Charity vs. Philanthropy
Two recently read quotes got have me thinking about the current relationship between nonprofits that serve and nonprofits that fund—the “charities” versus the philanthropic organizations.
Almost 125 years ago, Andrew Carnegie wrote: “It were better for mankind that the millions of the rich were thrown in the sea than so spent as to encourage the slothful, the drunken, the unworthy. Of every thousand dollars spent in so-called charity today, it is probably that nine hundred and fifty dollars is unwisely spent—so spent, indeed, as to produce Read more
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Now that summer vacation is over, the peer-to-peer learning circle that I facilitate is back in action. September was catch-up time on what has happened since we last met. With the exception of one person, my first group started with everyone admitting that s/he was exhausted and overwhelmed. Nothing I haven’t heard before, but not generally right after the summer break.
Granted, summer is not what it used to be—everyone seems to be in agreement on that: it flies by, the pace no longer slows, the Read more
Is Risk Aversion Killing Innovation?
There are many things that I like about the nonprofit sector. One of them, however, is not the fact that, by and large, it is risk averse. This must change if we want to survive and be the sector that people expect us to be—the sector that solves the problems of communities and individuals, that enriches all of our lives, and that, in so many ways, does the work that many don’t want to do.
If we continue simply to do the “same ole, same ole,” Read more
Ethics Schmethics
The Penn State iconoclasm debate lingers on.
Minutes after being asked by yet another reporter about the purpose of removing names/statutes/plaques etc. of disgraced members of an organization (such as removing the name of Gary Schultz from the Penn State day care center that bore his name:*see answer below), I had a student in my MBA class make a statement to the effect that ethics are fungible: my ethics may not be yours, may not be hers, may not be his, and so forth. Already behind Read more
Back to School
It’s that time of year: back to school for most colleges and universities and school districts around the country. I was among them, starting my 31st year of teaching.
What I teach now—nonprofits—is not what I taught when I started—criminology. And no, there isn’t a link, the former a logical path to the latter, though, I must say, increasingly there does appear to be a larger commonality than I would like.
No crime this week, just nonprofit management, operations and governance, taught as part of La Salle’s Read more
Why We Give
Of late, and no surprise, I’ve gotten several inquiries from reporters about what happens to giving when icons related to an organization are knocked from their pedestals. An easy answer and truthful answer is, it depends. And it does—on so many things. But the more truthful answer really is, we just don’t know.
Why don’t we know? Because despite the great strides that have been made in the last two decades in trying to understand what motivates people to give to charities, we still know very Read more
Your Reputation Inventory
Anna Quindlen, in her new book, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, writes about what she sees in the mirror when she looks at herself, vs. what others see. She describes herself as “not pretty.” She goes on to note that a recently read biography of Mary Anne Evans, known to most people as George Elliot it was suggested that had Mary Anne been “more pleasing to look at,” she would not have written her seven novels, but would, rather have married, borne children and Read more
Chicken Hits the Fan
The world is a tough place these days for nonprofits. Not exactly a news flash. But I’m just returning from vacation, where I tried hard to concentrate on the waterfront, books that never used the word “nonprofit”, my tennis game, and, yes, forgetting. Now, I’m back and playing catch up with, among other things, my reading. And it feels so perilous out there that I’m reminded of a words from “Blood in the Water” (from Legally Blonde), describing to first year law students what makes Read more
No Wimpy Kid Diary Here
Instead of the traditional school essay of “things I did on my summer vacation,” I’m sharing some of the things that are driving me out the door to pack my suitcase and head north to my tranquil lake retreat.
I love it when people say to me, as they work to refute the point I have just made, “Well, on the boards I have served, ….” The problem with that statement is that while the author of the comment may have served on five or 10 Read more
Abuse of Power
No doubt Penn State will become a case study on many levels for years to come. Implications for boards go far beyond the limits of higher education and are a sobering tale of abuse and abdication of responsibility.
Here are selected lowlights from the Louis Freeh report of his investigation into Penn State and the Jerry Sandusky horror.
Before May 1998, “several” staff members and football coaches “regularly” witnessed Sandusky showering with young boys; no one reported this behavior to a superior.
In May 1998, when a mother Read more
