The future of giving

: strategic recommendations for the house of philanthropy based on the business model canvas

Abstract

Philanthropy is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool for mobilizing resources, building legitimacy, and enabling systemic change. In Portugal, however, the philanthropic ecosystem remains underdeveloped, marked by fragmented initiatives, limited tax incentives, and low donor engagement. In this context, Rede Capital Social is preparing to launch the House of Philanthropy, a hub designed to unify efforts and foster collaboration. The key challenge is to design a sustainable and scalable business model that balances financial viability with long-term social impact. This dissertation was developed as a consulting project for Rede Capital Social, with the aim of providing strategic recommendations for the future business plan of the House of Philanthropy. The Business Model Canvas served as the analytical framework, guiding a qualitative research design that combined benchmarking of five European philanthropic and social innovation hubs with a structured questionnaire conducted among eleven associates of Rede Capital Social. The benchmarking identified transferable practices across customer segments, value propositions, revenue models, and stakeholder engagement, while the questionnaire captured local expectations, motivations, and concerns. The analysis revealed five central themes: legitimacy and mission alignment; networking, learning, and visibility as primary expectations; selective financial commitment to community-oriented services; fragility of legitimacy and the need for trust-building; and aspirations for visibility and thought leadership. Based on these insights, the study recommends phased service development, relationship-based financing, a strong communication strategy, and a flexible spatial model.

Date of Award	15 Oct 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rute Xavier (Supervisor)