I am participating in the one post challenge at Tactical Philanthropy. Part of my article for the challenge is below, read the rest at Tactical Philanthropy.
Today I am proposing nothing short of a revolution in the philanthropic field. What if foundations were connected to the communities that they were serving; innovation and creativity were encouraged; knowledge was shared within organizations and with the larger philanthropic and nonprofit sectors; and foundations were measured on the results of their investments, not just amount of money spent or number of staff? I know you are probably asking yourselves right now, “what kind of crazy alternative universe are you living in Trista Harris?”
I should probably back up. Any time you are proposing a revolution, it’s important to give proper background or else you scare people off. The philanthropic landscape is changing. Baby Boomers are beginning to retire or re-imagine their positions. Donors are more actively engaged and want measurable results, and the government is spending a lot of time and energy trying to reign in the philanthropic sector. Professional philanthropic staff are trying to figure out how to do more with less time. How do we re-invigorate our troops of professional do-gooders to make sure that are connected to the communities that they serve and have the capacity to move the philanthropic sector from potential to results?
Read the rest at Tactical Philanthropy.
Please add your own comment in the comment section of the Tactical Philanthropy blog, if you feel so moved. The blogger with the most comments wins a grant for their favorite nonprofit and I hope to raise support for the Park Avenue Foundation http://www.parkavefoundation.org/ , which provides after school programs for low-income kids in my neighborhood.