The Rundown - May 27, 2022
The latest news and notes from the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
Memorial Day Edition
This coming Monday is Memorial Day here in the United States. It’s a solemn day where we pause and remember those men and women who gave up their lives on the battlefield for the America we live in today. One of the beautiful parts of American society is our ability to be generous, and philanthropy is a direct extension of that generosity. It might be a stretch, but I often wonder would such a generous society exist if it weren’t for the freedoms we have today?
I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know that the men and women we honor and remember on Memorial Day sacrificed and gave more than money, they gave their lives for what we have today and the promise of a better tomorrow. Undoubtedly, there could be no greater gift than what those brave men and women gave on the battlefield.
New Hampshire Talks About Donor Privacy
It is not often when the American Civil Liberties Union and American’s For Prosperity, two non-profit organizations with some deep political overtones, actually agree. Well, they came together this past week and found themselves on the side of supporting new legislation in New Hampshire that largely keeps state and local governments from divulging donor information to nonprofits.
This report from The Center Square outlines the legislation and quoted State Senator William Gaggnon on the need for the legislation: "Donors may wish to remain anonymous due to religious beliefs, a desire to avoid unwanted solicitation, an inclination to keep the spotlight off themselves, or fear of reprisals for giving to certain groups.”
The legislation brings up an important point that many nonprofit directors so often look over: the need to secure the privacy of not only those we serve, but those who are donating.
Don’t get me wrong, if we have a donation and a donor that wants to be celebrated, we should whole-heartedly make attempts to honor the gift and the giver. But, we need to be very cognizant that there are a fair number of donors that want to remain under the radar, for a multitude of reasons. Honoring and respecting their privacy as a donor is an absolute must in order to build a long term relationship.
An Open to Letter to Funders
This was an open letter from the Founder and Editor of Inside Philanthropy, David Callahan, to folks like MacKenzie Scott (who herself just announced a $123 Million gift to Big Brothers/Big Sisters). The letter was to provide some “unsolicited advice” on where giving should go. Mr. Callahan specifically called out addressing huge societal issues such as income and political inequality. Both of which are terribly important.
But, what I found refreshing in the article is this statement from Mr. Callahan:
To be more specific, I don’t see in your giving a theory of change or clear strategy for meaningfully reducing economic and political inequality in U.S. society.
Now, maybe that’s not your goal, which is fine. Your giving to so many worthy groups and causes is already having a positive impact on people’s lives, and it’s not for me to say what your goals should be.
Mr. Callahan certainly has a point to make that we aren’t always privy to the strategic thinking that donors go through when they make donations. What fundraiser wouldn’t love to know what really goes through the hearts and the minds of donors when they are making these decisions?
But, just because we can’t see it on the fundraising side, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Philanthropic causes are deeply personal for so many donors. Donors give to causes that mean something to them and see their donations as a way to seed hope into future generations.
It was laudable for Mr. Callahan to both recognize the good work that has come from these substantial and transformational gifts, while also challenging donors to think bigger and tackle bigger challenges.
A Story That Hit Home
I really enjoyed this story out of New Orleans on the nola.com website. Efforts are being made by governmental and philanthropic sources to secure funding to help provide equipment and infrastructure to local churches and community centers throughout Louisiana to be used to help during hurricane recovery and response efforts.
The story hit home since I can look back at the number of mission trips I took to Louisiana as the time that I really felt personally involved with philanthropy in action. After Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana in 2005, the church that I was attending (here in Ohio) made it a priority to help rebuild New Orleans and the surrounding communities. Our church sponsored over 100 trips to the Gulf Coast over a number of years.
I was fortunate enough to go on a number of mission trips down south where we would rebuild homes and rebuild lives. The stories of those that survived the hurricane were inspiring and the friendships made on those trips have lasted a lifetime.
Throughout our week long trips, we stayed in churches, that were in effect, centers of community relief. It is good to see that the value of the faith-based organizations and churches are brightly seen in New Orleans and that decision makers are working to give those groups the resources they need to make recovery quicker after these horrific storms.
What Can We Work on Together?
Did you know that Pinnacle Strategies works individually with nonprofit and public sector leaders to help them solve problems, achieve goals and gain confidence in their roles?
Why?
Because, this work is hard and it’s often a lonely road. Our nonprofit and public sector leaders need people that they can talk to to get solid advice and encouragement to do the work that is in front of them. If you feel that this can be of value to you, or a member of your team, please reach out to pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com and let’s talk.
A Quick Note of Thanks!
Thank you all for subscribing to this newsletter. The subscription numbers continue to grow and from what I am learning, this side job seems like it has “sticking power”. I am not getting inquiries and calls from literally all over the world wanting to partner and work together to create value for you, the non profit and philanthropy leader. I feel very excited about the future of this newsletter and if you have any ideas or comments, please feel free to share them with me at pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com
I know many of you have shared this with your friends and colleagues and I am very grateful. Thank you! If you haven’t shared it yet…..well, here is your chance….
Ready to Learn Something New?
Spring is a wonderful time to visit Indianapolis and it opens a perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills and meet new professionals in the field. I would encourage you to look at some of the offerings of The Fund Raising School at the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University’s campus in Indianapolis. The professional development school has great programming both on-line and in-person both in Indianapolis and at other sites across the country. Take a look at their course offerings here!
Other Ways to Connect
Our coaching practice has openings starting here in 2022. If you are interested in working with me to get your nonprofit organization on a track to achieve the big missions you have for your organization, please reach out to me at pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com.
Here are some other ways you can keep in contact with Pinnacle Strategies!
Check us out on our LinkedIn Page
Check us out on the Celebrating Leadership Facebook Page.
Want to help support this newsletter?
I hope you have found value in this newsletter. If you have found it valuable and want to help, the best thing you can do is “hit the heart”! By liking this post, you help other people interact with it. Also, sharing and commenting is very helpful as well. Thank you!