Dick Merkin

Philanthropy Now: Prizes, Purpose, People

Jim Potofsky, Andrew Forrest, Jean Case, Tsitsima Siwa, Dick Merkin, George Weiss

Leading figures from the Heritage Group, Walk Free Foundation, and higher education sectors demonstrated how data science, global prizes, and cross-sector alliances can solve systemic issues ranging from healthcare inefficiencies and modern slavery to educational inequality. By leveraging mobile technology, engaging religious institutions in coalition building, and implementing citywide educational compacts, these leaders transitioned from traditional philanthropy to scalable models that prioritize measurable outcomes and self-sustaining economic growth. The panel concluded that maximizing impact requires business leaders to apply hard-edge management principles and strategic transparency to philanthropy, ensuring that resources like the $3 million predictive algorithm prize or the "guaranteed college" initiative create lasting structural change.