What Does Ethical Philanthropy Look Like in 2026?
Throughout history, ethical philanthropy has struggled with blurred lines between what is right and wrong for both donor and recipient. Young people are the future, yet they still carry the historical burden of oppression. How can we use our strongest tool to fund change led by those most in need? Bringing together global philanthropists and changemakers, this session explores what happens once the donation has landed: how funders can offer long-term, trust-based support through unrestricted funding, relationships and shared power; how success can be measured by democratic and community outcomes, not only financial ones; and when senior leaders should step in, and when they should step back and let young people lead.
Speakers
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Maheen KaleemVP of G4GCMaheen Kaleem
VP of G4GC
Maheen Kaleem, Esq. is a Pakistani American human rights lawyer who has dedicated her life to creating a world where girls are safe and free. She is the Vice President of G4GC: Investing in Ecosystems that Support our Youth (G4GC), a philanthropic organization dedicated to mobilizing resources to organizations and social movements that center the wisdom of girls and gender-expansive youth of color. Maheen has over twenty years of experience engaging youth and families impacted at the intersections of sexual violence, sex trafficking and criminalization to lead efforts to advance racial and gender justice. She also serves on the boards of several philanthropic and nonprofit organizations.
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Eli Manderson EvansCEO Blagrave TrustEli Manderson Evans
CEO Blagrave Trust
Eli is CEO of The Blagrave Trust, an independent foundation working to shift power, back youth leadership, and build the infrastructure future generations need to thrive. Appointed in 2022 aged 29, he became the youngest CEO of a charitable foundation in the UK. With a background spanning philanthropy, policy, research, and social justice, Eli has spent more than a decade working alongside young people, communities, funders, and movements to advance equity and systems change. His work has focused on youth leadership, racial justice, climate justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, and supporting communities to shape their own futures. Originally from Manchester and now based in London, Eli is of British Jamaican heritage and brings both professional and lived experience to his leadership.
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Rosie Allen-HerringInterim President and CEO, United Way WorldwideRosie Allen-Herring
Interim President and CEO, United Way Worldwide
Rosie Allen-Herring is the Interim President and CEO of United Way Worldwide (UWW), leading a global network serving 48 million people in 1,100 communities in over 30 countries. Rosie brings more than 30 years of experience in corporate finance, strategic leadership, partnerships, philanthropy, and business strategy to the role. With deep institutional knowledge from her service on the United Way Worldwide Board of Trustees and in multiple national advisory positions, she has led transformative initiatives at UWW as well as at the United Way of the National Capital Area to reduce health, education, and economic disparities.
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Segun OlowookereExecutive Director, Finance & Strategy at The Children's Society & Chair of The Blagrave TrustSegun Olowookere
Executive Director, Finance & Strategy at The Children's Society & Chair of The Blagrave Trust
Segun joined Blagrave Trustee Board in November 2022 and is a qualified management accountant and currently works for The Children’s Society as their Executive Director Finance & Strategy. Previously he worked for the youth charity Restless Development as Finance Director and Comic Relief as a Senior Finance Business Partner working closely with the grants team.
Segun’s passionate about helping to make finance fun and easy to understand. He spent over 5 years working for Humentum as a financial management specialist training over a thousand NGO professionals in good practice financial management, strategic financial management and grant management.
Passionate about inspiring young people, he is the author of a motivational book, ‘You Might As Well’.