{"id":2447,"date":"2013-01-21T19:38:53","date_gmt":"2013-01-21T19:38:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/?page_id=2447"},"modified":"2013-09-27T00:54:36","modified_gmt":"2013-09-27T00:54:36","slug":"socialjusticephilanthropy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/webinars\/upcoming\/socialjusticephilanthropy\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Justice Philanthropy"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Recorded on June 20, 2013 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Buy Now<\/a><\/p>\n

Session Description:<\/h4>\n

Simone Joyaux will discuss how organizations with a social justice mission can identify potential support and raise the funds needed to both run your organization and carry out needed programs.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Presenter: Simone Joyaux<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE is described as \u201cone of the most thoughtful, inspirational, and provocative leaders in the philanthropic sector\u201d. She has guided countless organizations and professionals through her consulting and coaching, teaching and writing.<\/p>\n

Simone provides consulting services in fund development, strategic planning, and board development to all types and sizes of nonprofits. She speaks at conferences worldwide, in places like Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, and all over North America. Joyaux is also a faculty member in the Masters Program in Philanthropy and Development at Saint Mary\u2019s University of Minnesota.<\/span><\/h3>\n

As a volunteer, Simone founded the <\/span>Women\u2019s Fund of Rhode Island<\/a>, a social justice organization. She regularly serves on boards, often as chair. Simone chaired CFRE International when it became an independent corporation.<\/span><\/h4>\n

Both her books, <\/span>Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications and Stronger Relationships<\/a><\/em> (co-authored with Tom Ahern) and <\/span>Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last <\/a><\/em>(3<\/span>rd<\/sup> edition published in spring 2011) receive rave reviews and are considered standards in the field. Simone is a popular web columnist for <\/span>The Nonprofit Quarterly<\/a>, <\/em>publishes a free e-news, and blogs. She also contributes chapters to other books and writes magazine articles.<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/h3>\n

Simone and her life partner give at least 10% of their income to charity annually and have bequeathed their entire estate to charity.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n


\n<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

From Simone’s Blog…<\/h3>\n

Social Justice and Progressive Philanthropy:\u00a0A Subversive Activity<\/span><\/h4>\n

Introduction<\/span><\/p>\n

This vocation of philanthropy gives me great joy. Voluntary action for the common good. The opportunity for an individual or family or corporation or foundation to live out its interests and aspirations.<\/span><\/h3>\n

More and more I find my work in philanthropy allows me to live out my interests, motivations and aspirations. I am filled with emotion \u2013 take a look at my bracelet \u2013 the 7 emotional triggers for direct mail response.<\/span><\/h3>\n

I live out my emotions through my work and my own personal philanthropy, as a volunteer and donor.<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Averaging 10 hours per week as a volunteer while working more than full-time.<\/li>\n
  • Giving 10% of my income per year to philanthropy<\/li>\n
  • Bequeathing100% of my estate to charity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    There is so much to admire and value in philanthropy<\/strong><\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Healthcare organizations worldwide fighting cancer and birth defects, HIV AIDS and autism. My own father died of cancer and I am forever grateful that donors give to find a cure \u2013 even though I do not give to that cause.<\/li>\n
    • Environmental groups trying to ensure that you and I can breathe clean air and have clean water to drink.<\/li>\n
    • Arts and cultural organizations reminding us of the spirit. I began my career in nonprofits working in an arts organization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      I believe that everyone should \/ must choose his\/her own interests and causes. I make my choices. You make your choices. Donors and volunteers make their choices.<\/span><\/h3>\n

      BUT I\u2019m increasingly concerned about the state of philanthropy \u2013 that philanthropy is not sufficiently transformational in one particular sense \u2013 equity and social justice. I worry that philanthropy is too tied to the status quo and that philanthropy is too traditional.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

      There are two kinds of philanthropy:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
        \n
      • Traditional philanthropy \u2013 which is most prevalent and most discussed \u2013 from healthcare to education to arts and culture to the environment. Improving life. Addressing community needs.<\/li>\n
      • And then there\u2019s social change philanthropy. The philanthropy that addresses the root causes not symptoms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The difference? Rescuing babies from river \u2013 a metaphor about direct service and social change. <\/strong>You are walking by a river and you see babies flowing down the river, drowning. You wade into the river and rescue them. But there are still more; so many. Another person walks by the river and does not stop to rescue the babies. You call out and ask why. She responds: \u201cI\u2019m going to the head of the river to figure out who is throwing them in and to stop them.\u201d That\u2019s social change philanthropy.<\/span><\/h4>\n

        We need both types of philanthropy. We need those who rescue the babies and we need those who go to the head of the river to stop the babies from being thrown in. That is the difference between direct service and social change \/ between traditional philanthropy and social change philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

        Social change philanthropy is about addressing the root causes, not the symptoms. It\u2019s the difference between direct service and systemic change.<\/span><\/h3>\n
          \n
        • Give money to feed the hungry OR establish and enforce public policy to assure a living wage and affordable housing, thereby making sure that people can pay for food, shelter and clothing.<\/li>\n
        • Give money to clean up the rivers OR establish and enforce public policy for environmental protections, e.g., the Kyoto Protocol \u2013 and make sure the consequences are so large that corporations and governments will change their behavior.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Of course it isn\u2019t either \/ or. We need philanthropy for both \u2013 rescuing and change.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          But my concern is that the social change and social justice piece is too often ignored.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          I\u2019m reminded that I wasn\u2019t exposed to social change philanthropy through my own professional association or through conferences or trade publications or histories of philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          I don\u2019t find social change philanthropy accessible in the mainstream of philanthropy. I had to go look for it.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          And I know it\u2019s not just me. Most fundraisers that I know don\u2019t talk about social change philanthropy. Most fundraisers I know are not familiar with the concepts of social justice and social change philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          That\u2019s my concern. The lack of familiarity with social change philanthropy. I think of what Martin Luther King Jr. said: \u201cPhilanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice that make philanthropy necessary.\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          Philanthropy in the Western World comes from the noblesse oblige orientation of Europe. You and I have resources and so we must help those without resources.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          Research in the U.S. shows that more than 90% of philanthropic gifts go to what may be called traditional philanthropy \u2013 described as \u201cresponding to, treating and managing the consequences of life in a society with a capital-based economy.\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n

          I\u2019ll bet that\u2019s charitable giving in many countries \u2013 a focus on traditional philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          We\u2019re feeding the hungry instead of changing the inequities that produce hunger. So many of these charitable acts could also be called the Band-Aid approach.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          But what about the root causes of the problems? What about giving more money to make the systems change and solve the root cause?<\/span><\/h3>\n

          If we gave money to stop injustice, then we would have less injustice and less need to compensate for injustice. That\u2019s what Martin Luther King Jr. meant.<\/span><\/h3>\n

          Take a look around \u2013 It seems to me that our society needs more philanthropy because we refuse to deal with social justice.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

          Why do we focus on rescue rather than change? I think we\u2019re uneasy with social change. Why? Because social change is a progressive concept that demands:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
            \n
          • \n

            Questioning the status quo.<\/h4>\n<\/li>\n
          • Challenging assumptions \u2013 for example the assumption that economic and social inequities are unavoidable as the price of prosperity and progress.<\/li>\n
          • Taking action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            And the really tough part of social change? Questioning our own personal privilege, because privilege produces power.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            Candidly, I think much of philanthropy is complicit in social injustice. I think that much of philanthropy is replicating the socially unjust society that we inhabit.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 So let\u2019s really get to it\u2026. Social justice and progressive philanthropy. Why is it so hard?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            Because it\u2019s about my personal privilege and yours. Because it\u2019s about the personal privilege of our donors and our friends and neighbors and families. Because change could hurt those of us who are privileged.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

            I\u2019m a white, heterosexual, well-educated, affluent woman. White, heterosexual, well-educated, affluent\u2026. All privileges that offer me rights and benefits in the U.S., Canada, and most everywhere in the world.<\/span><\/h4>\n

            And hey, white and heterosexual were not because of anything I did. And even well-educated \u2026 my parents sent me to school! I had every advantage.<\/span><\/h3>\n

            I\u2019m a woman. There\u2019s the problem. It\u2019s a disadvantage in every country of the world to be a woman \u2013 yes, even in the United States of America, that bastion of democracy and freedom. But at least I\u2019m white, heterosexual, well-educated and affluent \u2013 so that compensates somewhat for the gender disadvantage.<\/span><\/h3>\n

            I can get married and I can buy a house \u2013 and I can afford a darn nice house. I can get lots of different jobs \u2013 although I won\u2019t get paid as much as a man for doing the same thing and I\u2019ve hit the age when age is a problem again, too old. But I\u2019m still enormously privileged.<\/span><\/h3>\n

            My privilege. Yet every day, I think about Kris and Pamela and Clare and Peg and Lise and Ron and Lynn who cannot get married except in parts of Canada or the U.S. \u2013 and these are people who live in RI and RI won\u2019t recognize a same-sex marriage done elsewhere.<\/span><\/h3>\n

            I think about Miriam and Sharon and Cynthia who are Latina and Black and always have to be aware and wary.<\/span><\/h3>\n

            And I think about my government<\/strong><\/h4>\n
              \n
            • threatening reproductive choice, a basic human right for women.<\/li>\n
            • trying to amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a relationship between men and women, thus denying the rights of the LGBTQ community<\/li>\n
            • refusing to address a healthcare system that ignores millions<\/li>\n
            • I think of people struggling for a living wage in a country that wants Wal-Mart prices.<\/li>\n
            • I live in a nation that has shifted its conversation from fighting poverty to accumulating wealth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              <\/h3>\n

              Now think about your friends, family members, colleagues, and strangers who are of color, less affluent, gay or lesbian. Think about your government, local, regional, federal.<\/p>\n

              What\u2019s happening in your world, your nation, and your organization?\u00a0\u00a0 Where is the privilege and power?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>It seems to me that we are all complicit \u2013 as citizens \u2013 and we in this room are certainly complicit in our capacity as leaders of the nonprofit sector.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              I don\u2019t think it\u2019s okay for us to be so ignorant about social change \/ progressive philanthropy.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              Certainly our histories and our conferences and our books and articles should document this other angle of philanthropy. Surely social change \/ progressive philanthropy is as worthy of attention as traditional \/ mainstream philanthropy.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              And for us as fundraisers and leaders, it\u2019s worse than being complicit. I think that too often we fundraisers and our organizations promote privilege. Just think about the nature of power in fundraising and in governance.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

              I hear fundraising colleagues \u2013 staff and consultants \u2013 talking about:<\/span><\/h3>\n
                \n
              • Getting people of influence and affluence on the board to help get big gifts and curry special favors.<\/li>\n
              • Keeping board members who do nothing but give big gifts \u2013 which is not an acceptable definition of being a good board member<\/li>\n
              • Designing campaigns based on affluence and influence<\/li>\n
              • Making sure that some of the kids admitted to the school are from socially powerful families because social capital is so important.<\/li>\n
              • Retaining executive committees within examining the inherent power dynamics<\/li>\n
              • Recognizing donors by gift amount, which is about privilege<\/li>\n
              • Focusing on major gift donors and that\u2019s defined by gift amount<\/li>\n
              • And I hear colleagues talking about donors demanding more and more and wanting their money used in certain ways \u2013 that\u2019s about privilege and power too. Because those donors know they have power.<\/li>\n
              • I hear fundraisers saying let\u2019s not lobby or take a stand because it might alienate a big donor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 All of this is about privilege. And that means someone has more privilege than someone else. Privilege produces power.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                Rest assured I\u2019m not na\u00efve. I know that fundraisers will focus more on the donors who are most loyal and who give more money. That\u2019s okay as long as we are demonstrating the same respect for all donors \u2013 and as long as we are actually talking about and examining the nature of privilege and power in our own fund development and governance activities.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                Philanthropy has enormous power for the good \u2013 as long as the donors and volunteers and organizations don\u2019t get confused about the distinction between social change \/ progressive philanthropy and traditional status quo philanthropy.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                It\u2019s up to the donor and volunteer and organization which philanthropy to engage in.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                But it\u2019s up to all of us \u2013 especially all of us here in this room \u2013 to demand equal time for both kinds of philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                I have this dream of philanthropy as a response to social injustice \u2013 offering relief to those suffering from the results of the injustice that you and I and everyone around us help create.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                But I also see philanthropy as a strategy to eliminate the injustice.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                I\u2019m more and more convinced that one of the obligations and glories of philanthropy is questioning privilege and its resulting power.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                I\u2019m convinced that philanthropy can and should be \u2013 more often \u2013 a subversive act.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                And that\u2019s part of my life\u2019s work \u2013 to question privilege and power, including my own. <\/strong>For example: I tell people that I\u2019m on a worldwide mission to destroy all executive committees and to challenge traditional definitions of power in governance and fund development. And I question the focus on major gift fundraising and the attention to board members with affluence and influence.<\/span><\/h4>\n

                I believe that we fundraisers can and should be the revolutionaries.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                Think of social change movements and progressive philanthropy: Signing petitions and demonstrating. Boycotting. Joining an organization and lobbying from within. Giving money. Subversive acts \u2013 arn\u2019t they glorious?<\/span><\/h3>\n

                So today I challenge you.<\/h4>\n
                  \n
                • I challenge you to become more aware and get more educated about social justice and social change philanthropy.<\/li>\n
                • I challenge you to challenge your organization\u2019s assumptions about privilege \u2013 in fund development and in governance.<\/li>\n
                • I challenge you to challenge our profession. Demand that our histories feature social change philanthropy not just traditional philanthropy.<\/li>\n
                • Demand that your fundraising association expands its publications and broadens its story telling.<\/li>\n
                • I challenge you to make sure that the voice of social change philanthropy is heard, even if you choose not to participate in this kind of philanthropy.<\/li>\n
                • I challenge you to raise the issue of social change philanthropy and privilege and traditional philanthropy in every venue. That\u2019s what I\u2019m doing these days.<\/li>\n
                • Beware of the silence of dysfunctional politeness.<\/li>\n
                • And finally, I invite you to examine your own personal giving. Might you have some interest in giving to social change \/ progressive philanthropy? Are you concerned about the social injustice that is rampant in our society? Do you ever question your own privilege?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Yes, some of these topics will cause discomfort in you and within your organization and its participants. But that\u2019s what courage is all about.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  IN CONCLUSION:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                  <\/h3>\n

                  Imagine a socially-just world. A world without regard for privilege but instead a world with a level playing field.<\/strong><\/p>\n

                  We will recognize social change when we see community empowerment, redistribution of resources, and transformation of institutional systems that perpetuate inequity.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  Here is one of my favorite stories:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                  Imagine that it\u2019s 24 hours before you were born. A genie appears and says: \u201cYou get to set the rules of the society into which you will be born. You can set the economic rules and the social rules and all the other rules. The rules you set will apply during your lifetime and for the lifetime of your children and even grandchildren.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  Just imagine how thrilled you are with this offer! But you\u2019re smart. You ask, \u201cWhat\u2019s the catch?\u201d<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  And the genie says: \u201cYou don\u2019t know if you\u2019re going to be born poor or rich, White or of color, infirm or able bodied or infirm, retarded or intelligent, homosexual or heterosexual, or female or male.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  So what rules do you want?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 [From: <\/span>A Theory of Justice<\/em>, by John Rawls, 1971; told by Warren Buffett; modified somewhat by Joyaux.]<\/span><\/h4>\n

                  I know what rules I want \u2013 equity and social justice for all.\u00a0 And I know that to create that world requires social change \/ progressive philanthropy \u2026. A series of subversive actions \u2013 from money to organizing to volunteering.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  To paraphrase Gloria Steinem, if you are here today listening to my remarks \u2013 and there\u2019s no trouble tomorrow, then I haven\u2019t done my job. And I wonder, if any of us have done our jobs.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                  \u201cWe must accept finite disappointment. But we must never give up infinite hope.\u201d Martin Luther King Jr. And so I go out tomorrow again. To launch my subversive acts. To promote revolution. A revolution for social justice and for social change philanthropy.<\/span><\/h3>\n

                  So let\u2019s go out there and launch some subversive acts in the name of social justice and social change philanthropy. Let\u2019s start another revolution.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

                  <\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Recorded on June 20, 2013 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Buy Now Session Description: Simone Joyaux will discuss how organizations with a social justice mission can identify potential support and raise the funds needed to both run your organization and carry out needed programs. Presenter: Simone Joyaux Simone P. Joyaux, ACFRE is described as \u201cone of the most thoughtful, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":0,"parent":1867,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2447","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2447"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2451,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2447\/revisions\/2451"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qpr.ca\/blogs\/connie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}