An American Model or the Chinese Way? Exploring Philanthropy in China
VIEW EVENT DETAILSEvening Dialogue with Yong Lu, Founder & CEO, Evergreen Asia Advisors and Scott Lawson, CEO, SOW Foundation
Drinks reception at 6.30pm
Dialogue at 7pm
Close at 8pm
China’s wealthy class has arisen almost wholly over the past 30 years, with the number of billionaires reported to be second only to the United States. The population of China’s middle class grew from close to zero in 1995 to an estimated 340 million by 2016. Thus, private philanthropic practices entrenched in the West are new to both Chinese donors and charities, while the concept and operation of a modern nonprofit organization are not adequately understood in China. The Chinese nonprofit world is not yet an independent “sector” and fundraising is not yet an established “profession”. What is the future direction of China’s philanthropic system? Is it poised to adopt the “American model”, or will it forge its own path with strong Chinese characteristics? How does one build institutional trust and credibility to motivate giving in China? Yong Lu, CEO and Founder of Evergreen Asia Advisors, LLC and Scott Lawson, CEO of SOW Asia, will discuss the US and Chinese philanthropic landscapes; major obstacles, challenges and opportunities for China to nurture effective philanthropy and social entrepreneurship; and key lessons and best practices, if any, that China could draw from the Western experience.
Yong Lu is CEO and Founder of Evergreen Asia Advisors, LLC, a New York-based consulting firm advising on China-related philanthropic initiatives. She was a founding consultant for establishing the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University, the largest internationally-funded philanthropic effort in China’s history. Ms. Lu was previously Executive Director of CCS, a New York-based nonprofit fundraising and strategic consulting firm. She is the author of “Fundraising for a Cause” and “The Third Force: America’s Nonprofit Organizations and People-to-People Diplomacy”. Ms. Lu graduated from Fudan University and received her M.A. in international relations from Yale University.
Scott Lawson is CEO of SOW Asia, a Hong Kong registered charitable foundation investing in organizations intent on creating sustainable social impact. Mr. Lawson has served social purpose organizations for more than 25 years, including as Deputy Director of the James F. Byrnes International Center, University of South Carolina, and Deputy Executive Secretary of the US National Commission to UNESCO. He has served on the boards of numerous civic and humanitarian organizations. Mr. Lawson received his master’s degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University and in theology from Columbia Theological Seminary. (Moderator)