The day that Senator Barack Obama became President Barack Obama, he called on Americans to, “embody a spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.” I was there in Washington, shivering in 15 degree weather with to my brand new fiancee when I heard those words. But thankfully I wasn’t the only one listening. At that same moment, everyone in the nation heard the president’s clarion call to service. Intuitively, every American knew that something had to be done, there needed to be some way to inspire public service to be cool again.
About 2000 miles away, the Dean of the College of Public Programs heard the same call and just so happens to have the sphere of influence necessary to answer the president’s challenge in a meaningful way.
Before the week was out, Dean Friedman gathered the leadership of the College and set out to lay the conceptual groundwork for a scholarship program – called The Spirit of Service – where a small group of students, both undergraduate and graduate, would be competitively selected to participate in an interdisciplinary academic symposium geared toward a career in public service.
Enter Sam.
Providing access to higher education? Check. Developing the next generation of leadership? Check. Empowering people, both young and old, to engage in national and community service? Check.
So here I am, on the day of John F. Kennedy’s birthday, in a role largely made possible by a bill signed into law bearing his brother’s name, starting a journey that will bring life to a scholarship program that raises the celebrity of public service and creates pathways to careers for anyone invested in the work of making our communities better places to live, work, and play. I’m a little bit excited.
Cheers, Sam “The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Last Wednesday, the FTC and 48 states announced a nationwide sweep targeting scam artists who claimed to be raising money for military veterans, firefighters, and police officers. In reality, almost all of the money went to the fundraisers themselves. How can you, as a donor, guard against such scams, and discriminate between an honest, and a bogus charity?
Don’t get me wrong, I love quality transparency and accountability as much as the next guy – but it is these “task forces” and “nationwide sweeps” that scare the average donor away from giving to nonprofits altogether.
Here in Phoenix, a 5-day series ran in our daily paper detailing the conquests of a 22-organization network that embezzled, laundered, and otherwise stole millions of dollars. No mention about the fact that those 22 organizations represent less than one-tenth of one percent of the nonprofit agencies in Arizona alone. Or that the sector is the third largest source for employment in the state. But that didn’t stop the Pulitzer-hungry reporter from painting with the proverbial broad brush:
An Arizona Republic investigation found that charities can use a kind of title transfer of gifts in kind that inflate their finances, making their operations appear larger than they are. That improves the financial profile they present to donors in the federal charity drive and may attract more cash donations. The charities then spend most of the cash on salaries and expenses and pass the cash to other charities operated by relatives, co-workers or associates.
And again:
Donors to charities often have little say in how their cash contributions will be spent — and almost no way to find out. Despite rules that require non-profits to disclose their finances, their operators and their missions, federal tax forms give only a limited picture of a charity’s operation. At the same time, the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t have the staff to investigate more than a fraction of the nation’s 1.2 million charities. An Arizona Republic investigation shows charities can use their donated cash and goods in ways that can be misleading and controversial, and in ways donors may never know.
I feel like creepy music from a horror movie should start playing through your speakers now. Yes, there are going to be bad apples. Always. But there are responsible ways to react, and setting up a website through the Federal Trade Commission entitled, “Avoid Charity Fraud” seems a little dramatic to me.
Maybe I’m alone in this thought. What say you out there, Nonprofit Community? And you, Mr. or Ms. Donor?
Cheers, Sam “The world and life have been mighty good to me. I want to put something back.” Ted Turner
Nonprofit Management is a relatively young field of study. Because of that, there plenty of people out there theorizing on the subject. Plenty.
They are asking questions like, “What financial impact does the sector have on communities?” “Where does it end, and the business or government sector begin?” “What role should the federal government play in the oversight of the sector?” and “Who the heck is Alexis de Tocqueville?”
Point is, we haven’t really gotten to a place where the intellectual chaff has been separated from the wheat and left an agreed upon body of knowledge. For instance, take our name. Instead of the Nonprofit Sector, some prefer Social Sector, some say Citizen Sector, while others go with Independent Sector or Civil Society.
Side bar – if you hyphenate “non-profit” or use the phrase “not-for-profit,” please stop. Thanks.
No doubt, there are well-respected academic luminaries in the field that the rest of us look to for guidance on the big issues of the day. But what Galileo was to astronomy the Nonprofit Sector is still searching for.
All of this academic adolescence boils down to one thing – studying the sector means that I have to read a ton (literally, I’m certain, if I printed all of it out) for class. Books, articles, journals, blog posts, context, subtext, and pretext. It also means that I don’t get to read what I want during the school year. Case in point, check out this post about the book, Team of Rivals. Notice anything odd? Yep, I wrote it in August.
Needless to say, I’m looking forward to a good 10 or 12 weeks to dig into the few books that have nothing to do with the nonprofit/citizen/social/independent sector on my nightstand at the moment:
Despite the fact that these titles don’t have much to do with what I’m learning about in class (save for the last one) – be sure that you’ll read a few attempts to stretch the content into something blog worthy. In the meantime, I would love to hear what you’re reading over the summer.
Cheers, Sam “In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end.” Alexis de Tocqueville
Last year Phoenix was one of a handful of cities that turned off their lights for one hour to stand in solidarity with those pursuing a more sustainable planet. The campaign – called Earth Hour – started in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and has since gained much media attention and international support.
Funded in large part by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour asks participants to go dark by turning off the lights (and all electricity, for that matter) from 8:30PM to 9:30PM local time on March 28. In the past, restaurants hosted candlelit dinners, downtown office buildings turned off their large marquees, and people were generally forced to enjoy each others’ company without technologically sophisticated stimulants. It doesn’t necessarily need to be an event, either. Each individual gesture adds to the chorus of voices united in the fight against harmful global climate change.
As of yet Phoenix has not announced its participation in Earth Hour 2009, but I’m confident that the good people of God’s Country will step up to the plate once again. Plus, Shepard Fairey designed the poster. I heard any project that guy touches turns out to be a pretty big deal…
Cheers, Sam “Character is what you are in the dark.” Dwight L. Moody
Hello all! My name is Aaron Stiner. I have the pleasure of serving as a Deserted After Dark guest blogger and I am very excited that Sam has allowed me this honor. Sam and I know each other through a couple of different nonprofit circles. We are both board members for YNPN Phoenix and are both connected to Arizona State University; Sam as a student and employee and me as a Master of Nonprofit Studies (MNpS) Fall 2008 graduate and a new employee at the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.
In January, I began work as the Program Manager for the brand new Advancing Philanthropy initiative at ASU’s Lodestar Center, which means I am charged with connecting individuals and families to the knowledge, tools and resources which empower and inspire them to unleash their philanthropic investments. I am just beginning to figure out exactly what that means!
Right now, I am in the process of developing the business plan. Thankfully, ASU’s Lodestar Center is full of very smart people who are helping me get started because, as with any new endeavor, I find myself with a lot more questions than answers.
I wonder, for example, what exactly are these services going to be and what kind of “support” do philanthropists need or want? I ask myself, once we develop the programs, how do we talk about what we do in a way that is easily understood and garners support? And, how will we work with other nonprofits and foundations in delivering our services? And, how do we measure our success? The questions just keep on coming…
I’m beginning to feel a little like Guy Noir, from A Prairie Home Companion. Always trying to find the answers to life’s persistent questions, and rarely satisfied – but never because I give up searching. There is lots of stuff that needs figuring out. On top of the endless complexities wrapped up in the field of philanthropy, I am dealing with the ambiguity of a new initiative and the shifting sands of rapidly changing economic times.
Adding to the uncertainty is that I am only four weeks into working at the Lodestar Center and am still learning the ropes. Prior to joining ASU, I worked for six years at Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) – first as a workplace campaigner, then running fundraising trainings and finally as a major gift officer. After six years, you feel pretty solid in a place. You know why you are there and can easily explain the impact of the organization. So, as you might imagine, I am still settling into my new digs. It’s a little strange being in a place where I can’t whip off my elevator speech in three minutes flat!
Despite being at VSUW for what seemed an eternity in Gen X years (and loving every minute!), I still remember a lesson instilled in me from day one: a nonprofit is only successful because of the relationships the staff builds with the organization’s stakeholders – volunteers, recipients, businesses and nonprofit partners – and only with their support can we really make a difference. As such, it was a big part of my job to foster relationships with donors – obviously important stakeholders – on behalf of our organization.
There are some key points from that lesson that I find myself returning to in my new position. One, people want others to be successful and are willing to help when asked – either by providing time, money, talent or advice – and the number one reason people don’t help is because they aren’t asked (so you better ask). Two, it’s not about me (and this is important) it’s about the organization. People support an organization because they support the mission and because supporting the mission helps fulfill their own personal motives. Maybe they want help with advancing their own cause, maybe they want recognition, or maybe the mission touches their heart. It could be a number of things, but it’s usually not just because I ask.
It’s about the mission, not about me…hmm, if I were Guy Noir I would be reminding myself that the hot dame just showed up at my door because she needs help, not because she thinks I’m handsome…you get the point.
So, in that gumshoe spirit I am out pounding the pavement, meeting with the philanthropic thought leaders I know and working to connect with those I don’t. In each meeting I hope to twist my uncertainty to advantage by putting all my questions out on the table and asking these leaders what they think would be the best way to support philanthropists in our community. Everyone I meet with has been incredibly generous with their time and ideas, not because of me, but because they believe the mission is worthy.
I hope that by keeping the mission always at the front and center of my conversations I can gain ideas and assistance and achieve our goals: supporting individuals and families in unleashing their philanthropy and making our community healthier and more vibrant. Only with the support of the community can our new initiatives be successful.
Of course, if any of you have ideas, please send them my way at aaron.stiner@asu.edu or via the comments. I hope to see you all again here with occasional updates on our work.
Thanks so much!
Aaron Stiner
“Be well, do good work, and keep in touch.” Garrison Keillor
There was a period of time before India’s independence that only 3,000 Englishmen ruled a country of 350 million. Before Gandhi, India was a country fractured by a lack of unified vision. Before the great Salt March, Indians wandered through history without a coherent identity. Before they were represented at the highest governmental levels, Indians did not have a voice.
My friend, Robert, shared this fact with a group of future nonprofit leaders at a conference last month, and I still have not been able to get the thought of such a splintered society – and how much it relates to the nonprofit sector here in America – out of my head. I thank you for your bold leadership amidst a tough economic and political climate thus far, and ask for two minutes so that I may indulge in my own audacious hope:
On Sunday night, Grammy Foundation president Neil Portnow called on your Administration to create an Cabinet-Level Arts Czar.
And Mr. Portnow wasn’t the first make such a request; Quincy Jones has repeatedly suggested that having a Secretary of Culture is the right next step for America, saying that arts and culture are “just as important as military defense.”
Lest you think otherwise, let me boldly stand in solidarity with these men in saying that arts and culture are pillars of any great society – and that any government worth its weight in rhetoric should work hard to foster the advancement of these endeavors. However, it would be shortsighted not to recognize the deep impact of the National Endowment for the Arts or the myriad other government programs designed to promote arts and culture.
Furthermore, exclusively highlighting a focused sub-group at such a high level completely ignores the holistic significance of the rich tapestry woven together by the golden thread of the Social Sector in its entirety. Said differently: we have many missions, but we wish to speak and be heard as one voice.
We are a group in adolescence, finding our identity. We represent over one million organizations with missions ranging from health-care to earth-care, from animal rights to human rights. Yet we have more that unites us than divides us. Whether our organization is providing shelter for an abused woman and her children or providing future generations with the promise of cleaner energy, the core of our mission is the pursuit of a more dynamic community. As significant employers in every American city, we represent nearly 15 million paid employees and another 80 million volunteers annually. We work diligently, responsibly, and with integrity – returning every invested philanthropic dollar to the community nine times over (and that’s a conservative estimate). In other words, we are the economic stimulus you have been looking for.
We are a group faced with the fierce urgency of now, looking to usher in a bold new era of social innovation. Both you and the First Lady held jobs in nonprofit organizations, so you know firsthand how essential it is to have nimble, grassroots organizations able to respond to a rapidly changing economic environment. Now is the time to move beyond the limited constructs of charity and fully explore the powerful potential of the United States Nonprofit Sector.
The well-intentioned requests of Mr. Portnow and Mr. Jones are noble, yes. But we represent much more than musicians, artists, and writers. Every young woman who has hammered a nail into a home for Habitat for Humanity, every young man who has ladled soup into bowl after bowl at a local shelter, every grieving mother who has written letters of support to men and women in service overseas, and every person who has run a race to support breast cancer research or fight Alzheimer’s disease – is ours.
Mr. President, we humbly implore you to create the Department of the Nonprofit Sector in order that Social Change and Community Development have a Cabinet-Level voice in your Administration. Thank you for your time, energy, and continued service to the nation that de Tocqueville called great, “because she does good.”
Sincerely,
Samuel I. Richard Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, Phoenix
nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.
If by chance you skimmed over the enthralling Hawthorne-esque prose of our Founding Fathers above, this section of the Constitution charges the President with the task of appointing high-level advisors, officers, and adjudicators to be confirmed (or rejected) by the Senate.
Historically, much ado has been of “Cabinet-Level Positions” because these are the people with the ear of the president. And because of the (purposefully) vague language concerning the specifics, many changes have been made to what departments are Cabinet-Level and which are not. For instance, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency used to be a Cabinet-Level post. When the Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003, FEMA became a sub-department – along with the Transportation Security Administration, the US Secret Service, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the US Coast Guard.
The point is: things change. When Washington (and his hot wife) took office, George appointed only four people to his Cabinet: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; Secretary of War Henry Knox; and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Over the years, new departments have formed while others stay in existence but no longer enjoy Cabinet status.
Take, for example, what we now call the United States Postal Service. The Post Office was created in 1792 by order of President Washington, but didn’t reach Cabinet Level status until President Andrew Jackson invited Postmaster General William T. Barry to sit as a member of the Cabinet in 1829. The Post Office Department had the ear of the President until 1971, when Richard Nixon outsourced the operation as part of the Postal Reorganization Act, creating the quasi-governmental entity known today as the United States Postal Service.
Ok, enough nerd talk – but just a little more contextual background. There has been much ebb and flow over the previous 43 presidential administrations, but below is a list of current high-level advisors. There are Cabinet Members – all Secretaries with the exception of the Attorney General – and there are Cabinet-Level Officers. Confusing, but there is a distinction – namely, Cabinet Members need to be confirmed by the Senate whereas Cabinet-Level Officers do not necessarily need to be. Fun side fact – the Departments of State, Treasury, Defense, and Justice are known as the “Big Four” because they commonly have the most interaction with the President. During meetings of the Cabinet, these four people sit in closest proximity to the President and Vice President. Alright, enough preamble (historic document humor):
Tracking so far? Good. Because this is where it really gets good. But you’re going to have to wait. I have a big policy suggestion that I’m going to lay out – but this post is already pretty long and I want to keep your attention. So check back tomorrow. It’ll be good.
Cheers, Sam “Bureaucracy is not an obstacle to democracy but an inevitable complement to it.“ Joseph A. Schumpeter
While I put the finishing touches on a couple of substantial, I-actually-wrote-them posts, here’s something cool from Sean Penn and the World Food Programme:
Congratulations to the Cardinals for making it to the Super Bowl, Kurt Warner for winning the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award, and to Cash4Gold for (in my book) the best commercial. Happy February!
Cheers, Sam “I wake up every day, right here, right in Punxsutawney, and it’s always February 2nd, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” Phil Connors
Sweet. I love it when for-profit companies out there begin think a little bit like a nonprofit. Maybe making money for making-money’s sake isn’t the real bottom line? Just throwing it out there. Kudos to the the USA Network for recognizing a few social innovators. Maybe I’ll start watching Monk again. You can find the whole list here, but these are my favorites:
Charles Best, Founder of DonorsChoose.org (Check out that sweet ‘stache!)
High Fidelity is probably one of my favorite movies. The biggest reasons for this is Rob Gordon’s (played by John Cusak) monologue about creating the perfect mix tape. I searched for half an hour through YouTube to find the clip but no bored 30 year-old living in his mother’s basement has posted it yet, so this (slightly augmented) transcript with have to do:
You have to start off with something good, and then with track two you have to put in something even better. But you don’t want to peak too early in the tape, so you cool it off for a bit for track three. After that, you might find yourself in a freefall. Don’t panic. Just listen to your songs back-to-back and see if they sound good next to each other.
After Egger’s introduction to the conference, it was tough to imagine that anything could satisfy the masses for the rest of the week. Much to my surprise, though, track 2 delivered…
The day was designed to be mostly professional development. At breakfast we participated in roundtables, where a professional from the Sector sat with us and answered any questions we had. Stan and I were at the AFP table, where Catherine from the DC Chapter was patiently fielding queries. I was intrigued to learn about her background, which was in associations. And she wasn’t kidding – Catherine worked for the Association of Associations before joining the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Awesome.
After breakfast, it was off to workshops. I visited four sessions that day, and all were extremely invigorating. First up was a session on the Urban Institute’s new research software. Probably sounds infinitely boring to most of you, but trust me – it’s awesome. Have I ever mentioned that I’m a geek? After that I went to the most popular session of the week, Google For Nonprofits 101, taught by Matt Dunne who works as the Manager of US Community Affairs for Google. In addition Matt is an AH Alumnus, former two-term Vermont State Senator, and former candidate for Lieutenant Governor. It’s amazing what you can find on the Internets…
I’m really glad his campaign was unsuccessful, though – otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to share with us all the amazing things that Google offers for the Nonprofit Sector. I’ve already spoken of my love for Google, but seeing the software suite in action brought it to a whole other level. Here’s a fun little video if you’re looking for more depth:
After the technology overload, I transitioned into a session on effective meeting management. A couple great people from Leadership Ventures came and packed a full day’s worth of information into sixty (60) minutes. I left with a packet of sample agendas, recommended communication flows, and some creative problem solving ideas. Meetings can be mundane, but as the sage Dan Quayle (motto: “Thank you, George”) says, they can also be powerful:
The thing is, if you control the Senate meetings, you control the gavel. And the gavel is a very important instrument… an instrument of power. An instrument that establishes the agenda.
Armed with a slew of information on leading meetings with more creativity, authority, and instruments of power I headed to the last session of the day. But I was in Track 9 territory. No Man’s Land. Most of my energy had been stolen from role-playing (”OK, now Sam is going to be the disruptive employee. At what point do we confront his behavior in front of the entire group?”) and digesting mountains of technical data.
But much to my delight, I was greeted by Ann and Laura from Youth Resources in a workshop titled, “Youth In Governance: Breaking Into The Boardroom.” I went in with completely selfish motives. A few months ago I was honored with the opportunity to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, and I was recently invited to join the Board of Directors for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Phoenix. So, I trotted into the room thinking that I would share my experiences as a young person in the Boardroom and spread little Wisdom Dust on my peers.
Instead, I encountered one of the most articulate and intelligent people ever. Period. Listening to Laura talk about her time with Youth Resources was inspiring. The programming that Ann (Executive Director at YR) and her team offer to the youth supports their development, empowers them to make important decisions, and sets them up for current and future success. It was a pleasure to hear the story of Youth Resources, and I left looking forward to nothing more than tracking Laura’s career. She is the reason why Robert says that this upcoming generation is our salvation.
I left energized and excited about another day. John Cusak would’ve been proud.
Cheers, Sam “I swear to God this mix could sink the sun.” Jack’s Mannequin
