Action Guide > Action > Philanthropy
Philanthropy can be an effective form of civic action. Promoting an initiative which raises and disburses money not only enables individuals to provide financial resources to worthy organizations and agencies, but also can enable people to connect to educational issues in their communities, build leadership skills, and encourage greater community involvement.
One common approach to student driven philanthropy efforts is called a philanthropy circle. In a philanthropy circle, the participants contribute a set sum of money, which is then matched by a supporting organization or foundation.
For example, a program with 15 participants who contributed $250 each would, with matching funds, have $7500 to distribute. The participants then research fields, request proposals, and interview organizations to make decisions about where to best direct the money.
Another model of student philanthropy involves raising money through bake sales, dance-a-thons, or concerts. This mode of philanthropy enables a large number of people to participate in a good cause. The high-visibility nature of many of these philanthropy initiatives has the potential to educate both the participants and the broader public about a specific problem or issue. We recommend that those planning for fund-raising initiatives think beyond the best strategies for raising money. Adequate time and energy should also be devoted to where and how these funds will be distributed. As part of a service-learning program, the process of determining which organizations to support and how money should be spent is a powerful opportunity for reflection and growth. If there is a 12-person committee to organize the fundraiser, there should be at least that number of people engaging in the process of determining how to best distribute those funds. Philanthropy projects are often most effective when run in conjunction with advocacy or education campaigns.
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Best Practices for Philanthropy Programs
To have a successful philanthropy program, you must build structure and capacity. Expanding and promoting leadership roles among the participants will
help to ensure its success. Develop partnerships with community organizations
and work to develop the skills and knowledge of the participants by providing
program training and support. Work to develop partnerships between the participants and seasoned professionals. Be sure to engage the participants as key decision-makers and connect to advisors and mentors as partners. Finally, don’t forget to plan for sustainability. The program must develop sufficient and sustainable sources of funding, involve participants in fund development, assess program activities and outcomes on a regular basis, and communicate program accomplishments.
Some noteworthy people in the field of philanthropy:
Danny Siegel
One of the world’s experts on micro-philanthropy, Danny Siegel founded the Ziv Tzedakah Fund, an organization that has completed over 31 years of operation and has collected and distributed more than $10,000,000.
Bill and Melinda Gates
Bill and Melinda Gates’ Foundation is a $32 billion operation dedicated to enhancing healthcare and reducing extreme poverty around the world.
George Soros
George Soros has given away over $4 billion to democracy-building programs around the world, including the Solidarity movement in Poland, scientists and universities throughout Central and Eastern Europe, and civilians during the siege of Sarajevo
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Web Resources
www.JPhilanthropy.com
www.JPhilanthropy.com
Promotes and links Jewish youth philanthropy programs.
Just Tzedakah
just-tzedakah.org/traditionHome.asp
Provides summaries of traditional Jewish texts and teachings on tzedakah.
Resource Generation
www.resourcegeneration.org
Helps young people with wealth explore how their financial resources can
advance social justice.
Jewish Funders’ Network
www.jfunders.org
An organization of family foundations, public philanthropies, and individual
donors dedicated to advancing the quality and growth of philanthropy rooted
in Jewish values.
United Jewish Communities
www.ujc.org
Represents 155 Jewish federations and 400 independent Jewish communities
across North America. The UJC provides fundraising, organizational assistance, training, and overall leadership to the Jewish federations and communities throughout the United States and Canada.
Ziv Tzedakah Fund
www.ziv.org
A non-profit organization dedicated to the collection and distribution of funds
to various little known tzedakah projects. It provides money and support for
individuals and programs that offer direct, significant, and immediate services
with a minimum of overhead and bureaucracy.
Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger
www.mazon.org
MAZON allocates donations from the Jewish community to prevent and alleviaate hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds.
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Books
Julie Salamon, Rambam’s Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It
Is Necessary to Give (Workman Publishing Company, 2003)
A New York writer explores the concepts behind each of the eight levels of
tzedakah that Maimonides enumerated. Her names for each level are very
valuable, and her stories are all about contemporary life.
Meir Tamari, The Challenge of Wealth: A Jewish Perspective on Earning
and Spending Money (Jason Aronson, 1995)
A discussion of what traditional Judaism has to say about wealth in general,
and the major economic issues of modern life.
Tracy Gary and Melissa Kohner, Inspired Philanthropy: Your Step-by-Step
Guide to Creating a Giving Plan (Jossey-Bass, 2002)
This book is the inspiration for many of the exercises Jewish youth philanthropy
groups use. There are examples of giving plans and budgets and ideas for how
to get advice about giving and how to raise money.
Chuck Collins, Pam Rogers, and Joan P. Garner, Robin Hood Was Right:
A Guide to Giving Your Money for Social Change (W. W. Norton &
Company, 2001)
Particularly useful for its explanation of “change vs. charity” and its examples of
how to support grassroots groups in ways that equalize power in our society.
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