What is good philanthropy? Throughout the holiday season, folks are bombarded with this question while charity after charity asks us for a donation. What will get us “the most bang for our philanthropic buck” was a particularly popular topic this holiday season, covered in the New York Times, the Washington Post, countless television news reports and internet articles. I personally thought a lot about this question, because I often feel the pressure to give to more organizations than I could possibly afford. I worry about starving people in Africa, but I also worry about starving people in my own community. I want to support the arts, and the arts in schools, but how can I prioritize the arts over medicine for HIV positive children?
While I was reflecting on this question, I couldn’t help but think about what Grassroots.org does. I know it sounds cheesy, seeing as how I work for Grassroots, but I really think it is one of the organizations that embody “Good Philanthropy”. A donation to Grassroots isn’t just a donation to our organization – it is a donation to 1000+ (and growing) organizations. The organizations we support serve every facet of life. From education and community development, to community support networks, the arts, and international development, every dollar donated to Grassroots is a dollar donated to solving many of the problems that we as a community, both national and international, are facing. By giving to Grassroots, I don’t have to prioritize one struggle over another; I can support them all and feel good about where my dollar is going.
Now, in January 2008, with tough economic times looming in the news, I can’t help but worry that there will be less money to support the wonderful nonprofits out there, doing the important work that can be so challenging, but so rewarding. I know that people, as they think about where their money goes, will be thinking about how to give their money to nonprofits in a way that will have a big effect. As we as a collective begin talking about what “Good Philanthropy” means, I hope that organizations that serve many other nonprofits will take the lead. Umbrella organizations like Techsoup, NTEN, and Grassroots do important work that helps so many – our work is bigger than ourselves. Really, isn’t that the point of philanthropy- to give to something bigger than yourself?
