Articles

Our thinking on a bunch of stuff clarified into longer form pieces, all originally published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Do They Still Need Our Money?

Kevin Starr
&
February 8, 2022

A wave of big-bet grants has left some funders asking whether recipient organizations still “need” their money. That’s always the wrong question.

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Nowhere to Grow

Kevin Starr
&
October 22, 2020

The systematic scale-up of social entrepreneurs’ solutions by Big International NGOs (BINGOs) is simply not a thing. Why not?

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There's Still No Free Lunch

Kevin Starr
&
December 13, 2018

We’re in big trouble if complicated, expensive schemes like Development Impact Bonds are what it takes to get big funders to fund for impact.

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Let the Man Do His Job!

Kevin Starr
&
July 26, 2017

It’s hard to be a government minister in a country where resources are scarce. Don’t make it worse.

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Dump the Prizes

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August 21, 2013

Contests, challenges, awards -- they do more harm than good. Let's get rid of them.

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New School Economics

Kevin Starr
&
May 31, 2011

"More Than Good Intentions: How a New Economics is Helping to Solve Global Poverty" by Dean Karlan & Jacob Appel

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It's Not About the Tea

Kevin Starr
&
April 25, 2011

By and large, the Central Asia Institute's supporters went for a feel-good story, didn't do their homework, and didn't ask the right questions with the Three Cups of Tea dust up.

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