Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

Celebrating Philanthropy

I was away on business last week and failed to blog about the National Philanthropy Day^® celebration hosted by the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. I want to correct that oversight by congratulating the recipients of the 2009 Philanthropist of the Year Award and the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award.

Pete Correll, retired chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific, and Ada Lee Correll, his wife, were presented with the 2009 Philanthropist of the Year Award. Although the Corrells have contributed significantly to any number of organizations in Atlanta and beyond, including many colleges, the award was presented primarily for their contributions to Emory University’s School of Medicine and Grady Hospital.

Ed Heys, deputy managing partner for Deloitte in Atlanta and Birmingham, received the 2009 Volunteer Fundraiser Award. Heys has raised money for any number of causes, including the Boys and Girls Club, but his daunting task of chairing the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta campaign in 2008 resulted in this award.

Maria Saporta wrote about the awards and recipients in this week’s (Nov. 13-19, 2009) Atlanta Business Chronicle.

I can’t imagine anyone reading this blog not knowing about National Philanthropy Day^®, but, just in case, let me tell you a little about it. NPD is a special day set aside to recognize and pay tribute to the great contributions that philanthropy have made to our lives, our communities, and our world. The actual day is November 15, but celebrations can take place any day of the month. The Atlanta Chapter of AFP celebrated on November 10, and the Augusta Chapter held their event on November 18. Learn more at the official website of National Philanthropy Day^®.

Keep an eye out for National Philanthropy Day^® next year and celebrate philanthropy’s contributions to our community.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Live from Challenges and Opportunities of the Economic Crisis - October 13

Download or view the slides from this presentation (PDF).

Bradford K. Smith, president of the Foundation Center, will provide his perspective on the impact of the economic crisis on the philanthropic sector – both foundations and service providers – and the challenges and opportunities these turbulent times present for the future.

This 60-minute program will be at the Foundation Center-Atlanta on Tuesday, Oct. 13, starting at 2:30 p.m. To read Mr. Smith's biography or sign up to attend, please see our Events Calendar.

Can't get to this event in person? Attend the program virtually via the window below, either during the program or after it's happened. This program also will be taped and posted to our web site later this month.

Helping Rural Nonprofits Succeed

At the Foundation Center, one of our leading priorities is to provide training and services to under-resourced organizations to help build the capacity of the nation's nonprofits. We do this through a number of programs, including our online tutorials and webinars, our online Ask Us service and the FAQs and guides at our web site, and our network of more than 400 Cooperating Collections across the country.

Still, we recognize that rural nonprofits continue to face challenges beyond those presented to organizations in more urban areas, especially in times of economic downturn. In a study released earlier this year by the Bridgespan Group, rural nonprofits were found to be, on average, 50 percent smaller than urban nonprofits, while the geographic areas they served were much broader and the poverty rates in rural areas remain higher than those for other regions. Among other figures cited in the report, Nonprofits in America: Overcoming the Resource Gap:

• For each year between 1994 and 2001, rural areas received between $401 and $648 less per capita than urban areas in selected fields.
• An analysis of grantmaking by the top 1,000 U.S. foundations showed that grants to rural areas accounted for only 6.8 percent of overall foundation giving.
• A 2000 study of giving by 124 Fortune 500 corporations found that rural organizations received only 1.4 percent of the total 10,905 grants awarded.

To help close this funding gap, the study proposed a number of possible strategies for rural nonprofits. Among these tactics, collaboration was a key theme:

• Affiliation with a national network can provide access to valuable resources and institutional knowledge that would otherwise be difficult to develop on a local level. Affiliation can also provided added legitimacy and connections to larger, national funders.


• Building strategic partnerships and networks is key to attracting resources and donors to rural organizations. Executives with rural nonprofits who take the time to develop relationships outside their local area are more likely to gain access to crucial information about funding sources at the state, regional, and national levels.


• Rural nonprofits with limited development resources should invest in priority grant relationships rather than applying to as many funding sources as possible. Focusing on those grant opportunities in which there is a strong alignment with the grantmaking organization will increase the chances of building long-term, strategic partnerships with funders and will ensure that the nonprofit has a stable revenue base for future years.


• Programs should be structured to meet the unique needs of rural communities. Effective program design can help rural nonprofits meet tight per capita funding formulas and attract funders interested in value or innovation.

Many other groups have begun to address the rural funding gap as well, including the Council on Foundations, which co-sponsored the 2009 Philanthropy and Rural America Conference, along with the National Rural Funders Collaborative and other organizations. Other organizations that are focusing on this issue include:

• Rural Funders Working Group - Neighborhood Funders Group
• Rural Philanthropy Knowledge Center - Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers
• Rural Policy Research Institute

You can find additional resources on this topic by searching the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature, the Center's bibliographic database, for the subject "Rural development". Among the books and articles listed are:

Rule, Doug (ed.) Philanthropy and Rural America. Arlington, VA: Council on Foundations, 2008.
Foundation leaders and various experts contribute essays that explore the challenges and opportunities for rural philanthropy. The contributors discuss the importance of supporting rural philanthropy and provide recommendations for foundations.

Perry, Suzanne. "Small-Town Philanthropy." Chronicle of Philanthropy vol. 19 (26 July 2007) p.10-2.
Rural areas, traditionally overlooked by philanthropy, are drawing more attention from grantmakers and charities. Groups such as Montana's Big Sky Institute have demonstrated a "philanthropic divide" between states with large foundation assets and those without. Groups of rural funders and advocates are banding together to draw more funding to such areas.

Swierzewski, Rachael. Rural Philanthropy: Building Dialogue from Within. Washington, DC: National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 2007.
Examines real and perceived obstacles that set rural nonprofits apart from foundations located in urban settings. Explores strategies for strengthening rural philanthropy and provides recommendations.

McGregor, Alan;  Chaney, Bethany. The Power of Rural Philanthropy. Washington, DC: Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, 2005.
This assessment draws on information from many sources, and documents the growing grassroots efforts in rural America. One new model is the "geographic affiliate fund" within a community foundation.

Anft, Michael. "Rural Areas Reach Out to Donors." Chronicle of Philanthropy vol. 16 (11 December 2003) p.7, 9-10.
Explains how several foundations and nonprofit groups have established projects to help increase philanthropy in rural communities. Also notes the importance of advocacy efforts.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Young Professional Groups: Creating Next Generation Donors and Organizational Evangelists

Getting involved in your community is not only good for your career, it’s good for your health. According to a 2007 research study by the Corporation for National & Community Service, “those who engage in volunteer activities are less likely to suffer from ill health later in life and may be introduced into a positive reinforcing cycle of good health and future volunteering.”

It’s not only good for the health of volunteers, but for the health of organizations as well. By establishing a young professionals group, nonprofits can capitalize on eager young talent ready and willing to serve. These talented emerging leaders share their passion with their peers. They give their time, talent, and treasure. As these young leaders mature professionally, they are often able to contribute at higher levels financially. Therefore, it is advantageous for organizations to cultivate these future major donors now.
 
Authors Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba conducted a year-long research project that led to "Creating Customer Evangelists,” a framework to create communities of influencers who drive sales or membership for a company or organization.
 
In the case of nonprofits, staff and volunteers sell a vision and program impact in the community. Young professionals often become organizational evangelists, sharing success stories about nonprofits with their peers and community. Here are some local organizations that are benefiting from having a young professionals group: 

• The Atlanta Opera
• Atlanta Urban League
• Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta
• The Civic League for Regional Atlanta

We welcome your additions to this list.

Asia M. Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

A Philanthropist reviews The Philanthropist

A lot has been written about the new NBC show, but I thought that “A Philanthropist Reviews The Philanthropist” by Diana Campoamor, president of Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) was very interesting.   Her commentary appeared in Philanthropy News Digest and is re-posted here.

I'm determined to give NBC's new show, The Philanthropist, a fair chance. Sure, I've seen the first episodes. Did it perfectly reflect the reality of the majority of the philanthropists we represent or work with? Probably not. But I also can't help feeling that it was about time someone glamorized what I do for a living. Let's review the context:

The buzz for giving comes courtesy of a new TV show, in prime time, on a major network (NBC, Wednesdays, 10PM). Check.

The series title is unambiguous: The Philanthropist. Good. No missing the point there. Check.

Then things would appear to get a bit tricky. The Entertainment Weekly logline for the premiere praised the series, but also called it a drama about a "rich, rule-breaking, risk-taker" who's also a "reckless billionaire." Well, as Caroline Preston wrote in The Chronicle of Philanthropy,  this is not exactly "the stuff that fills many annual reports on corporate giving, to be sure."

And yet, for the first time in recent pop culture history, a depiction of someone who calls himself a philanthropist (until recently, one of the most boring words in our language to most people), will have a chance to enter our homes and make us all aware of the need for the truly-lived, philanthropy-centered life. That in itself is a big accomplishment.

Moreover, the namesake of the series will also get a chance to spark conversation, to generate dialogue about giving and about the ways our giving is changing along with us. In the twenty-five years since Hispanics in Philanthropy's creation, no other event has had the potential to create such a wide-ranging, potentially long-spanning, intimate, entertainment-integrated and, so, emotionally driven reaction, and that is one big deal.

And there's more. The series protagonist, like Bobby Sager, the real-life philanthropist it's based on, is a former businessman who brings his business skills to bear on his philanthropy. Well, check and check! That's what HIP is has always been all about: sound business practices for effective philanthropy.

Actually, it's what we, all of us in the philanthropy world, are all about. How else could we continue to do so much in the current economic climate? By leveraging! Like Bobby Sager, and "Teddy Rist," we look at philanthropy as a vital part of life, something enriching to be done for its own good. We're globe-trotters, or would like to be, because we believe in transnational connections. We know it's about getting close to people, understanding things from all points of view. Sager himself says that he often gives abroad because the dollars go further, and like any good businessman, he's looking for "exceptional return on investment." (We, at HIP, like to mix things up a little, investing both in the United States and Latin America, but the point is well-taken.)

He says he gets to "deploy the same kind of skills I used to make money...make people accountable" and he likes to make it sustainable to "give it legs." Well, check, check, and check. What else do philanthropists of all budgets do year in and year out?

So you'll understand if, in the end, I don't care too much if this philanthropist gets a little reckless in his over-the-top, 007-like pursuit of making the world a better place. How else would I keep from forgetting the difference between my non-glamorous life's work, and the fictional entertainment of a TV series?

Oh, yes. There is the detail of Bob Sager having an actual submarine hatch as the entrance to his office. I wonder if one can get one of those on eBay.

Diane Campoamor is president of Hispanics in Philanthropy, which is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary this year. Prior to joining HIP, Campoamor served as a director at the Shalan Foundation, the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund (MALDEF), the United Way, and the YWCA.

Check out the “Commentary & Opinion” section of Philanthropy News Digest to see more on topics of interest to the philanthropic sector.

Joanne Kepics, Regional Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Youth and Philanthropy - Paving the Way for a Better Future

In early June, I was privileged to meet with a dozen or so high school students interested in philanthropy.  They met at the Foundation Center to learn about our resources and services and to hear words of advice from a past president of a major foundation.  The meeting here at the Center was typical of the real-world learning they experience in the Philanthropy 101 course offered by the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Institute for Philanthropy and Service Learning at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta. 

This four-week summer course, for which they receive no school credit, is limited to rising seniors at Westminster.  Its two-fold goal is to help students become more aware of community needs and to develop their understanding of philanthropic service. The students receive a stipend for taking the course and are required to donate a set portion of that stipend to a nonprofit of their choice.  They must be able to explain their reason for selecting the particular recipient. They are also required to enter an essay in the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Atlanta chapter's annual contest. (A Westminster student has been among the winners in three of the last four contests!) 

One of the participating students later told me about his efforts to raise money for cancer research.  I’m sure others had interesting stories to share.  What about you?  Do you know of youth-led efforts to improve lives in our communities?  Share with us here on this blog or at the Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) section of the Center's web site, where you can submit stories about youth involvement in philanthropy and community service. The YIP page also provides resources and links to help get kids involved.  There is a section for adults who work in youth services and a very popular section on celebrity philanthropy (it’s cool to give!)

Two other web sites of note are Learning to Give (the Philanthropy 101 curriculum can be found at the Learning to Give site) and the Youth Philanthropy and Service program at the Mandel Center for Nonprofits at Case Western Reserve University. The Center also has compiled a topical resource list of additional books, articles, and other resources on the subject of youth in philanthropy.  

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center–Atlanta

Optimism about Philanthropic Giving?

In this economy, it is hard to find a story with anything other than dire predictions for the days ahead. The Southeastern Council of Foundations, however, recently called our attention to a more optimistic article by Sean Stannard-Stockton that appeared on the Financial Times' web site.

In "The Second Wave of Giving Will Roll On", Stannard-Stockton proposes that philanthropic giving, much like the economy in general, is cyclical in nature. He cites the example of the dot com bubble earlier this decade, when philanthropy faded into the background as other, more pressing financial needs took precedence over charitable giving. Since that time, individual giving and voluntarism have again taken center stage, due in no small part to innovative services like GlobalGiving.org, Facebook Causes, and Change.org.

Stannard-Stockton proposes that in the coming years, the convergence of baby boomer wealth and the social activism of Generation Y will help the nonprofit sector grow even further, becoming stronger and more resilient. U.S. philanthropy, much like the economy, will recover from the current downturn, and with recovery will come a second wave of philanthropy.

For further reading on current issues and emerging trends in philanthropy, we recommend the following titles:

Causewired: Plugging in, Getting Involved, Changing the World, by Tom Watson (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2009), describes how the generation known as Millennials, in addition to using sites such as Facebook and MySpace for social networking, are also engaging in philanthropic activities through online means and are actively supporting such causes as DonorsChoose and Kiva. Some other terms that are used to describe the trend are "online social activism" and "peer-to-peer philanthropy." Watson's goal in writing this book is to outline, with examples, the changes that are taking place and that will have an impact on charities and politics.

Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age, by Allison Fine (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2006), outlines the online interconnectedness that is possible for organizations seeking to embrace social change in their communities. Using the term "connected activism" to describe the potential of newer technologies, the author provides guidance for fostering social networks.

To find more books, articles, and other resources on the future of philanthropy and trends in giving, you can search our  Catalog of Nonprofit Literature(CNL) for the subjects "Philanthropy--analysis", "Philanthropy--trends", or "Philanthropy--economic aspects".

Links to additional resources and information on engaging youth in philanthropy can be found in this resource list at our web site.

For more articles and analysis on the current economic crisis and the nonprofit sector, see the Foundation Center's Focus on the Economic Crisis.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

The Economic Crisis and the Impact of Philanthropy

With the start of the New Year, I want to talk about some initiatives and programs started in late 2008 that will have an impact in 2009. 

“Impact Philanthropy” is the name of a new initiative and a new newsletter from The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The goal of this program is to interest and inform donors in meeting the multiplicity of needs in the larger Atlanta community.  The Community Foundation, through a series of “Community Conversations” in person, in print and online, hopes to identify and define the issues and opportunities facing nonprofits and provide donors with specific ways they can make a difference for these nonprofits and their constituencies. In the Community Foundation’s words, the focus of this initiative is “…connecting donors with their passion and the needs of the community.”

The Community Foundation’s “Impact Philanthropy” program comes at the right time.  Atlanta, like the rest of the country, finds itself in challenging and difficult times. Nonprofits report an increasing need for basic services – food, housing, child care – while public and private funding is declining.  

In the initial issue of Impact Philanthropy, issued in November, The Community Foundation has identified some of the most pressing current needs in the metro area and spotlighted nonprofits that are effectively working to meet those needs. 

In addition to providing potential donors with the knowledge and opportunities needed for making wise community investments, The Community Foundation has recently made $100,000 worth of grants to nonprofit organizations that provide emergency funds for families and provided an addition $100,000 to several affordable housing advocacy groups working on the foreclosure crisis. 

To keep up with the impact of the recession and how nonprofits and foundations are dealing with it, check out the Foundation Center’s Focus on the Economic Crisis page. 

The Council on Foundations has instituted a new, interactive, web-based service, Economic Xchange, through which foundations can share strategies, ideas, and tactics for coping with the economic uncertainties. 

Please share your stories about coping with the economic crisis. How is your organization being impacted? What strategies are you using to meet the needs of your constituents? 

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center – Atlanta

Philanthropy, Faith, and Individual Giving

The Foundation Center-Atlanta and The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta have collaborated this year on Philanthropy and Faith, a four-part series of conversations on the intersection of philanthropy and faith. The final program, “Philanthropy, Faith, and Individual Giving”, will be December 9, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). (Coffee and registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)  

Alicia Philipp, president of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, will moderate a discussion among four of its Fund Advisors. These are people who have set up funds at The Community Foundation in order to give back to the community. The panelists include:

• Dorothy Cohen, Community Volunteer
• Dave Markert, CMO, ScreamFree Living, Inc.
• Wendy Moore, Community Volunteer
• Sunny Park, Chief Executive Officer, General Building Maintenance, Inc.

These philanthropists will talk about how their personal religious beliefs have impacted their decisions to give to those in need in our community. We hope you will join us at GPB for this discussion or share below about the intersection of philanthropy and faith in your own lives.  

Seating will be limited for this event. Please register at our web site's Events Calendar.

If you missed our previous Philanthropy and Faith conversations, you can view videos of the first two sessions at the Foundation Center’s Events Archive:

• How Faith Communities Take Care of Those in Need
• Philanthropy, Faith, and the Environment
• Philanthropy, Faith, and Race (coming soon!)

The Georgia Humanities Council helped to underwrite this series, and to them, we say THANK YOU!

I hope to see you on December 9.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Philanthropy and Faith: Is There a Relationship?

Are you a religious person, a person of faith? If so, do your religious beliefs impact your philanthropy, how you give, and to whom you give? Conversely, if you do not consider yourself religious or spiritual (there are so many terms to describe what I'm talking about), does that fact impact your giving? Do you think the religious beliefs of well-known philanthropists, particularly those who have set aside great wealth in foundations, impact their grantmaking decisions? 

These questions were instrumental in the development of this year's four-part series, "Philanthropy and Faith", a collaboration of the Foundation Center-Atlanta and The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. We opened the year with "Philanthropy and Faith: How Faith Communities Care for Those in Need" in January and continued the conversation in June with "Philanthropy, Faith and the Environment". If you missed them, videos of both are available at our web site's Events Archive.

Our next topic will be "Philanthropy, Faith and Race" on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. Dr. Robert Franklin, President of Morehouse College and previously the Presidential Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, will speak on the intersection of philanthropy, faith, and race. A discussion will follow.

Please join us for this thought-provoking lecture and conversation. The program is free, but registration is required because seating is limited. A light breakfast will be provided.

Below are two publications related to this topic:

• The Community Foundation published an interesting research report in 2005 on African-American giving and volunteering in metro Atlanta: Giving: A Shared Inheritance.
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 2003 study, "How Americans Give", found that race and religion are powerful influences, based on its analysis of tax, labor, and census data. This special report is available in our library. Chronicle subscribers can access it at the newspaper's web site.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say THANK YOU to the Georgia Humanities Council, which helped underwrite this series.

I hope to see you on September 24.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Atlanta office