The Change You Wish to See
Belief:
Jesus Hated War -- Why Do Christians Love It So Much?
Gary G. Kohls
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace:
Wall Street's 10 Greatest Lies of 2009
Nomi Prins
DrugReporter:
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Beth Schwartzapfel
Environment:
A New Outside-the-Beltway Climate Bill Deserves Support; Why Won't Enviros Get Behind It?
David Morris
Food:
The Year in Food: The Biggest Edible News of '09 and Predictions for 2010
Ari LeVaux
Health and Wellness:
How Real Health Reform Was Killed by Politicians Trying to Look 'Moderate'
James Ridgeway
Immigration:
Greyhound Lines Inc. Accused of Racial Profiling
Seth Hoy
Media and Technology:
Moyers, Moore and Maddow are the Most Influential Progressives
Don Hazen
Movie Mix:
James Cameron's Wizardry in 'Avatar' Movie Demands Being Witnessed on the Big Screen
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Politics:
Can We Rescue the Republic Before the Dark Politics Take Over?
Kirk Nielsen
Reproductive Justice and Gender:
Men: Invisible Allies in the Struggle for Choice
Claire Keyes
Rights and Liberties:
Nigerian Man Attempted to Blow Up US Airliner
Sex and Relationships:
Why Aren't There Sleazy Sex Scandals Involving Powerful Women?
Sarah Seltzer
Take Action:
G-20 Meetings: Nothing Much Happened in the Suites, and There Was Too Much Punch in the Streets
Laura Flanders
Water:
NASA Report Highlights Need to Retire Drainage Impaired Land in California
Dan Bacher
World:
Israel Declares War on NGOs and Human Rights Groups
Jerrold Kessel, Pierre Klochendler
Who among us hasnt wished we could make the world a better place? This time of year, many of us try. In 2003, individual Americans gave away nearly $180 billion. Thats almost five times more than big foundations and corporations gave away last year.
But while Americans give generously, most of us arent very smart about giving. Recent scandals at The Red Cross and other high-profile charities have raised public awareness of the potential for misuse of charitable donations, but advice on good giving continues to be scarce, and in the absence of solid information, people lead with their hearts and learn by the seat of their pants.
First piece of advice? Dont simply send a check to whoever asks. Be strategic. Your contributions are one of the most powerful tools you have for making the world a better place.
Within philanthropy, there are two kinds of giving: Traditional giving helps one person at a time by providing charity for immediate short-term needs. Strategic giving focuses on change and builds for the future. Strategic giving can re-make the world. While support for soup kitchens and other social services are essential, philanthropy has the capacity to do much, much more. In the last few years, strategic giving has lifted millions of Americas poorest workers out of poverty by providing support to anti-poverty groups organizing for higher wages through living wage laws (now in effect in 125 cities/counties) and a higher minimum wage in 14 states. Strategic giving was also responsible for the boost in voter turnout last month. More than 1,000 nonprofit organizations, fueled by charitable donations, registered five million new voters prior to the election and mobilized the largest number of young voters ever to go to the polls.
Strategic giving can transform the lives of millions. So for every soup kitchen you support, consider writing a check where the impact will be broader. Think about a gift to groups that are forging solutions to end homelessness. For every scholarship you support, invest in youth groups that are working to bring college-prep courses into the high school curriculum so that thousands of young people in low-income neighborhoods will have a shot at college.
Once youve made your initial choices, do two minutes of research. Go to the Guidestar website which includes thousands of nonprofits in its database. Read the organizations mission statement. What are they trying to accomplish and does it match your own priorities? How strong is their board of directors? Do they have at least a dozen people with legal, financial and other relevant expertise? Are they getting money from a variety of sources like foundations, corporations and individuals?
In this season of giving, realize the power you wield. It doesnt matter whether youre Bill Gates or Mary Quite-Contrary. You have the power to help re-make the world. You can build that world by being a smart, strategic philanthropist. Consider the impact of your gift on the organization you support and the impact of the organizations work on the world. Be the change you wish to see, Gandhi once said. Strategic giving is a way to bring that change into being.
Torie Osborn is Executive Director of the Liberty Hill Foundation, one of the nation’s leading social change foundations.
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| More Opinion: | ||
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Why I Quit Working in Porn Sex and Relationships: I didn’t leave the porn industry because I object to porn. I left because I love it. By Miya, SeXis Magazine. December 28, 2009. |
Jesus Hated War -- Why Do Christians Love It So Much? Belief: There are no "blessed wars". Yet virtually all evangelical, conservative and many mainstream church leaders were active supporters of the Bush wars. By Gary G. Kohls, Consortium News. December 28, 2009. |
Beyond Magical Thinking: How to Really Make Change Happen Successful political movements do not spring fully formed. They require long-term, nuts-and-bolts organizing. By Mark Rudd, CounterPunch. December 28, 2009. |
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