New Images of Philanthropy

L Michelle
Aug 22, 2017 · 5 min read

When Americans hear the word “philanthropist,” many envision a wealthy billionaire such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, or perhaps Oprah Winfrey. Imagine if the term instead brought to mind a woman of Hispanic descent who works at a florist shop or a black male in his 20’s aspiring to become a dancer? Today, new images of philanthropy are emerging in the United States as people traditionally excluded from participation due to their cultural heritage, age, or socioeconomic background are finally being invited to participate. What has truly been an injustice is beginning to change.

As Alfre Woodard writes in the preface to Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change:

“Giving isn’t a posture reserved for the rich or powerful. It is the responsibility and privilege of every man, woman, and child to participate in the task of building more just and humane societies. We all have the ability to use our talents, our resources, our voices, and our sweat to create positive change in our own communities and the larger world around us” (1). ~ Alfre Woodard

Through this lens, philanthropy speaks to both empowerment for social change and as well as the personal joy of fulfillment, a sense of purpose, and dignity. No one ought to be excluded from that joy due to their economic or cultural background.

It was from Scott Jackson, CEO at Alexandria, VA-based Global Impact, that I first heard the term “democratizing philanthropy.” Global Impact was formed 60 years ago as a federation of international nonprofits to tap into large workplace giving campaigns, similar to the United Way. Global Impact serves more than 130 Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and 500 campaigns every year, raising upwards of $110 million annually. The organization is making philanthropy accessible to everyone through Growfund, a platform developed by Global Impact that allows an individual to create a donor-advised fund with a minimum of $1.00 to open the account. In effect, anyone can create a personal foundation in which to invest their own money, accept donations from others, and grant that money to more than 800,000 registered nonprofit organizations. What makes this groundbreaking is that this donor-advised fund does not require the historic account minimum of $5,000 to open. Global Impact has devised an inclusive tool that invites everyone to see themselves as philanthropists and participate in a meaningful way. This type of technical solution is a win-win in that, over time, has the potential to change people’s beliefs about their capacity to give.

This more democratic vision of philanthropy is not a new concept elsewhere in the world. For centuries, giving on the African continent has not been based on wealth, but rather a sense of responsibility for others in need. In South Africa, this is called Ubuntu. In modern times, things like hosting environmental cleanups, participating with community-based organizations, or organizing fundraisers for health care are simply part of one’s responsibility as a member of the community. These tasks are not considered a charitable giving of time or talent in the same way they are in the United States. It is important to recognize that the Western style of philanthropy that Africans are sometimes exposed to with the NGOs in their communities is at odds with their giving culture. For example, NGOs have staff members who are paid to do their work. They do not work out of Ubuntu. South Africans see the nice cars, what appear to be huge budgets, and the mission statements of the NGOs as things that do not fit within Ubuntu philosophy. For them, our organizational approach is a culturally foreign version of charity.

That said, there is absolutely a movement underway in Africa toward more formalized philanthropy, although it is still community-centric. The African Philanthropy Network published a report in 2013 that suggested a substantial new pool of potential philanthropists are emerging in Africa. However, the giving patterns of these identified individuals tended to lack strategy, favored informal giving, and displayed a preference to avoid giving to institutions to sidestep scrutiny (2). The African Philanthropy Network is actively working to address these issues from all angles. In 2016, it held its first global summit on philanthropy. Attended by representatives from community foundations, women’s funds, environmental funds, and grassroots fundraising organizations, the summit was structured around the theme “Shift The Power” to underscore the importance of community giving in the development process. As Jenny Hogdson, the Executive Director of the Global Fund for Community Foundations observed, “These institutions form an important part of the growing sector of organized philanthropy in parts of the world traditionally regarded as beneficiary rather than donor countries”(3). Further, this community-centric philanthropy tends to promote citizen participation and create localized cultures of giving. The effect is to invite multiple stakeholders and people of all economic levels, rather than just the wealthy (3).

Shifting back to the United States, Angela Eikenberry’s research on giving circles broadens the concept of democratizing philanthropy beyond a simple definition of offering more choices or opportunities to give. Her studies highlight a trend taking place in society toward social bonding and linking citizens to one another across social and economic differences (4). Giving circles are an example of informal, voluntary associations growing in popularity, particularly among people new to the idea of philanthropy. These more informal associations, may “bring more diverse groups to the philanthropic table and influence members to be more strategic and committed” (4). Building on development strategies employed by NGOs, such as “Citizen Voice” and “Action and Asset Based Community Development,” facilitating giving circles may offer a way to introduce people to the concept of charitable giving in a new way that focuses on voluntary participation and civic engagement.

New images of philanthropy are emerging around the world and represent an important shift toward broader participation in charitable giving. New, promising efforts underway by and for people in economically disadvantaged and middle income countries, including African countries, show clearly the desire to advance and expand altruistic and philanthropic ideals into the mainstream. For those involved in the field of philanthropy, an opportunity is at hand to elevate and infuse philanthropic values across public and private sectors worldwide and unleash a powerful force for social change. The question before us is how to go about creating this expansion. Please follow me here or watch for future articles to draw inspiration from organizations and individuals from around the world who are endeavoring to create a new image of philanthropy.

References

1. Collins, Chuck and Pam Rogers. Robin Hood Was Right: A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change. WW. Norton and Company. 2001.

2. Sizing the Field — Frameworks for a New Narrative of African Philanthropy. Rep. African Grantmakers Network, Apr. 2013. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.

3. “Community Philanthropy Can Shift Power to Local Communities.” Africa Philanthropy Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2017.

4. Eikenberry, Angela M. Giving Circles: Philanthropy, Voluntary Association, and Democracy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009.

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L Michelle
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