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| Path: Main Street : NewsWeek : Op/Ed : Audience Opinions |
Silicon Valley tycoons have been both lauded and lamented recently for not giving enough to charitable activities and for approaching charitable giving from a "venture philanthropy" model that puts a heavy emphasis on program results.What are the implications of this trend? Will it spell the demise of programs that have less predictable or very long term outcomes? Will it bring in a new era of accountability for nonprofits? Is venture philanthropy a positive, negative or neutral trend?
If charities have not succeeded in attracting the attention and gifts of silicon tycoons it's because they have not been aggressive enough. These magnates are a "no-non-sense" bunch. When we do enlist their support, they tend to measure their productivety by the impact of the number of people they have reached through their philanthropy -not the number of meetings they attended.--- Roger Breault C.F.R.E, M.C.S
I am among many who are getting increasingly tired of funding with multiple hoops to jump through. It seems more and more that every funding possibility involves promoting a cause, government department, or project that is peripheral to our work. Or I find myself taking good, worthy projects and twisting them in odd directions so that they fit the narrow criteria of some short lived funding program.
Add to that the ongoing insistence on matching funds, or as they are euphemistically called: "partners", and it seems that for every hour I spend on honest charitable objectives I spend two on trying to make our work fit whatever the funding programs want.
What ever happened to philanthropy? To giving to causes because they are good and noble things? Is there nothing on earth that isn't a market transaction, marketing tool, or a demonstration that you (the funder) have power over the (charitable) recipient?
These days when I approach grantwriting I feel more and more like the kid at Halloween who comes to the door, all costumed up, wanting only a crummy bit of candy, only to be faced with some adult demanding that you "Sing a song little boy". We'll only give you that Tootsie roll AFTER you embarrass yourself. Show us how desperate you are for that candy!
I know that when I give to a charity - and I'll bet that workers in our sector give more than most - I do so freely, and with no strings attached. I give to support worthy organizations, not to see my name on donor lists, or my company logo on theatre programs. I don't ask for final reports, or even what the money will be spent on.
Maybe because I work with people who are in the charitable sector I tend to assume that they are honest, and hardworking, and underpaid. Sadly it seems that many funders have lost sight of this level of dedication.
And that may be why so many funding applications and selection processes resemble car loan applications more than philanthropy.
--- Barry Rueger, CKCU Radio Carleton
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