4.venture philanthropy

Social entrepreneur offers blueprint
for social change through IT

As the Internet boom was gaining momentum in boardrooms across the
United States, an entirely different technology revolution was quietly taking place on the other side of the world: The “venture philanthropy” movement supported social change through technology in Eastern European countries and others emerging from generations of authoritarian rule.

Author Jonathan Peizer chronicles his years on the front lines of that
revolution in his new book “The Dynamics of Technology for Social Change.” With this book, Peizer offers a blueprint for philanthropists, social entrepreneurs, corporate responsibility programs and academics trying to enact social change through Internet Communications Technology.

In 1993, Peizer joined philanthropist George Soros’ foundation to
create an Internet program for the foundation’s Open Society Institute. Over the next seven years, Peizer helped launch 250 projects in more than 30 countries with the goal of facilitating social change and sustainable economic development through technology.

Using his firsthand experience, Peizer offers strategies for using ICT
to facilitate change in NGOs, understanding the culture of nonprofits, and promoting relationships between nonprofits, foundations, government entities and private companies to achieve a mutual mission. “The Dynamics of Technology for Social Change” is an important resource for understanding program
sustainability, implementation and evaluation, as well as the unique
challenges facing open source methodology in the nonprofit environment and the importance of donor support conferences.

Peizer catalogs the history of venture philanthropy projects — from
Estonia to Albania, from the Czech Republic to Azerbaijan, and from Mongolia to South Africa and Haiti — along with their unique challenges, including civil war, political upheaval and even the threat of NATO bombings. While Americans were just starting to use ponderous dial-up modem service, Peizer was helping
implement alternative Internet service using satellites, spread-spectrum radio modems, ham radios, cable TV, microwaves and asynchronous satellite technology for
nonprofits around the globe.

With more than 20 years of experience in ICT consulting, Peizer directed the Internet program for the Soros Foundation’s Open Society Network from 1993 to 2000 and continued to support and develop projects promoting social change through technology as its Chief Technology Officer from 2001 through 2005. He continues his work in the field of venture philanthropy as founder of Internaut Consulting, Greentealovers.com and capaciteria.org.

Eileen Garvin