Gara LaMarche

Gara LaMarche is president and CEO of the Atlantic Philanthropies. Before that, he was vice-president and director of United States programmes at the Open Society Institute.

Recent articles

Gara LaMarche continues his assessment of the new philanthropy in the FT. "Don't use evaluation to outsource judgement," he  warns. Business methods are about effectiveness---getting to a desired point soon, without waste etc. The desired point, which might be influenced by the way you have chosen to get to it, is what judgement needs to determine. "... the most important thing: start with what you believe."

Much of Michael Edwards's critique of "philanthrocapitalism" could equally be directed at the large established foundations, says Gara La Marche, who advocates a more active role in the "evaluation" processes that can make the practical case for social-justice philanthropy.

Rights, freedoms and openness are narrowing in the United States, and the threat is from the right, says Gara LaMarche.

The pillars of American democracy – the open society, the culture of law, a free media, independent science and academia – are under assault from the radical right, says Gara LaMarche of the Open Society Institute. A serious, coordinated response is needed, founded on robust and honest debate.