In our April immersion course, consultant Anne MacKay posed this brilliant thought to the group. And I confess there has not been a day since Anne flew back to Canada over a week ago that I have not thought deeply about its implications. What if you don’t have to worry about being financially supported, because … Read more
(This is part 2 in the continuing story of Creating the Future’s Philanthropy R&D Lab. For Part 1, click on this link.) If you’ve been following our adventures at Creating the Future, you know that a big part of what makes this work effective is back-casting – reverse engineering the future we want for our … Read more
Creating the Future’s Philanthropy Lab held its first meeting in October of 2011. And that means it is way past time that we keep folks in the loop about the work that team is doing, to begin to engage some of the big questions we are sinking our teeth into – and to see if … Read more
I grew up with the expectation that I should strive to financially support myself and my family all by myself, regardless of what my partner might earn. Why? Death, divorce, disability, disease, you name it. Life is risky. Anything can happen and often does. My work ethic was my personal safety net to insure me … Read more
When social change efforts use the word “partner” to describe their funders, saying things like, “We are seeking a partner to help fund this effort,” what does that say about us as organizations? And what does it say about our efforts to create a community that is whole and vibrant and healthy? Words contain so … Read more
Philanthropy may be defined ideally as “love of humanity,” but philanthropy as we know it is a perfect microcosm of our modern American capitalist economy: There is fierce competition for scarce resources (“This rejection of your proposal is not a reflection of the worthiness of your project.”). A person’s worth is determined by their wealth … Read more
What are we really asking when we ask for donations? This question has arisen as Creating the Future is rethinking everything about how community health and vibrance is supported and sustained. This is not an academic exercise for us. The question arises as a result of rethinking what philanthropy looks like if it reflects its … Read more
At the risk of sounding like the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the roots of the word “Philanthropy” come from the ancient Greek. “Philanthropy etymologically means ‘the love of humanity’ – love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of ‘what it is to be human,’ … Read more
We’ve all seen it happen – an individual or organization in desperate shape, entirely out of options, when a seeming miracle occurs. A check in the mail. An invitation to speak. A long-forgotten friend calling to say, “I’ve been thinking about you.” We hear all sorts of explanations. The universe conspiring on our behalf. God’s … Read more