy entrepreneurs prefer to give to specific individual causes, by establishing their own foundation, family office, or donor-advised fund. Most Chinese entrepreneurs, by contrast, would rather work together and pursue philanthropy collectively.

Measurement & Evaluation

The Generalizability Puzzle

By Mary Ann Bates & Rachel Glennerster 5

Rigorous impact evaluations tell us a lot about the world, not just the particular contexts in which they are conducted. Open access to this article is made possible by MIT.

Measurement & Evaluation

Caught in a Fake Debate

By Annie Duflo & Heidi McAnnally-Linz 1

Finding solutions for the global poor need not require choosing between theory and decision making. Good evaluations focus on both.

What’s Next

Environment

Where Credit Is Due?

By Kristine Wong

Credit unions focused specifically on financing environmental projects are beginning to offer a much-needed source of loans.

Food

A Fresh Market

By Noël Duan

In providing an app for people on food stamps, FreshEBT is serving a population that most tech startups tend to overlook.

Human Rights

Prison Reform Goes Local

By Noël Duan 1

A MacArthur-backed project is funding 40 local jurisdictions' efforts to reduce their jailed populations.

Health

Health Care in the Mohallas

By Noël Duan 7

An ambitious plan by Delhi's local government aims to give the city's poor better access to health care through neighborhood clinics.

Field Report

Education

Dance Revolution

By Kathy O. Brozek

The Wooden Floor is licensing its successful model of using arts education to break the cycle of poverty.

Social Enterprise

Tend It Like Beckham

By Alicia Clegg

Vi-Ability uses football to get disengaged British youth interested in acquiring the skills and experience necessary to succeed.

Health

Humanitarian Relief

By Emily Troutman 2

The Contemplative-Based Resilience Project is using meditation to help aid workers stave off burnout.

Case Study

Health

Native Wisdom Is Revolutionizing Health Care

By Shari Huhndorf 1

Southcentral Foundation has vastly improved Alaska Native welfare while saving on costs by using traditional healing practices.

Viewpoint

Economic Development

Cash as Capital

By Chris Blattman, Michael Faye, Dean Karlan, Paul Niehaus & Chris Udry 3

To fulfill the promise of cash transfers, we need to double down on investment in research.

Business

Fighting Sustainability Inertia

By Jenny Davis-Peccoud, Paul Stone & Clare Tovey

Keeping sustainability programs on track requires a new mind-set, executive leadership, and clear public commitments.