Making the Band-Aid Stick
One of the enjoyable debates I have with students, and those who are philanthropically minded, is about addressing root causes vs. applying band-aids. It often flows from a mention of Andrew Carnegie and his philosophy on giving and the responsibilities of the wealthy, much of which is laid out in his “The Gospel of Wealth.” His thinking makes it easy to jump to the question of whether to fund organizations that work at eradicating the root causes of society’s problems or those that provide band-aids Read more
Opportunity Lost
I’m frequently asked if I think the fundraising horizon is looking better. Depending upon whether you believe the economy is in recovery, is doing a double dip recession, is spiraling out of control, nonprofits most likely have at least one—or several–more tough years.
So, as harsh as this sounds, now would be a good time for funders—from individuals to foundations—to review their giving goals and make sure their strategies align with those goals. And it would be a good time for nonprofits to honestly assess their Read more
