Comments on: What is Philanthropy? http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/what-is-philanthropy Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:14:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Flashback: Web 2.0 & Philanthropy | Tactical Philanthropy http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/what-is-philanthropy#comment-4347 Flashback: Web 2.0 & Philanthropy | Tactical Philanthropy Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:03:35 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/20/what-is-philanthropy/#comment-4347 [...] philanthropy blogs were relatively few and far between. Phil Cubeta and I immediately got into a good back and forth (which is why I was a bit nostalgic over Phil’s most recent broadside). But in reviewing some [...] [...] philanthropy blogs were relatively few and far between. Phil Cubeta and I immediately got into a good back and forth (which is why I was a bit nostalgic over Phil’s most recent broadside). But in reviewing some [...]

]]> By: Dan Bassill http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/what-is-philanthropy#comment-3 Dan Bassill Sun, 22 Oct 2006 16:09:11 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/20/what-is-philanthropy/#comment-3 I think that the Internet has revolutionized what will happen in the next century. It's impact on philanthropy can be just as much. In fact, my hope is that an organization's web site becomes its grant proposal and donor solicitation and that social networking becomes the advertising that draws donors to a cause, and educates them to be more sophisticated shopppers. The Internet not only build connections of more peole, but enables intermediaries to have a larger impact. Many organizations are using GIS/mapping tools to show where help is needed in places all over the world. At https://www.tutormentorconnection.org/Links/tabid/560/rrcid/13/rrscid/27/rrpid/1/rrepp/20/Default.aspx I have links to many web sites that demonstrate this potential and provide meaningful information for people interested in using their donations for a greater good. I think that the Internet has revolutionized what will happen in the next century. It’s impact on philanthropy can be just as much. In fact, my hope is that an organization’s web site becomes its grant proposal and donor solicitation and that social networking becomes the advertising that draws donors to a cause, and educates them to be more sophisticated shopppers.

The Internet not only build connections of more peole, but enables intermediaries to have a larger impact. Many organizations are using GIS/mapping tools to show where help is needed in places all over the world. At https://www.tutormentorconnection.org/Links/tabid/560/rrcid/13/rrscid/27/rrpid/1/rrepp/20/Default.aspx I have links to many web sites that demonstrate this potential and provide meaningful information for people interested in using their donations for a greater good.

]]> By: Sean Stannard-Stockton http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/what-is-philanthropy#comment-2 Sean Stannard-Stockton Sat, 21 Oct 2006 23:10:30 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/20/what-is-philanthropy/#comment-2 Thanks for stopping by Dan. I think you're right that isolated acts of kindness, while never negative, are not enough to cure the world's ills. I'll expand on my concept of The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy in future posts, but I am not referring simply to The Great Wealth Transfer. Instead, I believe that the way that people give and the types of people who give are in the midst of a great transformation which will make the philanthropy of the 21st century fundamentally different from the philanthropy of the 20th century. Using more efficient financial transactions and techniques is just one small part of this new trend. The broader trend will be dependent on many more people than ever before participating in the act of philanthropy in a much more continuous nature than people have in the past. I look forward to our ongoing dialog and encourage other readers to chime in. Thanks for stopping by Dan. I think you’re right that isolated acts of kindness, while never negative, are not enough to cure the world’s ills. I’ll expand on my concept of The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy in future posts, but I am not referring simply to The Great Wealth Transfer. Instead, I believe that the way that people give and the types of people who give are in the midst of a great transformation which will make the philanthropy of the 21st century fundamentally different from the philanthropy of the 20th century. Using more efficient financial transactions and techniques is just one small part of this new trend. The broader trend will be dependent on many more people than ever before participating in the act of philanthropy in a much more continuous nature than people have in the past.

I look forward to our ongoing dialog and encourage other readers to chime in.

]]> By: Dan Bassill http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/what-is-philanthropy#comment-1 Dan Bassill Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:31:54 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2006/10/20/what-is-philanthropy/#comment-1 Thanks for inviting me to this discussion. Phil and I have met and exchanged ideas in several forums. I met with a donor the other day, who has supported my cause for several years. In the conversation he said "we don't like people to tell us how to give, and we don't tell others how to give". As a middle man, this puts us in a sensitive position. In order for Chicago to have a full range of volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs, lots of donors will need to support many programs for many years. If someone does not find a way to focus donors on that goal, lots of money may be spent, but with little long term result. In your article you concluded by saying philanthropy "is a action whose most important purpose is to make the world a better place." I agree. However, I don't think one donation makes the world a better place. It's a random act of kindness, no matter how large or well intentioned it is." I think that it takes many donations, by many people, repeated over many years, and focused on a blueprint of needed actions, and actors, to make the world a better place to live. It takes the work of many people to help a child grow up, or to cure a disease, or to end hunger, even for a few people. None of these problems are solved with a donation made in one year and not repeated in the next year, or for many additional years. To me my role, is to help connect a wide range of potential donors, non profit leaders, researchers, youth and volunteers, with each other, and with information about what works, in an army that works for a long time to help inner city kids move through school and into careers. It will take a similar effort to end AIDS, rebuild after Katrina, or solve water problems in India. If that's what you'll be doing in efforts to support tactical philanthropy, I think your work is much needed. Thanks for inviting me to this discussion. Phil and I have met and exchanged ideas in several forums.

I met with a donor the other day, who has supported my cause for several years. In the conversation he said “we don’t like people to tell us how to give, and we don’t tell others how to give”.

As a middle man, this puts us in a sensitive position. In order for Chicago to have a full range of volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs, lots of donors will need to support many programs for many years. If someone does not find a way to focus donors on that goal, lots of money may be spent, but with little long term result.

In your article you concluded by saying philanthropy “is a action whose most important purpose is to make the world a better place.”

I agree. However, I don’t think one donation makes the world a better place. It’s a random act of kindness, no matter how large or well intentioned it is.”

I think that it takes many donations, by many people, repeated over many years, and focused on a blueprint of needed actions, and actors, to make the world a better place to live.

It takes the work of many people to help a child grow up, or to cure a disease, or to end hunger, even for a few people. None of these problems are solved with a donation made in one year and not repeated in the next year, or for many additional years.

To me my role, is to help connect a wide range of potential donors, non profit leaders, researchers, youth and volunteers, with each other, and with information about what works, in an army that works for a long time to help inner city kids move through school and into careers.

It will take a similar effort to end AIDS, rebuild after Katrina, or solve water problems in India.

If that’s what you’ll be doing in efforts to support tactical philanthropy, I think your work is much needed.

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