The Philanthropic Family

I’m on a panel today at the Chicago Global Donor’s Network 6th annual Conference on International Philanthropy.

More than Money: Expanding Your Philanthropic Toolbox.

Many times donors think their primary contribution to the cause comes when they write a check.  In fact, passionate, committed supporters bring so many more assets to the table besides their financial wealth–including their own networks, skills, reputation and so much more. In this session you will hear how different populations, including ordinary individuals, foundations, celebrities and businesses, can mobilize the full complement of resources at their disposal to bring about social change.

Scott Lazerson, founder of the Interface Foundation, and I have developed a worksheet to help Interface Celebrity Global Ambassadors think through all the many assets they can use to further their philanthropic goals.

Financial:

1. Donate ____% of my gross income, or  $__________ during the next twelve months
2. Donate ____% of proceeds from my (book sales, speaking fees, designated product, etc.)
3. Clean out my closet/basement/garage/trophy room and donate at least ___ items for auction or resale to benefit my charity; Donate gift baskets for charities to re-gift/auction
4. Work with my financial advisor to ensure that my investment portfolio is aligned with my values
5. Ask my sponsors/business partners/vendors to donate merchandise to benefit my charity
6. Use my consumer purchasing power and give business to organizations who are helping the Millennium Development Goals, i.e. buying fair trade coffee, handcrafts, etc.
7. Ask for donations in lieu of birthday/anniversary/graduation/wedding gifts

Time and Talent:

1. Dedicate ___ days this year to volunteer with my charity or attend fundraising events
2. Appear in Public Service Announcements, promotional videos or printed materials
3. Donate my professional skills, such as writing, web development, marketing, or accounting
4. Allow my charity to use my name publicly

Traditional Media:

1. Mention my charity in at least ____ interviews or media appearances this year
2. Wear charity clothing items/logos at ____ public appearances
3. Provide a link on my website to my charity
4. Take pictures and allow media access when I participate in charity events
5. Include information about my charity in my personal newsletter

Social Media:

1. Recruit ____friends, relatives to support my charities
2. Tweet once every day/week/month about charitable projects; Tell my followers to be sure to follow my charity’s tweets.
3. Blog: Write ____ posts about my charity this year
4. Join a Facebook group, Ning network or other social community for my charity
5. Use a charity badge as my social media icon for _____ weeks this year
6. Include my charity in my email or iPhone tagline (instead of “Sent by my iPhone”)

What other assets do you have that you can use in service of your philanthropic goals? Leave me a comment to share your ideas.

This entry was posted on October 30, 2009 at 7:48 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.