Image of Playbooks from Renaissance Philanthropy

How can philanthropies be more effective in addressing societal challenges? Renaissance Philanthropy, a new non-profit organization that partners with individuals, families, and foundations, has developed a set of Playbooks toward that end. Key concept involves counterfactual giving - examining alternative approaches to address societal needs that have not been widely explored, yet could be highly impactful. A summary of the playbooks can be found below along with key takeaways for the DATA4Philanthropy network:

Playbook 1: Common Task Method (CTM)

The Common Task Method (CTM) uses standardized datasets and defined metrics to structure research efforts for shared tasks. It promotes consistent data use and progress evaluation through common benchmarks. For instance, DeepMind’s AlphaFold used data from the Protein Data Bank to improve protein structure prediction, and the Vesuvius Challenge applied machine learning to interpret ancient scrolls. However, CTM faces obstacles, including the high costs of maintaining datasets and achieving broader community participation. Funders could explore CTM as a model when looking to advance the uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in their work.

Playbook 2: Target Product Profiles (TPPs)

Target Product Profiles (TPPs) are structured documents that describe the characteristics and objectives of products. They include details such as intended use, target population, and safety benchmarks, serving as a reference point for developers, funders, and end-users. For example, the Food and Drug Administration has used TPPs to guide drug development processes and minimize late-stage failures. The process involves identifying needs, gathering stakeholder feedback, and finalizing a document to guide product development. TPPs can help funders understand how products and innovations address unmet needs and collaborate with stakeholders across sectors.

Playbook 3:  Prize Competitions

Prize Competitions are open innovation initiatives that invite participants from various disciplines to help solve problems. These competitions establish rules, objectives, and evaluation criteria, allowing participants to develop solutions using a range of approaches. Examples include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Self-Driving Car Challenge, which supported advancements in autonomous vehicle technology by engaging teams from universities and startups, and the Ansari XPRIZE, which led to developments in reusable spacecraft technology. Prize competitions can help funders incorporate lived and subject expertise into the problem-solving process and develop a broader range of solutions.  

Playbook 4: Mid-Scale Science

Mid-Scale Science refers to projects that require more funding than small grants for individual researchers but less than large-scale science initiatives. These projects focus on developing tools, datasets, or methods intended to address specific research needs. Examples include E11 Bio’s development of brain mapping technologies and Align to Innovate’s work on datasets for protein function prediction. This playbook could help guide funders on what it takes to build mid-scale research projects–which has the potential to be particularly valuable in the age of AI. 

Playbook 5:  Market Shaping

Market-Shaping mechanisms focus on addressing specific challenges in developing technologies that lack adequate support from the private sector. These challenges often include insufficient financial incentives for addressing high-cost, long-term issues such as climate change, pandemic preparedness, and developing treatments for neglected diseases. Traditional market systems prioritize short-term returns, leaving these areas underfunded. Mechanisms such as advance market commitments (AMCs), milestone payments, and volume guarantees are designed to reduce financial risks and encourage investment by guaranteeing funding or purchases once specific goals are met. For instance, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) used an AMC to support the development and distribution of a pneumococcal vaccine, which facilitated the immunization of over 150 million children. It achieved this by providing financial support to manufacturers meeting established criteria. Funders can use these mechanisms to increase support and investment for complex global problems.

Playbook 6:  Policy Entrepreneurship

Policy Entrepreneurship involves identifying and using policy levers, such as regulatory changes, legislative actions, or executive directives, to accelerate and iterate policies. Policy entrepreneurs create documents such as decision memos, draft regulations, and budget proposals, identify collaborators, and pursue other tactics to help initiate positive policy change. For instance, Jennifer Erickson and Greg Segal used data to advocate for reforms in the U.S. organ transplant system, contributing to bipartisan legislation that allowed multiple organizations to manage the system. Funders can support policy entrepreneurship by helping develop proposals and encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration. 

The full playbooks, detailing these strategies and their applications, can be accessed here.

***

What other topics would you like to see on DATA4Philanthropy? Let us know by emailing us at DATA4Philanthropy@thegovlab.org. Or, do you know of any great case studies that should be featured on the platform?

Submit a case study to the DATA4Philanthropy website here.

Stay up-to-date on the latest blog posts by signing up for the DATA4Philanthropy Network here.