Redefining Philanthropy: Introducing The Citizen Effect

GUEST BLOG POST: Amy Wolff is a 2010 Master's candidate and is involved with several projects including Opportunity International, Imagine This! TV, and the zyOzy Foundation. You can find her on Twitter: @amycarolwolff

I’m tired of philanthropy. That is, the current understanding of it. Even the word “donor” has this stodgy air to it that makes me want to yawn. The entire concept wrapped around donations, cold calls, mailings, capital campaigns remind me of how I felt in my computer class during my freshman year of college. “This doesn’t apply to me. Why am I even here?”

There’s been a lot of talk recently of the need for redefining what we know as philanthropy. I’ve read several articles suggesting this, had numerous conversations around this theme. In fact, just yesterday, I had a impromptu twitter chat with several #socent folks about the need to rejuvenate an over-saturated market. But in the midst of the conversations, think tanks, and conferences, we’ve yet to identify a leader- an organization or individual that has a fresh, authentic voice that will lead us in this next generation of giving.

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The Citizen Effect: The Power of The Individual

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Dan Morrison, CEO and founder of Citizen Effect (formerly known as 1Well) believes his organization is answering this call. But the response doesn’t come in the form of the loud trumpets of multi-million dollar grants. Rather, the strong, constant song of the power of the citizen, the individual. Hence the new website, the new name and a new energy behind what has the potential to be a game changer for the philanthropic industry. “We are targeting individuals here within their communities, allowing them the opportunity to make an impact and change a community,” Morrison said.

Mother Teresa once said, “If you cannot feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” It is this spirit that drives Citizen Effect. The organization works through an interactive website that connects individuals or “Citizen Philanthropists” (CPs) with projects within communities around the world. The CP first chooses a project based on country and cause interests. Then, Citizen Effect provides numerous creative ideas for the CP to consider. Examples include cocktail parties, car washes, and cook offs, among others. Then, the CP is guided in how to leverage their existing network to raise money for the project. Finally, with consistent reporting, the CP is able to see their impact on the project, the community, and the individual lives they’ve affected.

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Global Community Impact

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The organization’s first community partner is in India. The Self Employed Women’s Association, or SEWA, is an organization of poor, self-employed women workers. These are women who earn a living through their own labor or small businesses. They do not obtain regular salaried employment with welfare benefits like workers in the organized sector. Constituting 93% of the labour force, these are workers of the unorganized sector. According to the website, of the female labor force in India, more than 94% are in the unorganized sector. Citizen Effect partners with SEWA in strategy projects and matches the projects with CPs that are willing to commit to raising the funds.

With the launch of a newly designed website comes the launch of several new projects. The organization is established in Peru, piloting a program with Children of Vietnam, an organization that works to provide education, nutrition, housing and medical care for the impoverished children of Vietnam. They are also expanding into Zambia, and will be working with an organization called FORGE and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In addition, Citizen Effect is in the talks with some very large community development organizations looking to use their platform.

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Ready to Follow

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When I was talking with Morrison last week, I found myself left with a real sense of excitement and encouragement. It can get exhausting being in this community development space, hearing of all the road blocks that come with securing large amounts of donations and grants. Perhaps, the power truly is in the people of this country. If you consider it from a logical marketing perspective, it’s safe to assume that the average middle-class individual is always going to be a part of the United States economy. That is a consistent demographic to empower. It involves all age groups, several areas of interest, and a platform that continually gives you a sense of connection with the work that you’re investing in.

As Morrison mentioned, “When we hear about 1.4 billion people living on less than two dollars a day, we get overwhelmed. But though I can’t do anything about 1.4 billion, I can do something about 500 people. And when you get 100 people doing something about 500 people, you get the picture of our vision.”

Citizen Effect is planning on some high energy initiatives that will engage youth and families in social activity. This coming holiday season, the organization will launch a drive that will encourage families to fund projects together rather than resorting to the traditional gift-giving practices. This reminded me of the call issued by an organization which calls us to a season of compassion, rather than consumption. If we pay attention to this theme, I believe it can radically change the way we approach the holidays. Stay tuned for more.

As I found in my freshman computer class, at times the most practical and applicable tools are the ones I was most reluctant to discover and learn. But once I was empowered with the education and understanding, with terms that applied to my daily life, I had the ability to do some pretty dynamic programming and database work. Citizen Effect is committed to redefining philanthropy with fresh energy, a sustainable constituency, and a solid infrastructure. And my response comes with a sigh of relief and an earnest hope…it’s about time.

Contributor Profile: Amy

As a 2010 Master's candidate, Amy is involved with several projects including Opportunity International, Imagine This! TV, and the zyOzy Foundation.
Twitter: @amycarolwolff

Corporate Volunteering: Top 7 Requests & the Bad, Better and Best Responses (1 of 7)

“We want a volunteer experience that can be done in no more than a day, and no less than a half-day.”

Companies want to engage their communities through employee volunteering programs. For most, this means calling a non-profit and scheduling an activity. But how should non-profits respond? Is there a “best” answer for everyone?

Everybody wants to volunteer. And those who don’t....well, they’re bound to feel a little left out of conversation at the next cocktail party. Volunteering is the latest and greatest way to contribute to society. It’s trendy - and unlike skinny jeans, this trend is bound to last. (Don’t get me wrong, I like skinny jeans.)

As corporations jump on the volunteering band wagon, non-profits are frantically trying to manage the influx. Incidentally, they’re finding themselves a little (ok, a lot) frustrated. Corporations make a lot of sometimes unreasonable requests of non-profits when it comes to setting up the ideal volunteer experience for their employees. We’re about to begin a series examining the top seven (yes, seven) requests, and the Bad, Better, and Best way for Nonprofits to respond.

One thing to remember: while its good for you, the Nonprofit, to know what companies want, its equally important for you to know why they want it. Assessing “why” will guide you to a solution that’s better for you, your community, and their company.

The 7 Requests:

The Ideal Volunteer Experience....

1. ...can be undertaken in a day
2. ...can be done together as a team
3. ...has intrinsic value
4. ...does not clash with other objectives
5. ...enhances the skills of their employees
6. ...coincides with the company’s chosen cause
7. ...coincides with what their employees want to do

1. "We want a volunteer experience that can be done in no more than a day, and no less than a half-day.”

...WHY?

First things first: why does the company want this? Well, the answer is in the question; the experience cannot be too big, or too small. It must feel significant enough to draw people out of the office, and not so significant that they’re scared away.

Now, consider how these things effect you and your Nonprofit, and decide how to respond.


Bad, Better, and Best Responses:

BAD: Invent Work.

Ok so, if you happen to have stand-alone project, in dire need of completion, that would take about a day to finish, and provide a great photo-opp for a group of employees.... then, great. You’re good to go. Fulfill the request. If not, remember that your time and resources are limited. Unless there is an obvious and significant payoff for your provision of this opportunity, you probably want to pass. Whatever you do, do not invent work. Got that? Do not have them repaint the same wall that was painted last week. Inventing work is bad for your non-profit organization.

Inventing work is equally bad for the corporation. Community engagement has become an essential strategy for business. Checking a one-time activity off the “social responsibility” list does not qualify. Hold yourself and the business to a higher standard. If they are asking to volunteer with you out of a genuine effort to become socially responsible, help them do it. Sure, the customer is always right, but it’s your job to help them ask better questions - and be more right. Inventing work is bad for the corporation.

Inventing work is bad for your community. When a corporation volunteers with your non-profit, they are bringing a potential wealth of skills, resources and networks. To access these resources, you must draw the business into more than a “quick and easy” arrangement. Inventing work may be the simplest answer, but ultimately, by offering a one-time, “repaint the wall” experience, you could be stealing value yet to be realized in connecting with that business. See what I mean? Bad for the community.


BETTER: Propose a partnership.

Alright, after you figure out “why” the company wants what they want, and after you decide not to invent work, let’s consider a better response: Partnership.

It’s really not so complicated. When the CSR guy calls from the corporation, ask about the company’s goals. Like this; “Is this volunteer activity part of a grander scheme or bigger goal you have for the company?” And when you’ve got him listening, let him in on some of your goals. For example, if your NPO was hoping to build a playground for a local school in the next year, explain that you could use a group twice a month over the next 6 months to help with the manual labor. Draw the company into a conversation of mutual benefit. You’ll know within minutes whether or not this corporation is one you want to work with.

Designing the partnership will take deliberate effort to ensure everyone gets what they need without giving up any non-negotiables. Social partnerships are like any other partnership and require some level of commitment in order to thrive. At some point, this will mean institutionalizing certain aspects, but don’t worry - keep it simple and take it slow. The rest will come organically.

A partnership is better for you, and it’s also better for your community, and better for the business. It offers the offers the business a genuine CSR strategy toward becoming socially responsible, and offers the community the potential benefit of the resources the business brings. Propose a partnership: its a better response for everyone. (For good resources on Social Partnerships check out our Facebook Page).

BEST: Have your cake and eat it too

The problem with “proposing a partnership” is fairly obvious - it’s not realistic to partner with every business who calls. You would overwhelm yourself trying to coordinate that many efforts. Believe me, one, two, maybe three partnerships are enough.

So, if you’re not inventing work, and you’re already partnering with a corporation, what do you do with the rest of the requests for volunteer opportunities? Well, you make it easy, of course. Have your cake and eat it too.

All you need is an ongoing, open volunteer opportunity. This is a space where all types of volunteers can show up on a regular basis (preferably weekly) and involve themselves to any degree they want. The activity provided should be one that can be accomplished with 3 volunteers, or 53. The point is, volunteers see your organization for the first time, and you see them. There is no pressure, no obligation, no disappointment. Volunteers who aren’t worth your effort, weed themselves out. Volunteers who will benefit your organization, stick around. This is the volunteer’s “first stage” - and its important to meet them where they’re at.

If you’re a community kitchen, the activity can involve serving meals. If you work with nature, you can plant trees. If you’re an organization that feels you can’t accommodate this kind of space, trust me: There’s a “first stage” space for everyone. Sometimes it takes some work to get there, but its worth it in the end.

With an ongoing, open volunteer opportunity, you’ll have a great answer for every business who calls. You’ll meet the company where they’re at - really, all they want is to try it out. At the same time, you’ll offer them a chance to develop a partnership that will effectively move them toward their CSR goals, while opening the door for your non-profit to their resources. It’s mutually beneficial and, once the space is set up, the process is more than easy - it’s virtually automatic. To read more about the benefits of a fully automated volunteer process, read this series: How to Offer a Great Volunteer Experience.

“We want a volunteer experience that can be done in no more than a day, and no less than a half-day.”

When a business asks for a volunteer opportunity that can be accomplished in a day, it’s bad to invent work. It’s better to propose a partnership. And it’s best to have your cake and eat it too by offering an open, ongoing opportunity. If the “best” response sounds like too much work, don’t give up yet. It’s cake. Just check out this series for a few hints: 3 Reasons Why You're Finding It Hard to Find and Keep Volunteers

Next time: “We want a volunteer experience that can be accomplished as a team” and how to respond.

Chris Jarvis
Senior Consultant, Realized Worth, Toronto, Canada 416-567-2004
Email me; chrisjarvis@realizedworth.com
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Who Offers The Best MBA In The World For Corporate Social Responsibility?

Society is demanding a higher level of responsibility from business and the time has come for academics to step up to the challenge. Turns out, Canada’s Schulich School of Business at York University is doing just that.


One of Realized Worth’s most widely read articles was, 'MBA Program Trashed on Harvard Business Podcast.' In the article, we examined some of the push-back MBA programs are facing and why. One central issue in the discussion deals with the tendency of MBA programs to reflect on trends and new ideas rather than developing them. For more on this line of thought read 'Corporate Social Responsibility Is Just Good Business.'

In spite of this common miss, there are yet some business schools that are keeping pace with current issues - if not pushing the envelope. While there are numerous categories of MBA rankings today, only one evaluates MBA programs on criteria beyond just test scores and reputation. The Aspen Institute measures how well business schools are “preparing their students for the environmental, social and ethical complexities of modern-day business.”

We wish to extend our congratulations to the Schulich School of Business at York University, here in Toronto, Canada. Schulich was ranked number one in the world yesterday, ahead of an amazing line up of prestigious schools.

The Top 20:

1. York (Schulich)
2. U. of Michigan (Ross)
3. Yale School of Management
4. Stanford Graduate School of Business
5. Notre Dame (Mendoza)
6. UC Berkeley (Haas)
7. RSM Erasmus
8. NYU (Stern)
9. IE Business School
10. Columbia Business School
11. U. of Virginia (Darden)

12. Cornell (Johnson)

13. GWU School of Business

14. U. of North Carolina (Kenan-Flagler)

15. Simmons School of Management

16. Duke (Fuqua)

17. Wisconsin School of Business

18. Duquesne (Donahue)

19. U. of New Mexico (Anderson)

20. U. of Denver (Daniels)

According to the Institute, Schulich received “high marks for the extraordinary number of courses available to students that contain environmental, social and ethical content as well as for the number of relevant scholarly articles being published by the School’s faculty members.”

Dean Dezö J. Horváth, was thrilled with Schulich’s ranking. In response, Horváth said, “The untold story regarding today's stellar achievement is the contributions of so many of our faculty members – professors from a wide range of backgrounds who are also actively contributing cutting-edge research in business matters related to sustainability, business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Our academic expertise is not confined to a few areas, but is broad-based and cross-disciplinary, with Schulich professors from different backgrounds teaming up to produce research that sheds new light on how to understand and better manage a number of longstanding business challenges."

The survey covered 149 schools of business from 24 countries. More information about the data collected in the survey as well as the full list of the “Global 100” business schools can be found at: www.BeyondGreyPinstripes.org.