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  • January 2023
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Baofeng's Philanthropic Efforts in China

By: Lauren Cohen, Hao Gao, Bo Li and Zhaoheng Gong
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:10
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Abstract

Yanbao Dang, President of Baofeng Group and founder of the Yanbao Foundation, Baofeng Group’s philanthropic arm, weighed how the family nonprofit could maximize its impact. On a mission to eliminating poverty through broadening access to educational opportunities in Ningxia, his home region, the foundation wanted to broaden its financially support of 15,000 students, but not all students wanted to accept the assistance. Transitioning from a need-based assistance model to a ‘no difference’ blanket assistance model increased student uptake but also limited the strategy’s scalability – and the nonprofit’s ability to engage in other philanthropic endeavors. With scarce resources, what should the appropriate tradeoff be, and by which metrics could he measure his success? Under what conditions should he deviate from this approach and seek to fulfill his philanthropic ambitions through other avenues?

Keywords

Family Business; Entrepreneurship; Rural Scope; Social Enterprise; Nonprofit Organizations; Social Issues; Poverty; Resource Allocation; Green Technology Industry; Education Industry; China; Asia

Citation

Cohen, Lauren, Hao Gao, Bo Li, and Zhaoheng Gong. "Baofeng's Philanthropic Efforts in China." Harvard Business School Case 223-067, January 2023.
  • Educators

About The Author

Lauren H. Cohen

Finance
→More Publications

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  • 'Net Zero in Action': Impact Investing at the McKnight Foundation By: Lauren Cohen, Christina R. Wing and Sophia Pan
  • The Micro-Family Office: Aamir Rehman By: Lauren Cohen and Sophia Pan
  • Techint: Strategic Choices for Community Impact By: Lauren Cohen, Virak Prum, Kenneth Charman, Pedro Levindo and Mariana Cal
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