By Andy Carroll, Exponent Philanthropy
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.”
