Hi all,
Exciting times! I got to see & approve my book proof this week. All 360 pages of it. If anything, y’all are going to appreciate the fresh font.
To celebrate I’m going to share an abstract from the book - the ‘Fifteen Rules of Philanthropic Futurism.’
Download this exclusive free content from the upcoming book 'Future Philanthropy - The Tech, Trends & Talent Defining New Civic Leadership'. These rules will help you approach your work in the social sector through a lens of futurism.
And that’s not the only free stuff I am sharing this week either. You can also download our just released 17 page primer of Clubhouse for nonprofits which I co-authored with fellow Texan, Julie Morris from the Persona Media Co (with a foreword from award winning Philanthropy Consultant Kris Putnam-Walkerly). This guide will walk you through how civic leaders & social impact organizations can leverage this emerging audio platform.
Julie is fantastic by the way and it would be remiss of me not to recommend her agency which is a team of passionate folks serving the philanthropic sector, nonprofit organizations, and churches, helping them to confidently translate their work, success, and learnings into outreach and marketing. They also build modern websites, manage social media, develop strategy to help folks message your mission, plan your asks at fundraising events, and execute virtual events. So if you have an RFP out, you should reach out to her for a quote!
What I’m Writing
Funding The Frontlines - Philanthropy For A Guaranteed Income (5 min read)
I’m really buoyed right now by the successes of several smaller community trials of buying medical debt, providing a guaranteed income for the homeless and participatory budgeting/grantmaking. So the question is...should philanthropy – especially those anchor institutions whose mission is to lift up their communities – be getting into more direct action in support of our societies most vulnerable to prove these new approaches to alleviating poverty work?
Venturing Into Philanthropy’s Golden Hurricane (7 min read)
There something really special happening in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Much of that promise is being driven by philanthropy & the vision of a group of emerging leaders including Venture For America's Mandi Ford Argo. So take a look at our next 'Rising Stars in Philanthropy' profile - a piece I really enjoyed writing especially given Mandi & I were former colleagues at UT!
What I’m Sharing
Fundraising Webinar: This week (August 19) I will be joining Fundmetric CEO, Mark Hobbs to chat about what we both think the future might hold for philanthropy. If you want a sneak peek at the ideas I've been writing in my book then this is the webinar to watch. Let's look to the next decade, anticipate future trends, and prepare ourselves to lay the groundwork for their successful adoption. Around 150 people have signed up so far for this free event :)
The OpEd Project: My publisher recently put me onto the OpEd Project and I loved it so much I wanted to share the resources with you. The OpEd Project works with universities, think tanks, foundations, nonprofits, corporations and community organizations across the nation, and scouts and trains under-represented experts (especially women) to take thought leadership positions in their fields (through op-eds and much more); they also connect them with their international network of high-level media mentors; and vet and channel the best new ideas and experts directly to media gatekeepers across all platforms. They offer customized multi-day and multi-week programs for organizations, and run day-long programs open to the public (40% on scholarship) in major US cities. If that wasn’t enough, they also run year-long fellowship programs for top faculty at select universities. Their dynamic, game-inspired programs are built on experimental, transformational learning around thought leadership, and address big questions, including: What do you know, Why does it matter, and How can you use it to change the world? Check them out!
US - Australia Scholarships: The American Australian Association’s (AAA) Graduate Education Fund is now open for its US to Australia application round. It provides support of up to US $40,000 to individuals undertaking or planning to undertake full-time Graduate level study (Masters, Ph.D. or Postdoctoral Research) at an accredited educational institution in the country of the other, for a minimum of one-year.
What I’m Reading
Trouble in Paradigm: Foundations’ Bargain with the Devil (14 min read)
This article will have you pausing every paragraph or so to collect your thoughts in the face of some very real and very important questions about corpus investments. Can you truly fulfil your mission when you invest in companies who’s work undermines it?
“If leaders of large institutions—from banks to companies to foundations and nonprofits—are sincere in their desire to either prevent or solve wicked problems ranging from global heating to wealth inequality and institutional racism, the field must change its paradigm, operating model, and the societal norms it supports.
In foundations in particular, the underlying structure, beliefs, and ways of working—or paradigm—is unfit for purpose, and it has made today’s large charitable institutions complicit in enabling rather than addressing these problems. Foundations must reset their paradigm, and with it, their ingrained model, culture, and operating rules. Only then will they merit a public license to operate and the multitude of public subsidies they enjoy.”