By Andy Carroll, ASF
Every 2 to 3 weeks, I explore trends influencing small-staff philanthropy by spotlighting articles, reports, and essays in the media. I cast a wide net, venturing beyond philanthropy and traditional topics to consider a variety of ideas, innovations, debates, and critiques.
How Big Data Can Change Philanthropy
Writer and thought leader Lucy Bernholz explores how the growing availability of data can help philanthropists be more effective. Data can help donors channel dollars to the most effective organizations; help nonprofits identify the best strategies; and guide grantseekers to the most successful fundraising tactics. Bernholz also says that data can help organizations doing similar work across the globe compare notes about what works and what doesn’t—“no doubt upending many long-held assumptions.”
Portrait of a Homeless Girl in New York City
In a remarkable 5-part series, a New York Times reporter follows the life of an extraordinary 11-year-old homeless student named Dasani. The series was catalyzed by the 22,000 homeless children in New York, the highest number since the Great Depression. Author Andrea Elliott observes, “One in five American children is now living in poverty, giving the United States the highest child poverty rate of any developed nation except for Romania. This bodes poorly for the future.” Dasani’s teachers recognize her exceptional talent and drive, and they also see the depth of her troubles. “There is not much Miss Holmes (her school principal) can do about life outside school. She knows this is a child who needs a sponsor, who “needs to see ‘The Nutcracker,’” who needs her own computer.”
Ways to Help Veterans
A November article in Forbes offers ideas for assisting the 22 million U.S. military veterans and 2.3 million active and reserve military personnel. The author spotlights programs that help veterans start and grow businesses, and get training in entrepreneurship. She calls upon entrepreneurs to hire and mentor veterans.
Streamlining by Saying Goodbye to Budgets
According to Project Streamline, one of the most burdensome practices for grantseeking organizations is creating different types of budgets for potential funders. This requirement takes time and money away from mission-related activities, and expands the potential for errors. A blog by “Dr. Streamline” profiles a funder in New York that chose to stop asking for budgets, and to take responsibility for assessing grantseekers’ financial health. With the help of a tool developed by a financial expert, the funder can pinpoint where organizations are struggling, and then help them become stronger.
Professional Development Opportunities in the Nonprofit Field
The Chronicle of Philanthropy publishes a helpful calendar of conferences for the year ahead.
Resolution for the New Year: Discarding Useless Words
Writer Timothy Egan proposes throwing out “the most annoying, overused and abused” words of 2013. Many misused words originate in certain fields, but lose their meaning in everyday language. Egan nominates “artisan,” “end of the day,” and “best practices” for the dumpster.
What words or phrases have become meaningless in philanthropy? What would you banish in 2014? What are better words?
Related posts
The Pulse: Exploring Nonprofits’ Relationship With Government
The Pulse: Disaster Recovery, Homelessness, Entrepreneurship
ASF Senior Program Manager Andy Carroll writes resources, designs workshops, facilitates seminars, and manages a Discussion List for ASF members. He also dedicates a significant portion of his time to managing ASF’s Leadership Initiative that defines, validates, nurtures, and celebrates the ways small-staff philanthropists lead. Andy has 25 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, and he enjoys talking with members about their questions, interests, passions, and plans for making a difference.
As a 20 year veteran I can’t help but comment on the veterans article. All 11 are great ways to help veterans transition from military to civilian life. I would suggest a couple of other ways to support the less than 1% of our population that wear the military uniform. Fisher House supports veterans and their families by providing housing when veterans must be treated far from home. I would also ask that you take a peak at changes in “benefits” and the difficulty veterans have with getting benefits through the Veteran’s Administration.