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Why Philanthropy is Essential For Improving Communities | Samuel Pinion
By: Samuel Pinion
Tags: Philanthropy

Community philanthropy is the concept of bringing people together in an area for the betterment of everyone around. It requires a blend of community and external resources to be successful. This support can come from time, money, experience, thoughts, or peoples’ expertise. Here are a few of the reasons why philanthropy is essential to improve communities.

The needs of a community are always growing and changing. The population must build assets and trust among each other to do the work that is necessary to adapt to the evolving needs. Even if a community is receiving external support, work from within an internal assembly helps keep the members alive.

One of the main goals of any philanthropic organization is to empower its citizens. When people are encouraged to participate, and their voices are heard and validated, community members feel more power. They’re able to come together to help solve problems and plan for the future. This also gives power to individuals to hold themselves accountable to help implement solutions to issues in the community. When everyone works together, it benefits the community as a whole.

Community philanthropy brings citizens together another way as well. It helps protect their civic space. When everyone follows an agreed-upon set of societal rules, there is a broad sense of freedom that inspires creativity and communication. This, in turn, influences the political and social structures around them. It also helps preserve their independence to associate. This gives the community all of the power. They don’t have to rely on external forces solely. They’re able to come together to protect their space.

Community philanthropy focuses mainly on community foundations. These foundations are growing in popularity throughout the world. This means more community foundations are coming together to stand on their own. This helps boost each area’s economy and growth as a whole. If each community can stand on its own, there is less fear that they slip through the cracks.

A community strong in philanthropy is the backbone of the community. This is an essential characteristic of a functional democracy. This is because the citizens’ quality of functions measures the health of a society that is democratic. The thought is that you cannot have a robust democratic society without a healthy community.
6 Tips to Become a “Tiny Philanthropist.”
By: Robin Oakman
Tags: Donations, Philanthropy, Charity, Bill Gates, Homeless

You don’t have to be Bill Gates or Phil Knight to make a difference.

Photo by Markus Winkler from Pexels

Every Wednesday, the day before the trash gets picked up, and my husband drags the cans out to the curb — two for garbage and one big cart for recycling. It is important to the story that my husband drinks a lot of soda — the empty cans really pile up during the week.

During the night on Wednesdays — between darkness and morning light — I frequently hear someone rustling through our recycling, looking for soda cans. In Oregon, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump over the Interstate Bridge into Portland, those cans can be redeemed for 10 cents each. Ten cans=$1.00.

We started to separate the soda cans from the rest of the plastic, newspapers, cardboard boxes, and cat food cans and put them in a box at the top of the 65-gallon recycling cart. I could tell from the sounds in the night that our small adjustment was appreciated.

On Thursday morning, we were having our coffee and reading the newspaper together at the table that faces the street. The blinds were open, and it was light out. We saw a man, wearing jeans and a black hoodie, stop at our cans and start to lift the lid on the recycling. He saw us in the house, my husband waved, but he walked away, heading down the street.

It turns out we forgot to put the cans at the top of the container and felt terrible. I had a lightbulb moment, ran upstairs, got a $5 bill, gave it to my husband, and asked that he go down the street and give it to the man. This small gift, and the contact with someone who treated him with respect, as a person, brought tears to the man’s eyes.
How a Philanthropy Program Can Help Business
By: Jerry Swon
Tags: Jerry Swon, Philanthropy, Charity, Business, Community

Philanthropy programs in business involve financial contributions to society, donations to a specific cause, or employees volunteering their time to help or drive a cause. Many companies have embraced corporate social responsibility and are continuously dialing up their procedures to prioritize the activities. This factor is businesses have seen corporate philanthropy’s benefits for them, their employees, and the community. Here is how philanthropy is beneficial to a business.

Promote Company Image

Most people tend to align positively with companies that give back to the community that gives them business. They, therefore, develop a good impression of the company and will trust its services. In most instances, the result is more business from the community they support as they have built a bond of trust.

Happy Employees

Companies that involve their employees in philanthropy enjoy the benefits of a team with high morale. Enthusiastic employees are more productive and willing to be team players. Besides, the importance of corporate philanthropy is that it brings meaning to their staff showing them the organization cares about their personal needs and the community.

Excellent Recruitment

People always want to work for companies with a good reputation, and corporate philanthropy is a perfect mirror of this attribute. Philanthropic companies have an excellent resource of well-abled applicants in the communities they give assist. Individuals with a knack for giving back to society will be attracted to such businesses, bringing with them diverse talents.

Increase sales

People tend to spend more on brands that give back to society and support good causes than brands that do not have any social responsibility. Therefore, with a philanthropy program, businesses enjoy benefits such as high sales and profit margins and are likely to get more customers who support the same cause.

Brand Marketing

Since Corporate Social Responsibility has become significant in businesses, philanthropy is an excellent way to promote their brands in wider regions. Getting down to the community level and reaching out to customers to find out what matters to them and what changes they would like can market a business brand cost-efficiently. Philanthropy programs are ways for a business to present a unique identity that resonates with their clients and potential customers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an excellent philanthropy program is beneficial to the business, employees, and the community. It is a win-win for everyone if the intent is good and the ultimate goals are transparent. For a business, this is an investment that pays off in the long run.

Originally published on Jerry Swon’s website.
Una conversación entre David Sasaki y Alfonsina Peñaloza
By: Hewlett Foundation Tpa Team
Tags: Evaluation, México, Philanthropy, Transparency, Accountability

Updates from the Hewlett Foundation’s transparency, participation and accountability team. Part of our Global Development Program https://hewlett.org/
Small steps make big difference
By: S C Cunningham - Author Books Film
Tags: Authors, Philanthropy, Film, Books, Love

S C Cunningham — Author, Filmmaker, Philanthropist.

A crime investigator, I write rom thriller novels for film and empowering, good-values, picture books for children.

I endeavour to have a “charity pot' revenue share in my projects. Encouraging the film industry to co-create and give back.

So that through the power of words, music and images we can entertain, raise awareness, funding and smiles. Make a difference to those in need and the home we live in, our planet.

If we all did something ‘good’, no matter how small, what a wonderful place this would be :-)

We have a duty of care, will you join us? Keep safe.

Siobhan

S C Cunningham

www.sccunningham.com

Rom Thriller THE DEAL is in film development, EVIL’S MATCH (working title)
A conversation between David Sasaki and Alfonsina Peñaloza
By: Hewlett Foundation Tpa Team
Tags: México, Strategy, Philanthropy, Transparency, Accountability

Post by OTT Consulting

“I feel that this job requires trust as one of the most important things, and trust requires time.” David Sasaki, Program Officer at the Hewlett Foundation

“Strategic communications are always important, but I think often as an organization you think that you have to have this overarching strategic communications goal speaking to a thousand different audiences. Over the course of being a program officer, I’ve learned to really value very specifically thinking about who your audience is, almost to the point of name and last name, and really honing into that.” Alfonsina Peñaloza, Program Officer at the Hewlett Foundation

As part of the retrospective and evaluation of 23 years of grantmaking in Mexico, we asked David Sasaki and Alfonsina Peñaloza to share a conversation with us around their experience working at the foundation and how that has influenced their work.

In this video, David and Alfonsina talk about adjusting to work cultures in Mexico and California, the political climate, and how to better support work on gender, transparency, participation and accountability (they also share what they would fund if they won the lottery!).

You can read the full transcript of the video here.
Thinking of doing some Kind deeds this COVID winter…here are My Three Tips
Tags: Donate, Kindness, Amalkindness, Philanthropy, Change

According to a japanese proverb a kind word can warm three months of winters this winter of 2020 is special in the entire history of humankind as we have gone through so much just because of COVID and as in developing countries the conditions of underprivileged segments of society in winters get worse. so for those of you who are willing to make those who deserve a lot better but due to some reason are not getting that you can do following things

a sanitation worker earning his living, (feeling sorry for them won’t change anything)

so in the above picture what you are seeing is not a survivor of any catastrophe these are the sanitation workers who keep the lifeline(sewerage lines) of mega cities like Karachi running and you know what will happen if they stop working well we can not even afford to think that here in karachi.most of them are christians.So here was something that i thought could be a kind gesture (although its not even close to what they actually deserve for their services).i got the services of one of these sanitation workers today we bargained (just like any other brown pair of people engaged in any sort of business deal ..lol) and we had our price for a specific task decided when the task was over i along with his well deserved wage gave him some extra money from my pocket money. and wished him for his upcoming religious events(christmas).

Edhi old home (pardon for the picture quality)

Donating Clothes (Preferably new) clothes are those things which many of us take for granted but these are not within everyone’s reach so i,with some of my friends decided to hold a little donation drive for our beloved senior citizens who were sadly abandoned by their families and we managed to do it(with God’s help). and it was very satisfactory.

the last thing is not relevant to any season and that is planting so you can buy some plants and start taking care of them especially during this whole COVID work from home scenario it is a great option to keep one’s sanity intact and helping further reduce our carbon footprint.

so these were some of my personal favourites,do share what you think could be better acts of kindness in this COVID winter scenario.God bless :)
How Does the Systemic Charity Change the World
By: Dr. Maria Stern
Tags: Charity, Philanthropy

How to Choose the Projects You Donate to?

Since there are a lot of charity projects that you can donate to, it is important to know how to select the best ones. Of course, all of them are good, but there are certain factors that you should consider when you are about to choose the project you want to donate to. Some signals may help you to find the perfect match for your donation. When I want to donate, I always have in mind 3 things:

· The name of a project

· Look for modest projects

· Possibility for trading.

Just ask yourself would you rather donate to a project that has a highly unique and attention-grabbing name or to some project that is named by default, without anything catchy in its name? The first one, right? Yes — when you have a good and resonant name that catches your attention, it is very likely you will get more donors and cause the systemic change eventually. It is simply a principle that hasn’t failed for me yet and I recommend it to everyone.

It is much harder to collect 10 iPads than 2 of them, so look for modesty in the projects. These kinds of projects that do not require a lot of resources often swim up to the surface and get most of the attention later on. Therefore, looking for the “golden middle” project is essential, especially if you are considering getting more engaged later on. Avoid big-time projects that are just starting out as it is much harder to get these noticed quickly.

In the end, look for the trading possibility in a project as not all donors will be able to donate money. For example, voluntarily teachers might not be able to receive enough money for their charity work, but they will be happy to have books and materials bough so they don’t have to spend money. This is, again, a point when the systemic change can step in — why don’t they have all the books and materials ready? Therefore, another problem could be solved.
What can improve trust in charitable foundations?
By: Zagoriy Foundation
Tags: Philanthropy, Ukraine Philanthropy, Charitable Organization, Ukraine

To stimulate the development of charity in Ukraine, charitable organizations and foundations are already working in two key directions. First, their activities are aimed at forming a culture of charitable giving in Ukrainian society through the promotion of good deeds, promoting charity as something trendy. Secondly, charitable foundations try to adhere to a number of principles in their work:

Clean reputation (achievements, no scandals, good reviews).

Transparency in reporting revenues and expenditures.

Proactivity in communication with the public (professional marketing and advertising, mandatory website).

Responsibility, optimal use of resources to pursue the goal.

Active work with donors (including after the projects’ end).

Search for creative forms of public involvement in charity (through the consumption of cultural products, participation in fairs/mass events, diversification of possible forms of assistance).

In the context of the coronavirus pandemic, charitable organizations have to transfer their activities online (it is primarily about fundraising tools and charity shops).

It is only possible to intensify charitable activity of the population when the efforts of various actors are combined. The government has to support the development of the culture of charitable giving in the country, launch tax incentives for charitable activities of the private sector, and promote the development of institutionalized charitable organizations. Charitable foundations are expected to be transparent, proactive in involving citizens in charity, communicating the results and opportunities for assistance, and promoting charity. In this context, support from the media is critical, as it could help the government and charitable foundations to disseminate relevant information. The community should not remain indifferent to the problems of the others, as well as to the efforts of those who take the initiative.

Read our study «What Encourages Ukrainians to Join Charitable Practices?» and find out more.
Michael Luzich Shares the Benefits of Corporate Philanthropy
By: Michael Luzich
Tags: Corporate Culture, Michael Luzich, Philanthropy, Charity, Giving

Whether you and your company provide financial contributions, goods or services, or allow employees to volunteer time “on the clock,” corporate philanthropy can have a major social benefit. As someone with a deep passion for philanthropy and social well-being, I understand the benefits that corporate philanthropy offers the company, the community, and your employees. Corporate philanthropy has become essential to business success.

Improving the Community

First, your company’s philanthropic endeavors can make a major impact on the community. Nonprofit agencies in the community greatly benefit from corporate sponsorships and donations, and your business should take the opportunity to support worthy causes.

Making a financial donation can address crucial needs in your community . There are many ways your business can provide assistance by donating funds to help:

create a youth program

purchase a new wheelchair-accessible bus

build a senior center or teen clubhouse

assist local shelters

These are big-ticket items and perhaps your company or small business cannot afford endeavors on this scale. A different but still effective way for your company to help is to encourage your staff to participate as a volunteer while paying for their time.

Boosting Employee Recruitment, Morale, and Retention

Corporate philanthropy makes your company more appealing when recruiting new employees. When volunteerism and financial giving is part of your company culture, a job seeker may be more drawn to working for you, especially when they already volunteer or support a charity.

Getting your company involved in charitable and philanthropic efforts can boost morale among employees. When employees value giving back to the community and are encouraged to volunteer for a charity (whether self- or company-selected), the result is often a workforce with more passion and dedication toward their company. Volunteering together-outside of work-can improve internal teamwork on projects and collaborations. When allowed to volunteer during the workday, employees learn that their company cares about giving back and improving the community.

Employees are more likely to stay with a company that openly gives back and works to improve its community.

Improving Company Image

Finally, people want to see that the companies they support are also putting forth efforts to improve society and their community. Clients and consumers often view philanthropic businesses much more favorably when they support the very community that provides them with business. A gratifying beneficial cycle ensues. Helpful philanthropic efforts done primarily for the recipients’ benefit are a great way to improve your company’s image and the odds for your company’s success.
COVID-19 Means Big Changes in Philanthropy
By: The Dream Ball Uk
Tags: Volunteering, Covid 19, Charity, Philanthropy

COVID-19 has been a crisis, unlike any other. Small businesses have had to shut their doors, and many companies have shifted to a work from home system. Health care systems are stressed, with many COVID patients taking up ICU beds, while routine screenings and other treatments have been postponed, sometimes for months.

In many ways, COVID-19 has made the average person more aware of the need for charity. But the how of that has changed during the crisis. For example, early on, people were keen to volunteer. Volunteer jobs during the pandemic have included making and delivering masks for frontline workers. But since the crisis began in March, volunteerism is significantly down.

Somewhat counterintuitively, that may be a good thing. It shows that people are taking messages about the importance of social distancing and PPE compliance to heart. They know that by being out of the house too much, they risk becoming a carrier. They are listening to advice from the government and medical specialists when it comes to staying at home. Luckily, these people have found other outlets to do good. Charitable giving has not dipped.

Furthermore a quarter of people who give to a charity say that they plan to increase their donations. Meanwhile, a further 55% say that they intend to continue to provide at the same level as before the pandemic. This is excellent news for the non-profit sector and the people they serve. It also shows that enthusiasm for helping hasn’t gone down. People are just careful about how they help.

COVID-19 has placed new challenges in front of organisations that work in the medical sector. It’s also affected those that work with homeless or at-risk populations. For example, it’s more complicated than ever before to house people temporarily in shelters due to the risk of COVID spreading. Charities are having to find ways of creating stable groups in shelters that can quarantine if needed.

Alternatively, they are seeking donations to provide people with hotel vouchers or items such as tents and blankets. During COVID-19, the demand for services like food banks has also gone up. Charities have had to implement new procedures and limit the number of volunteers allowed to help deliver these services. Increased giving has enabled them to weather the storm.
On December 1st, Americans gave $2.47 billion to charity. Here’s how we collectively turn that into $150 billion.
By: Phil Barnard
Tags: Nonprofit, Philanthropy, Impact, Givingtuesday, Charity

December 1, 2020, was Giving Tuesday — America’s annual (and very welcome) rebellion against consumerism. It began in 2011 as a fledgling idea to encourage people to give to charity after their Cyber Monday shopping. In 2012, Giving Tuesday gathered $10 million; by 2019 this figure had swollen to an estimated $1.97 billion — fueled by widespread public recognition, increased online participation and massive donation-matching by some of the world’s most valuable companies.

On Giving Tuesday 2020, charities received an estimated $2.47 billion according to Philanthropy News Digest. Pause and consider that for a moment: in 2020, amidst a worldwide pandemic and catastrophic unemployment, our fellow citizens stepped up and raised their giving 25%. Well done, humans.

I wonder how we’d approach this day if wasn’t known as Giving Tuesday, but Investing Tuesday. What if we considered donating to charities not as an act of giving, but as one of investing?

Think about it like this. A giver hands over their money and walks away. They’re pleased with the generosity, but they typically show less interest in the specifics of how their giving performs. An investor likewise hands over their money, but does so with the intention that it will perform — it will generate a return, or a profit.

Supporting charitable causes has the ability to generate a return, or a profit, also. By that, we don’t mean the the giver will be able to cash in at some point and collect a check, or sell their shares, buy a Land Rover and move to Aspen. We mean that the person on the receiving end — the final beneficiary — will benefit economically in a way that outpaces the original amount given. There will be a profit (a social return, if you like), that exceeds the donation value — often many times over, and for many years to come. In fact, when done well, the initial donation can continue to perform into the next generation. That’s impressive investing.

Here’s the kicker (yes, there’s always a kicker): not all charitable giving performs the same. In fact, it’s not even close. But we think they do, and that’s a problem.
Vantagepoint AI Celebrates National Philanthropy Day with Extra Donations
By: The Browne Beat
Tags: Cancer, Philanthropy, Shriners Hospital, Fundraising

(TAMPA BAY NEWSWIRE) — Vantagepoint AI, the first company in the world to give independent traders the power of artificial intelligence and predictive forecasts to independent traders, regularly donates a portion of its revenue to Shriners Hospitals for Children and The Children’s Cancer Center.

In honor of National Philanthropy Day, company president, Lane Mendelsohn, challenged his team to meet big goals for October and November so that the company could make added donations beyond its regular giving.

See Mendelsohn’s announcement to the team about what meeting their goals resulted in, and watch Shriners patient-ambassadors and partners from The Children’s Cancer Center tell the Vantagepoint AI team and family of traders what the added donations mean to them.

“I’m proud that our company has not only maintained our corporate giving but that we have been able to increase it!” said Mendelsohn, “This year has been scary and challenging for many families, our ability to give helps relieve some of that pressure.”

Vantagepoint AI is frequently recognized for its corporate culture and team members regularly cite the company’s involvement in the community when they are surveyed. “It means a lot to me personally and as a parent that we can give back even as a small company,” said one team member, “when so many people are walking through hardships and so many companies are tightening up, it feels really good to be making a difference.”

“Our forecast 2021? We look forward to doing even more,” said Mendelsohn.
What is TREE 🌳?
By: Crypto World News
Tags: Dao, Blockchain, Defi, Philanthropy, Charity

TREE is a self perpetuating elastic cryptocurrency. The protocol was designed to collect liquidity for charity and it is up to the community to decide how those funds will be allocated. We’re working to move value creation in DeFi to the most effective causes for doing good, inspired by effective altruism.

Photo by Joacim Bohlander on Unsplash

TREE is the first project from WhalerDAO. We’re a DAO composed of people from MetaCartel, Govrn, Aragon, BrightID, Bacon Labs, Status, Pool-Party, CryptoWorldNews and other assorted projects.

How does TREE 🌳 work?

TREE is an elastic supply token, meaning its supply will change to bring the price closer to a peg. Existing examples include Ampleforth and Yam. During a positive rebase, additional tokens are minted, distributing rewards to the charity fund, the LP pool, and the reserve.

Every 24hours, TREE will check its peg price against DAI. If it’s higher than the peg (currently 1 DAI), additional TREE tokens are minted. 10% of the minted TREE will go to Uniswap liquidity providers, 10% will go to the charity fund, and 80% will be sold into DAI and sent to a reserve. These weights can be adjusted through governance.

TREE tokens are also used as governance tokens to decide which causes the charity funds go to. We will be using an Aragon conviction voting DAO for decision-making.

Every TREE holder has access to a share of the reserve. At any point, a holder can burn their TREEs for a cut of the reserve, but the calculation uses exponents to lessen the impact of each burn. This kind of burning incentivizes long-term holding and accumulation, because one person burning TREE makes everyone else’s TREE worth more. To access the entire reserve a single holder would need to burn all of the TREE, but if all TREE holders were to burn their TREE individually, there would still be funds left in the reserve.

The calculator shows how much of the reserve you’ll get.

TREE Devs hard at Work. 🎄

There have been a few changes that our development team has been working over the past few weeks.

One change extended the rebase timer from twelve hours to twenty-four hours.

We also changed the percentage of TREE being minted by half to make rebases bring the price to the peg more gradually.

Protocol Updates:

1. ⏳ Rebase timer changed to 24 hours

2. 🧮 Minting multiplier cut in half

How to get updates on TREE 🌳?

Tree.finance

Our website is where you’ll be able to farm and burn TREE.

Join our Tree Community!
Starting your Philanthropic Journey
By: Anslem Oshionebo
Tags: Philanthropy

When deciding to become a philanthropist, there are many different aspects to consider. One of the first details to focus on is why you would like to give. Philanthropy can be very rewarding for everyone involved, but it’s essential to be passionate to achieve the best outcome. The reasoning for beginning this journey should come from a genuine place of aspiration. One detail to remember is that everyone’s philanthropic journey will be different. But, by taking note of these three stages, entering the world of philanthropy can be a smoother experience.

As stated in an article by Bridgespan, the first stage of philanthropy is the exploration process. During this period, it is advisable to be strategic about what you choose to target. It is understandable and expected to care about many different interests and causes, but by tackling too many ideas at one time, one can quickly become overwhelmed. Bridgespan recommends engaging in “pilots,” which allows a beginner philanthropist to learn about multiple areas they care about while simultaneously producing results.

After you feel comfortable with your exploration process, it’s time to start experimenting. This stage is usually where a philanthropist starts to make firm decisions about their funding priorities. The funder needs to ask themselves questions about what resources they are willing to invest in and what interventions and precautions they will take when working with grantees. During this stage, the funder’s primary goal is to develop a strategy to achieve the best results. In contrast, this stage contains the most “traps” due to trial and error, so it is imperative that the funder continuously evaluates their priorities.

Bridgespan defines stage 3 as “Swinging For The Fences.” Not every philanthropist makes it to this stage, but you know you by making grant decisions that align with your strategy and assessing your progress compared to your desired results. During this stage, some important questions to ask yourself as a funder include how to improve and ways to use your resources most efficiently. Although this is stage three, it’s imperative to avoid becoming stagnant. Continue to re-design your strategy and re-evaluate your priorities as your philanthropic journey grows. The main goal of this stage is continuous progression and knowing when to adjust your position. Philanthropy is an ever-growing learning process, but by staying focused and organized during these three stages, the funder’s possibilities are immeasurable.
Beneficiarios TPA: nos encantaría conocer su perspectiva sobre estas tres preguntas de evaluación
By: Hewlett Foundation Tpa Team
Tags: Evaluation, Strategy, Philanthropy, Transparency, Accountability

Updates from the Hewlett Foundation’s transparency, participation and accountability team. Part of our Global Development Program https://hewlett.org/
Anthem Foundation and JDRF Partner to Address Mental Health Needs During Pandemic
By: Anthem Foundation
Tags: News, Philanthropy, Type 1 Diabetes, Diabetes Solutions, Diabetes

The coronavirus pandemic has caused increased stress and anxiety, especially among individuals who are caring for family members or loved one, and those at higher risk for severe illness — such as diabetes.[1] Having the right resources to learn how to cope and respond to these feelings plays an important role to an individual’s overall health. To help address the mental health needs of individuals, families and caretakers impacted by type 1 diabetes (T1D), Anthem Foundation and JDRF, the leading global funder of T1D research, are partnering together through these unprecedented times.

T1D is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved.

The physical elements of living with T1D, which require 24/7 management — compounded with its emotional burden and anxiety related to the pandemic — can contribute to increased rates of distress and depression not only in individuals diagnosed with T1D, but also their loved ones. Research shows that stress increases the levels of cortisol which is insulin resistant, ultimately making diabetes management more difficult.

The new grant funding will provide access to digital behavioral health and psychology resources for the T1D community. Experts will be provided the right tools to educate the community on practical mental wellness techniques, how to cope with depression and anxiety during COVID-19, the importance of exercise to counteract stress and how to recognize when to seek professional help.

Having the right support plays a vital role in managing unique challenges during this challenging health crisis. Our commitment to improving lives and communities continues through our partnership with JDRF in support of its Behavioral Health and Psychology Program. Together we will reach individuals, families and caregivers by providing direct access to digital behavioral health resources to support those impacted by T1D.

[1] Centers for Disease Control. (2020, July 1). Coronravirus Disease 2019: Coping with Stress. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html#stressful
Why VetPark?
By: Robert Dabney Jr
Tags: Vetpark, Mental Health, Philanthropy, Veterans, Alternative Therapy

The Rescue by River (US Vet)

I’m building to help US Veterans receive the healing they need and the help they deserve.

My experience with PTS and Mental Illness has shown me that, to move forward I must accept and let go of the past.

Photography taught me how to frame, examine and capture the beauty of everyday life.

Practicing Creativity has provided me with permission and encouragement to imagine.

Being in nature reminded me that life is a succession of seasons and the importance of knowing the season I’m in.

Pet companionship has given me a dependable friend that shows love regardless of how I’m acting.

Practicing these activities helped me get back to enjoying life and making the most of my time.

VetPark is the vehicle I’m using to help my Battle Buddies get back to enjoying life.

My personal passion for the Arts fuel the business aspect of VetPark*

The helper in me feasts on the healing aspect of VetPark (AT)**

VetPark provides hope & healing for others.

VetPark is my Art, Therapy & Work.

Visit us at www.vetpark.us

Robert Dabney Jr, Founder

See this image and hundreds of other project created by our nation’s heroes on our Instagram page by clicking the link below!

The Rescue

*Concerts, Art Gallery, Competitions, Shows

** Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Meditation, Eastern Medicine, Hiking, gardening, Alternative Medicine, Writing, Story-telling, etc.

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What Organizations Are Collecting Gifts For Families In Need?
By: Jason Bond
Tags: Philanthropy, Jason Bond Picks, Charity, Jason Bond

2020 has been a chaotic and stressful year. Coping with a global pandemic and its ramifications of quarantines, lockdowns, and isolation has been trying for everyone. More hardship will be added with the holidays quickly approaching, as economic woes have afflicted many people. Fortunately, there are charitable organizations that are able to help provide comfort and joy during the holidays. Families that are worried about providing holiday presents have a variety of sources to lean on in these troubled times. Organizations that are collecting gifts for families in need during the holidays include the following:

Christmas Spirit Foundation

This group provides free farm-grown Christmas trees to U.S. military families so that they might have a merry and bright tree to decorate and enjoy during the season.

Project Linus

This organization collects new handmade blankets for children in need and distributes them on a monthly basis. A bit of warmth and security will really brighten up a child’s holiday.

Meals on Wheels

Many seniors in our communities are economically disadvantaged, house-bound, and lonely. Meals on Wheels addresses many needs and delivers ready-made meals to seniors, as well as providing companionship when the meals are delivered.

The Wish Project

Homeless families need help, and The Wish Project aims to provide for their needs by helping them to get established in homes, as well as helping to fill those homes with necessary supplies such as furniture, cleaning supplies, cooking utensils, and so on. Getting a family home for the holidays is a truly magnificent goal.

Better World Books

Almost everyone has excess books in their home. Better World Books accepts those books for donation and then either redistributes them where they are needed or sells them to raise funds for their charity. They are focused on providing funds to non-profit literacy services that focus on education, such as teaching kids and building libraries.

Toys for Tots

One of the most well-known charitable organizations, Toys for Tots collects new, donated toys to distribute to children in need at Christmas. Donors can give monetary gifts, or they can purchase toys and take them to a drop-off location. Giving a toy is a special way to let all kids know that they are important and valued at Christmastime.

Originally posted on JasonBondPicks.org.
TPA grantees: three evaluation questions we’d love your perspective on
By: Hewlett Foundation Tpa Team
Tags: Evaluation, Strategy, Philanthropy, Transparency, Accountability

Post by OTT Consulting.

Data collection has begun for the Hewlett Foundation’s transparency, participation and accountability (TPA) strategy evaluation, and we want to invite grantees to take part by sharing your experiences and perspectives on three questions on a digital board.

A preview of the digital board

About the digital board:

It’s open for two weeks — write your answers in your own time between 7–21 December 2020.

— write your answers in your own time between 7–21 December 2020. It’s informal — you can answer any or all of three questions.

— you can answer any or all of three questions. Multiple people within an organisation can participate — all voices welcome.

— all voices welcome. It can be anonymous — just tell us the country or region you’re working in.

— just tell us the country or region you’re working in. The foundation isn’t included in the space — the digital space is set up and managed by us, the external evaluation team at OTT Consulting.

Anything you share will be looked at by the evaluators alongside interview and document review data to inform our analysis and findings. We’ll be sharing our findings and lessons with you later in the process.

The questions:

In the governance field, is the work of regional and international organisations useful to national and subnational organisations? Is there an example you could share? Has the Hewlett Foundation supported or facilitated you to collaborate with other organisations? What did that collaboration look like? Has your organisation taken action to improve gender equity and social inclusion among staff and programmes? How might donors like the Hewlett Foundation support the organisations they fund in relation to this?

Share your answers on all or any of these three questions on the digital board by 21 December 2020.

If you have any questions about the digital space, how your answers will be used, or about the evaluation more broadly, you can contact the evaluation team (lball@onthinktanks.org).
Planned Giving in a Pandemic: A New White Paper from Giving Docs
By: Robert Guice
Tags: Charitable Giving, Philanthropy, Legacy, Planned Giving, Charity Marketing

Today we’re proud to share a new white paper, Planned Giving in a Pandemic, which explores this hopeful trend.

The year 2020 has delivered a bevy of unpleasant surprises, the pandemic being perhaps the most obvious. Unemployment, political division, civil unrest, illness, death… it’s been a rough ride. But despite the dark and stormy chaos, a silver lining has emerged, something that gives us optimism about the human spirit.

What is this silver lining we see shining brightly through the fog of 2020? Generosity.

Contrary to what many would have predicted, it turns out we give more when times get tough. Donations to charities have increased exponentially — in particular, donations to food banks. For example, Fidelity Charitable reported a staggering 667% year-over-year increase in donations to free food programs. Volunteerism in general is happening at unprecedented rates. We may be hurting, but our pain has caused us to take action to alleviate the suffering of our fellow human beings.

But the pandemic has done more than motivate us to give more today. This time of introspection has made us realize we want to make a difference. We want our efforts to last. We want to leave legacies.

At Giving Docs, we’re not surprised by this piece of the puzzle. After all, we invest a lot of time and energy studying human behavior with the intention of supporting causes that promote positive change. We know that giving makes people happier. We also know that increased mortality salience — the ability to sit with the concept that we are mortal and will not live forever — results in positive behavioral changes.

Increased mortality salience has motivated us to take actions we have put off, like making time for the people we love, changing careers to be more purposeful, and leaving legacies through thoughtful and intentional estate plans.

This last piece — increased estate planning — is the impact we at Giving Docs have witnessed personally. At a time when planned giving officers were shy about asking for donations, we have witnessed an increase in both the number of estate plans crafted and the number of bequests to charitable organizations. This shift has heartened us and our partners alike.

To learn more about how the pandemic has positively impacted planned giving and to access an action plan for planned giving officers, see our white paper: Planned Giving During a Pandemic.

Sources:

https://www.investopedia.com/donor-advised-funds-5083681

https://www.businessinsider.com/rising-interest-political-volunteering-action-campaigns-pandemic-2020-8
How should we decide?
By: Winifred Olliff
Tags: Participatory Design, Philanthropy, Group Dynamics, Project Management, Decision Making

As practitioners of participatory decisionmaking, we often consider how to apply different decisionmaking mechanisms in different contexts, especially when we work to disrupt or dismantle power dynamics within a group and or as part of the participatory decisionmaking journey. While classical models that analyze approaches to decisionmaking may be useful, they often over-emphasize individual leadership in decisionmaking or prioritize values like efficiency over the inherent value of group decision-making and collective power-building.

Let’s look at a continuum of approaches arranged by their general effectiveness at distributing power within a decisionmaking group. On one side are the decisionmaking approaches that generally distribute power to more participants within the group. On the other side of the continuum are approaches that tend to concentrate power in the hands of one individual, a few individuals, or even remove power from the group entirely.

Does this mean that unanimity is always a better approach than consensus? Does this mean that autocratic or stochastic mechanisms don’t have a place in legitimate participatory processes? In both cases, the answer is “No!”

The Vroom-Yetton model is a classical model for selecting a decisionmaking approach that is sometimes employed by project managers. One thing that is useful about this model is that it encourages us to analyze the nature of the decision we need to make and the circumstances surrounding our decision in order to select the approach that works best. These questions are similar to those proposed by Vroom, Yetton, and Jago, but with a participatory lens:

Is it important that the mechanism distributes power throughout the group? How important is legitimacy? Does this decision require special knowledge, or is it important that the decision is accurate and/or precise? What time and resources are available to make the decision?

Using these questions as a guide, the model below presents an overview of some common decisionmaking approaches used by groups. When designing a participatory decisionmaking process, we often employ several of these mechanisms at different points in the process to maximize their benefits and minimize trade-offs. They are all important tools in our participatory decisionmaking toolbox. Use this model the next time you consider the question, “How should we decide?”
Live to Give
By: Ajay Dahiya
Tags: Giving, Opportunity, Philanthropy, Service

The opportunity to serve is the most valuable opportunity worth pursuing.

The wisest thing I ever learned was to take advantage of every opportunity.

By this I mean not the opportunity to expand your own sense of mastery of the world, but the opportunity to expand your service to the world.

If you gain something external it can be taken away; all material things are transient. But the service you offer the world is eternally yours. Service gives you something long-lasting, both in the purpose and meaning it builds within you, and in the impact it has on others, which may even outlive you.

The opportunity to serve is the most valuable opportunity worth pursuing.

Live to give and give to live.
Should Philanthropic Foundations Exist?
By: Wardah Idris
Tags: Polio Eradication, Billionaires, Bill And Melinda Gates, Philanthropy, Charity

The Role of Philanthropic Foundations

Philanthropic foundations are one of the leading non-state actors that do everything in their very best interests to help out people within and across borders. They maintain social order with no altercations. The message of philanthropy is clear; to help out the ones in need. Donations are provided for charitable purposes by donors. The purpose is to give back to the community and introduce programs meant for progress in the field of education, social welfare, health, international platform etc. The projects are carried out by wealthy families and individuals that initially reached this path through entrepreneurism.

One of the largest and leading philanthropic foundation is the Bill and Melinda gates Foundation that focuses on eliminating global inequalities by providing programs meant to strengthen economic, agricultural, educational and health development. Started in 2000, it has become on the leading philanthropic foundations in the world donating over $50 billion. Currently, the couple has announced their global mission to eradicate polio which has proven to be quite successful as Africa just reported their last case of wild poliovirus.

Rise of Philanthrocapitalism

Philanthropism has gained negative attention and described as ‘democratic capitalism’. Carl Schramm, American economist and entrepreneur, describes democratic capitalism as an institution that is meant to generate thriving and prospering mass-production factories and philanthropic foundations are an example of such institutions. He has criticised foundations by calling them ‘grubby’ for their utilitarian and utopian approach as they try to sell the idea that these foundations are the saviors of humanity. It is merely a wealth distribution centre disguised under the idea of ‘wealth reconstitution’ and ‘institutional entrepreneurship’ for personal gains.

In today’s society, philanthropy is used as an idea to reinforce Plutocracy — where society is ruled by small percent of individuals with vast wealth. It is dubbed as ‘philanthrocapitalism’ or ‘CEO society’ where corporate leadership and ideology is applied to every aspect of human life. Philanthropy is criticised today as an act of benevolent billionaires using everything in their power to show a façade of wealth distribution when it is a tactic of tax evasion and other social, moral responsibilities and philanthropism is the main cause for this never ending cycle of hoarding wealth.