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Posts tagged social change

Help Shape the Future of the Social Sector

The Future Leaders in Philanthropy Community, a part of the Changing Our World organization, is conducting a survey to gain a better understanding of the attitudes and expectations of those new to the field of philanthropy. 

Take their survey now and they’ll donate $1 to a Global Giving project. 

Changing Our World invites those with varying perspectives to participate—both new and experienced professionals, those working in traditional nonprofits, new social enterprises and corporate giving programs, and those who have an interest in or may have left the sector.

How Millionaires and Billionaires Give

A few months ago, Warren Buffett pledged to give 99% of his wealth to charity during his lifetime, publicly encouraging the world’s richest to follow suit.  He and Bill Gates have even scheduled a trip to China this month to figure out how to “do philanthropy” there.  Meanwhile, Buffett business partner Charles Munger says the idea of “very intelligent people sitting around trying to do good” makes him squirm in his seat.  

And most recently, Omidyar Network, the philanthropic investing arm of eBay, plans to invest up to $200 million in India over the next five years. Richard Branson is also urging others to invest in Zimbabwe through Zimbabwe Enterprise, a nonprofit formed by his Virgin Unite, the philanthropic investing arm of Virgin. 

Recently, the Unreasonable Institute fellows gave their final business pitches at the 2010 Global Summit.  Luckily, they captured these all on film and posted all the presentations on their website. 

Above is just a sample, which came from Who Gives a Crap, a group that will make “environmentally sustainable toilet paper and donate profits to water sanitation projects in the developing world”.  Fun and fascinating.  

If every charity was run with more of a business focus, the world would be a better place. We’ve created what I consider to be a hybrid organization—the best of charity merged with the best of business.
John Wood, a former senior executive at Microsoft before founding Room to Read in 2000.  Find out more about the organization’s model in Fortune Tech’s “How technology can help spread literacy”.
[Teach for America] is, I’m told by some recent grads, one of the coolest things you can do after college.
What They’re Doing After Harvard” from the Wall Street Journal.  Teach for America founder Wendy Kopp explains why her program beats working on Wall Street. 
I think building a company is the best way to change the world, because it’s the best way to align the interests of a lot of smart people and a lot of partners to build something that’s great and that serves people. You can’t do that if you’re an individual because it’s just you and there’s no one to align, and you can’t do it if you’re a nonprofit because you have no resources and you’re constantly out trying to raise money instead of generating it and being self-sufficient.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO, Facebook in an interview for Inside Facebook

His sister, Randi Zuckerberg, works on Creative & Buzz Marketing, Politics, and Social Change at Facebook, and provides a lot of support for nonprofits.  Interesting.  How do you react to this comment?

First, my pledge: More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at death. Measured by dollars, this commitment is large. In a comparative sense, though, many individuals give more to others every day.
Warren Buffett in “My Philanthropic Pledge” in FORTUNE as part of the $600 Billion Challenge

Successful Strategies for Social Change

Very interesting examples of community building and trauma response from UNICEF and Ashoka that focus on the power of play to transform reality. 

You can now watch The New Recruits online! 

This new PBS documentary follows the journey of three business students chosen to participate in the Acumen Fund Fellows Program, which sends social entrepreneurs to work with Acumen-funded social enterprises in Kenya, India, and Pakistan.  Start watching right now!