What Most Needs Doing Giving Strategically Oct2012

Editor's Notes

• #9: There is a Native American saying, “We do not own the earth, we have borrowed it from our children.” Using this as the foundation, a strategic philanthropist will become an investor in community.What does a social vision mean?ValuesWhere I want to see societyThings that I believe in
• #10: This taking the act of philanthropy and turning it into an investment model that expects an ROI – a SOCIAL ROI.
• #14: The fourth premise is that we are in the beginning stages of a revolution:To quote iGenTribe.com - “Skills have been replaced by knowledge. Attitude has replaced experience. Leadership has replaced management.”For a revolution to occur there needs to be: - Improved productivity - Technology - Raw Materials - InfrastructureThe current revolution sees the internet technology is improving productivity by generating more virtual people power. The raw materials are ideas, and the infrastructure is both the public policies and the use of the basic technology. What is resulting is a new definition of community.Just look at Facebook or Google +. In Facebook, you have friends and fans. You can unfriend a friend and unlike an organization  just by clicking a button. Or in Google you can create online cliques of friends by cataloguing and categorizing as you see fit.This shift in how we define community is also changing how we raise funds. Technology is allowing us to crowdsource financing either through donations, micro-loans, micro-donations, crowdfunding projects and raising start-up capital for new ventures. Technology is allowing us to move back to a village capital model where all ships rise on the collective success. This is the new economy and one that is going to shape the way that charities raise funds for the next three generations.
• #15: What motivates you to give to the charities that you give to?Refer to charities that have been highlighted in conversationTop five reasons why people give to charity.What are some other reasons that you make charitable donations?Want to see changeKnow that the organization can deliverBecause people need the support that I can provideIncreases awareness about an issue that I care aboutGood for business
• #19: What are some questions that you might try to answer about yourself before you start looking at charities?Household Questions:Who lives in your home?What are your family connections?  How have you defined family?Think about everyone in your home (including your pet!) - Does your current giving reflect them?Is your family in the same city as you?  Is where you reside, the same place as where you call home?  Does your current giving reflect this geographical distinction?Community Questions:What does your community look like? Is it religiously or ethnically based? How do political parties play into your charitable giving?    Are your donations in conflict with each other?  How does community philanthropy rank in relation to family philanthropy?Has direct interaction with a community agency influenced your philanthropic prioritiesGlobal Questions:In what way do you actively participate with the global community?What are your consumer choices?  Do you travel?  How do you travel?Do you engage in cultural exchanges?