Institute of Philanthropy

What Institute of Philanthropy does

The Institute of Philanthropy (IoP) is an independent, Hong Kong-headquartered charitable think-tank established in September 2023 through a HK$6.8 billion (approximately US$870 million) seed grant from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust. Registered as a charitable entity under Section 88 of Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Ordinance, IoP operates a 'think-fund-do' model across three pillars: convening thought leaders and philanthropic stakeholders, scaling strategic solutions through infrastructure and standards in professional grant-making and impact measurement, and accelerating sector professionalisation through joint publications, case studies, and co-funded projects. Its primary geographic focus is Asia — including the Greater Bay Area — with an explicit 'East-meets-world' positioning that bridges regional and global philanthropic efforts.

The organisation's flagship product is the LEAP Fellowship (Leadership Excellence in Asian Philanthropy), an executive education programme delivered across three modules in partnership with globally renowned academic institutions: the University of Hong Kong leads Module 1 on philanthropic leadership, J-PAL (Abdul Latif Poverty Action Lab, MIT) co-develops Module 2 on impact measurement, and the London School of Economics co-develops Module 3 on cross-sector collaboration. Each LEAP cohort comprises approximately 30 senior philanthropic leaders, who pay a USD 1,200 commitment fee that covers tuition, academic materials, and field visits but excludes travel and accommodation. The programme operates on an application basis requiring C-suite endorsement.

IoP's other principal offerings include the Commission on Asian Philanthropy — a multi-year flagship research initiative pooling 13 leading Asian foundations to build an in-Asia, for-Asia knowledge ecosystem — and its annual Year in Review publication. The organisation reaches its audience through its LinkedIn presence, email communications, the iop.org.hk website, and in-person convenings held primarily in Hong Kong. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, emphasising curated peer exchange, mentorship, and collaboration with fellow funders and academic partners rather than commercial sales motions. Headcount stands at 51–100 employees, led by Secretary-General Brian San.

Name

Institute of Philanthropy

Legal name

Institute of Philanthropy

Website

https://iop.org.hk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Institute of Philanthropy is a Hong Kong-based non-profit think-tank established in 2023 with HK$6.8 billion in seed funding from The Hong Kong Jockey Club. It promotes Asian philanthropic thought leadership through the LEAP Fellowship, multi-foundation research, and academic partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Education and Sector Research

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Philanthropic thought leadership
• Executive education fellowship
• Philanthropy sector research
• Grant-making infrastructure
• Non-profit capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Seed Grant Funding: Established in September 2023 through a seed grant of HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) from The Hong Kong Jockey Club and its Charities Trust. As a registered charitable entity under Section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance of Hong Kong, the organization operates as a non-profit and does not generate commercial revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Institute of Philanthropy is an independent charitable think-tank that promotes philanthropic thought leadership, advances collaborative research, and builds capacity across the Asian philanthropic sector. It delivers the LEAP Fellowship executive education programme in partnership with HKU, J-PAL, and LSE, commissions and publishes research (including its annual Year in Review), and convenes leading Asian foundations through flagship initiatives such as the Commission on Asian Philanthropy.

Product overview

The Institute of Philanthropy operates as an independent 'think-fund-do' tank focused on promoting philanthropic thought leadership and enhancing sector capabilities. Its primary product offering is the LEAP Fellowship, an executive education programme designed to build leadership capacity among Asia's philanthropic professionals. The organisation also produces publications and research outputs, including its annual Year in Review Report, and convenes stakeholders through initiatives such as the Commission on Asian Philanthropy. The portfolio comprises a core educational fellowship product supplemented by thought leadership publications and collaborative research initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LEAP Fellowship: Leadership Excellence in Asian Philanthropy (LEAP) is an executive education fellowship designed to empower Asia's next generation of philanthropic leaders. Developed by IoP in collaboration with HKU, J-PAL, and LSE.

Products and services

• LEAP Fellowship (Leadership Excellence in Asian Philanthropy) An executive education fellowship designed to empower Asia's next generation of philanthropic leaders, blending rigorous academic insights with hands-on learning and cultivation of a pan-Asian professional network. The programme is delivered in a blended format across three intensive modules covering philanthropic leadership, impact measurement, and cross-sector collaboration, in partnership with HKU, J-PAL, and LSE.
• Year in Review Report An annual publication documenting the Institute of Philosophy's highlights, initiatives, and impact, featuring key areas including the Commission on Asian Philanthropy, emergency preparedness focus, and insights for action.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 30 leaders trained per LEAP cohort
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered academic partner and flagship.

• University of Hong Kong (HKU)academic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerHKU is a globally renowned academic institution and founding partner of the LEAP Fellowship programme. The university leads Module 1 on Philanthropic Leadership in Asia, contributing governance capabilities and strategic thinking frameworks for Asian philanthropy leadership.
• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)academic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerJ-PAL, a global research center based at MIT focused on reducing poverty through evidence-based policy, co-develops and delivers Module 2 of the LEAP Fellowship on Measuring What Matters: Impact in Asian Philanthropy, providing evidence-based approaches to outcome measurement.
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)academic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSE, an internationally renowned university specialising in social sciences, co-develops and delivers Module 3 of the LEAP Fellowship on Scaling Through Partnerships: Sector Collaborations in Asian Philanthropy, focusing on building effective public, private, and philanthropic partnerships.
• 13 Leading Asian FoundationsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIoP launched a landmark multi-year research initiative with 13 of Asia's leading foundations to build an 'in Asia, for Asia' ecosystem. This flagship initiative drives collaborative research to advance philanthropy specifically tailored to Asian contexts and challenges.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN): Asia's leading social investment network connecting funders with social purpose organizations. Highly comparable to IoP as both serve as Asia-focused philanthropic infrastructure platforms targeting foundations, family offices, and corporate philanthropy units with capacity-building and network convening offerings.
• Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC): A membership-based collective of leading Asian philanthropists and foundations dedicated to growing strategic philanthropy in Asia. Directly comparable to IoP's coalition work with 13 leading Asian foundations and its focus on Asia-specific philanthropy infrastructure.
• Give2Asia: A US-based nonprofit facilitating cross-border philanthropy to Asia and the Pacific. Comparable as an intermediary infrastructure for philanthropic capital flows into Asia, though IoP focuses more on sector professionalization while Give2Asia focuses on grant administration.

Broad incumbents

• Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors: A global philanthropic advisory service helping donors create and manage effective giving strategies. Comparable in its focus on philanthropic infrastructure and advisory services for HNW donors and foundations, though operating primarily in Western markets.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The world's largest private foundation with significant Asia programming in health, development, and poverty alleviation. Comparable as a global philanthropic infrastructure player with Asia exposure, though vastly larger and broader in scope than IoP.
• Ford Foundation: One of the largest US foundations with extensive Asia programming focused on inequality and social justice. Comparable as a major institutional philanthropy player in Asia, though Ford operates a much broader global portfolio while IoP specializes in Asian philanthropy infrastructure.
• The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust: IoP's founding benefactor and one of Asia's largest charitable funders, operating extensive community programs across Hong Kong. Highly relevant as the parent entity and primary funder, providing context for IoP's mandate and resources.

Regional players

• China Foundation Forum: A platform connecting China's philanthropic foundations with international peers for knowledge exchange and capacity building. Comparable to IoP in its focus on sector professionalization and cross-border philanthropy dialogue within the Greater China context.
• Philanthropy Southeast Asia: A regional philanthropic infrastructure organization focused on Southeast Asian philanthropy ecosystem development. Comparable as a regional philanthropy infrastructure builder, though geographically narrower than IoP's broader Asia focus.

Emerging players

• Synergos: A global nonprofit that builds bridges between philanthropy, government, and business to address poverty. Comparable in its focus on cross-sector collaboration, partnership brokering, and capacity building for philanthropic leaders — themes central to IoP's LEAP Fellowship curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-philanthropy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Philanthropy