Our Approach:The RDEP Framework.
Reason, Dignity, Evidence, and Progress.
Our
Philosophy
At Voltaire, we unite expertise in law, ESG, fundraising, the arts, litigation and risk management within the RDEP framework: Reason, Dignity, Evidence, Progress. This breadth gives us intellectual fluency and cultural sensitivity, enabling discreet, principled and measurable advice on how to give with clarity, conscience and lasting impact.
We believe what is funded defines what is prioritised, and that who is in the room changes what is seen.
We do not tell you what to care about. We refine the alignment between your intent and your impact through RDEP.
Voltaire Philanthropy
Reason-Led Decisions
We interrogate assumptions, quantify trade-offs, and test before we believe - grounding every recommendation in disciplined analysis.
In practice: issue prioritisation, double materiality, logic models, risk-adjusted options, decision logs.
Dignity-Centred Practice
We embed respect for people and communities into every interaction - listening, protecting, and ensuring fair participation.
In practice: safeguarding, EDI, power-aware grantmaking, informed consent, respectful storytelling.
Evidence-Based Impact
We back every claim with proof - valuing data over anecdote and building auditable evidence trails that can withstand the most rigorous scrutiny.
In practice: baselines, counterfactuals, sampling plans, substantiation files, sanctions records.
Progress-Focused Learning
We embed reflection, adaptation, and improvement into everything we do - demonstrating progress, not just activity.
In practice: milestone tracking, indicators, independent review, integrated finance-impact-risk reporting.
The Four
Pillars
The RDEP
Operating Cycle
- 1Define aims, scope, constraints, and intended beneficiaries
- 2Discover partners and options with proportionate due diligence
- 3Decide through structured options papers and documented choices
- 4Deliver with clear controls, roles, and approval thresholds
- 5Detect outcomes using planned monitoring and sampling
- 6Disclose through structured RDEP reporting
- 7Develop through lessons learned and feedback loops
RDEP enables Patrons, Corporates, and Causes to make decisions with reason, not just good intentions, embed dignity into every interaction and intervention, evidence outcomes convincingly, and demonstrate measurable progress over time.
Ready to implement RDEP in your philanthropic strategy? We can guide you through each pillar, helping you build a robust, evidence-based approach to giving that is as thoughtful as it is impactful.