Looking Beyond the Surface: Ten Pieces of Practical Advice on Due Diligence
Ten due diligence practices for would-be funders who are in the process of sizing up a philanthropic opportunity.
Altruism
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The Emotions of Aid
“One death is a tragedy; 1 million is a statistic,” Joseph Stalin is supposed to have said. The more people we see suffering, the less we care.
We Should Expect Good Giving To Be Hard
Great giving opportunities are few and far between; I believe in urging them to give to only the very best charities.
Rigor & Moral Clarity in Philanthropy
The effective philanthropy movement operates on an evidence-based understanding of how the world works.
Bringing Philanthropy to China
Insight into the cultural, philosophical, and historical factors that shape China’s emerging philanthropic efforts.
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The New Volunteer Workforce
Nonprofits rely heavily on volunteers, but most CEOs do a poor job of managing them. As a result, more than one-third of those who volunteer one year do not donate their time the next year.
Catalytic Philanthropy
Despite spending vast amounts of money and helping to create the world’s largest nonprofit sector, philanthropists have fallen far short of solving America’s most pressing problems. What the nation needs is “catalytic philanthropy”—a new approach that is already being practiced by some of the most innovative donors.
The Hidden Costs of Cause Marketing
From pink ribbons to Product Red, cause marketing adroitly serves two masters, earning profits for corporations while raising funds for charities. Yet the short-term benefits of cause marketing—also known as consumption philanthropy—belie its long-term costs. These hidden costs include individualizing solutions to collective problems; replacing virtuous action with mindless buying; and hiding how markets create many social problems in the first place. Consumption philanthropy is therefore unsuited to create real social change.
Fundraising in Tough Times
Our economy is in bad shape and will only get worse. So what can fundraisers do to minimize the impact of this difficult period on our organizations, and at the same time maximize income?
Do No Evil
Google DotOrg launched in 2004 with bold ambitions and almost $1 billion in seed funding. But the results have been less than stellar.