Tris Lumley

Tris leads Open For All—a programme of work that aims to enable the social sector to share its knowledge, research, insight, evidence and data in the Commons, for the benefit of all. NPC is a founding partner of the Open For All programme. Tris is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Ashoka.

He initiated and leads NPC’s Open Philanthropy programme, which has so far included the development of an open philanthropy fund focused on financial hardship in the UK, and current projects working with the Henry Smith Charity to explore how grant-making processes can contribute to open and shared knowledge and insight.

For 20 years Tris has led aspects of NPC’s work, as Director of Innovation and Development until September 2024. He kick-started NPC’s work on digital technology with the Tech for Common Good programme, which led to the development of youth digital prototype My Best Life, now spun out to commercial development by partner Mind of My Own. The Signpost+ programme continued this work, and now leads into NPC’s Open Youth Infrastructure programme.

Tris spent many years focused on developing impact measurement across the social sector in many ways including initiating the 10 year Inspiring Impact programme, helping establish the Social Impact Analysts Association and later Social Value International, and as an ambassador in the Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community. He is also on the board of two charitable foundations, Intersticia and the Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy Foundation, and is a regular speaker at international conferences.

Before joining NPC in 2004, he worked in consulting, emerging technology research, and scientific and engineering innovation. He enjoys running and cycling much more than he probably should.

You can find Tris on LinkedIn.

Why I work for NPC

Our starting point as charities and social enterprises, philanthropists and foundations is that we don’t have enough resources to tackle the challenges and opportunities we need to. Collaboration isn’t optional, it’s the only way forward.

Explore my work

Publications

Blogs

Beyond competition

How innovation can make philanthropy more equitable, diverse, and inclusive

Where next for philanthropy?

20 years of NPC: Looking back, to the future

Marking ten years of the Inspiring Impact programme

Can philanthropy ever be open and inclusive?

Building a giving strategy and giving you a run for your money

Digital transformation & the social sector

Putting the humans first in tech for good

We need Digital Collective Impact

What’s wrong with digital in the social sector?

Start, collaborate, and listen.

Should you trust a charity with your data?

4 insights from working with ‘experts by experience’

Is grant-making fit for the digital future?

Long read: Towards a tipping point for impact investment

Learning lessons from NPC’s Well-being Measure

Taking stock of NPC’s Well-being Measure

Challenging the rules, changing the game

The charity sector’s digital future

What’s the point of conferences?

Are trusts and foundations up to the job?

Part 2: The power of digital to transform the sector

Managing change: a unique challenge for charities

Part 1: The power of digital to transform the sector

The human side of big data

When it comes to impact, leadership is the key

Our thinking on theory of change: for charities

Where to next?

Are we there yet?

Letter from America

Who cares about impact?

Learning from international relations

Do we need a paradigm shift in the charity sector?

Taking on the leadership challenge

A special breed of impact

Nick Hurd’s not wrong about grit

Charities must focus on shared identity as well as individuality

Making social investment deliver

NPC supports the Guardian and Observer’s Christmas appeal

Maude makes an impact

Impact in social investment: a billion pound question

The ideology of impact

We need your views!

Impact reporting: We need your views!

Nudging the head and the heart towards more effective giving

Why running an effective charity is like flying a fighter plane

Transparency and the informed donor

Do donors care about impact? Why we need six answers.

The dangers of measurement

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