Philanthropy & the 4th Grade Part 2

Wish us luck!  Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., my daughter's fourth grade class will make their "philanthropy" presentation to the principal, asking for his support of their dream to lead a fundraising effort to improve their playground. 

What started as a simple, 45-minute session many weeks ago (see January 31^st post) on defining philanthropy and how it might fit into their classroom economy has literally snowballed into a project of some serious dimensions.  Talk about bold vision.  These kids are amazing, every single one of them, and it has been so rejuvenating to spend an hour each week with them for the past five weeks as they embrace the concepts of giving, raising money, and leaving a legacy for their school. 

Picture these scenes:

1.  The whiteboard at the front of the room had today's schedule written up in that perfect 4^th grade teacher handwriting.  The morning was full of time for reading, math, science, etc.  The afternoon read:

12:30 Lunch 

1:00 Read Aloud

1:30 Philanthropy

2:30 Spirit Assembly

3:00 Jobs

3:10 Dismissal

I have to admit, it made me smile to see Philanthropy right up there with Lunch and Math on the to-do list.  Powerful. Imagine if that happened more often.

2.  Six kids are ready to kick-off the presentation tomorrow. They'll say their name, age, and what class they are in.  Then, collectively, they plan to say, "and we are philanthropists."  Gives me goosebumps:  all those young voices together identifying as philanthropists.  They can spell it, say it, and most definitely feel it. 

3.  Me:  So, what does it mean to be a philanthropist?  Student: We solve problems.  Seriously, this just might be more inspiring than any professional development workshop.  I love it.

The project has definitely grown organically.  Ms. V-B and I had no idea what exactly we were getting in to, but apparently after our discussion about philanthropy and how the world needs people willing to help others solve big problems, the class was over-the-top excited about doing something for their school.  We've talked about what they could do with their "kid power" and ultimately settled on creating a vision for additions to the playground – a fitness trail for kids who want to burn off more energy at recess, and a quiet pagoda space for kids who want a place to read or sketch. 

We've split the class into three groups.  Working with another parent who is an architect, a "design" team has learned about making a site map to explain their vision.  It's rich with detail and drawings and it's also realistic – all lessons learned over the last few weeks.  A video production team has worked with a high school student to make a short video to "show" the need.  And, a presentation/fundraising team has been working on planning some do-able fundraising events and is pulling together a presentation to give to local foundations/funders.  

Every single student is engaged.  They want to know what happens next.  One of the students has to miss tomorrow's presentation and he asked if we could videotape it so he can see it.  They are philanthropists and they wear their title with pride.

The presentation/fundraising team is actually the largest – a rather astonishing thing to consider, really.  The two things adults express as greatest fears – public speaking and asking for money – are clearly nothing to be afraid of in the 4^th grade.

I've been wrestling with why this is and what it might teach us as adults working in philanthropy.  Perhaps these 4^th graders are, literally, the epitome of philanthropos tropos.  They are so excited about, engaged in, and committed to their vision that they can only imagine inviting anyone and everyone they know to be a part of it.   They don't yet have their own baggage associated with money and so the invitations to give are simply invitations to be a part of something "awesome."   

I keep thinking…what if all of us in the development profession could return to that unabashed conviction for our causes, shedding our awkwardness about money and the hierarchical barriers it can build and instead wholeheartedly embracing the awesomeness we make possible.  Perhaps we all need to spend some time again in the 4^th grade.

I'll let you know what happens as our story unfolds.  No matter what, I love the idea that when some of these kids run into the word philanthropy again in high school or beyond, they'll crack a smile and know exactly what it means.

Any suggestions or ideas for what we can do to keep the 4^th grade philanthropy momentum going?  Why do you think these 4^th graders are so eager to be fundraisers?

"Real" Charity & the Tax Code

There's a church across from the pizza place in town that has a marquee showcasing a clever saying each week.  I see it everyday on my way to the post office.

This week it reads "Real charity doesn't care if it's tax deductible or not."  I've read it at least a dozen times and I think I've finally figured out why it has been bothering me so. 

It's not because I whole-heartedly disagree with the sentiment.  I do believe that people give for a variety of reasons and most of them have little to do with a mathematical calculation from their 1040 form.  That said, I disagree with the statement and I think it perpetuates our societal hang-ups about giving and charity. 

Yesterday I listened to a fascinating TED talk by Dan Pallotta entitled "The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong."  It's 15 minutes I'd recommend viewing.  Pallotta contends that American views of charity trace back to our Puritanical roots, where giving ultimately was a form of "penance" for success.  Framed in this light, giving is a moral obligation forced from economic achievement, but wholly separate from and not driven by basic market principles.

That's what the marquee this week is offering – that only "good" or "real" charity is done purely selflessly, without economic benefit.  But, we live in a capitalist society where much of what we value comes to be understood in an economic context.  What's so wrong with giving that is done with feeling and emotion AND careful analysis and economic benefit?  Must giving that produces a social benefit preclude any individual economic benefit?

I'm a believer in a society where giving is so valued, so recognized as a part of the human experience, and so respected for its positive social impacts, that our primary economic systems incentivize it.  To me that doesn't de-value the philanthropy but rather multiplies its importance.

For the last six months, the news has highlighted again and again the threats to the current income tax deduction for charitable contributions.  Amidst complex mathematical models that predict the impacts on giving under different tax scenarios and the moral arguments about who benefits, I keep coming back to the same argument in defense of the charitable tax deduction. 

Like it or not, our tax code has become a societal scale weighing what we value.  Remove the tax deduction now and I believe giving will take a huge hit.  Not just from wealthy donors who will find their itemized tax bill altered by the change, but from everyday donors who don't actually benefit from the tax deduction now.  Simply changing the rules will devalue giving. It will send the signal that it's not so important anymore.  It shifts the context and something that our government (society) once cared about suddenly won't carry that authority.   If, in the end, eliminating or restricting the charitable tax deduction causes the philanthropic pie to shrink, do we really think charity has become more "real?"  I don't.

What do you think about the charitable tax-deduction?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this complex topic or on Pallotta's intriguing platform. 

Listening & Hearing

It was a simple enough idea.  Invite three donors to a meeting of our Board of Directors to answer a few questions about why they give.  It became my most profound fundraising moment of last year.

The inklings of the idea were rooted firmly in self-interest.  We were gearing up for our big Annual Operating Fund drive and I wanted to inspire our whole organization to dive in head and heart first.  I knew that nothing motivates me more than hearing other people's stories about their giving.  I figured if I wanted help, I needed to inspire.

I invited a major donor I knew well, a long-time donor whose story I did not know, and a couple who supports us through their local business.  I wanted a panel with different perspectives and people who would not simply say what I hoped they would say. 

The rewards came early and often.  Turns out simply inviting people to share their perspectives was one of the best donor outreach touches I've ever made.  Truth be told, I was pretty nervous before I made that first phone call. Somehow this seemed to me like an inconvenience or asking too much.  I was so wrong.

Everyone was flattered and grateful– even those who couldn't participate.  All of the conversations provided a genuine chance for me to say thank you and to ask for their help with something meaningful other than a check.

The panel itself was powerful.  Hearing from real, live donors saying in their own words that they consider it an honor to give was better than any fundraising article I could have found.  Their thoughtful answers were real—including what we wanted and didn’t want to hear.  This wasn't a sugar-coated, staff-constructed "training" for the board.  This was a real look into what it means to work with and on behalf of donors. Board members listened with rapt attention and they heard.

Thanking the panelists the next day also turned out to be a joy.  I found myself in long conversations with each donor as they shared what they learned and I shared what we gained.  It was, I realized, a very deep form of donor recognition.

The impact has been palpable.  I still find myself ruminating about one panelist's answer to why she entrusts our organization with her support every year. I've had numerous conversations in the last few months with Board Members who reference something said that night. 

Much of what was said can be found in good fundraising classes, books, conference sessions, and even blogs.  But here's what struck me as profound:  the simple invitation to listen to our donors transformed our relationship with those panelists and the art of hearing what they actually were saying, I believe, transformed the way many of us see fundraising.  Sometimes you just have to ask – and not just for money.

As a donor, would you like the opportunity to share your perspectives with an organization you support? If so, what would you highlight?