The word “philanthropy” can have a different meaning depending on where you live and what a particular foundation looks like, which some believe is the biggest problem with philanthropy today. Philanthropy seems often self-indulged and not truly committed to finding new and innovative ways to address social problems at the grassroots level. I will also suggest that some funders I have met over the years have developed a cavalier attitude when it comes to their foundation’s direction and purpose. In their minds, they know what’s best for their community and it’s certainly their money to invest how and where they want. Furthermore, we, as funders, have lofty expectations of those we fund and often apply a set of rules and expectations that are more about process and procedure instead of quality, content or community change. I deplore bureaucracies that force potential grantees to jump through enormous hoops just to get their application reviewed. We need to be spending more time and energy not setting up superfluous rules and guidelines but rather looking for more effective ways to engage and understand disadvantaged individuals and families. It makes far more sense to invest our resources in better defining the significant challenges facing those living in poverty along with understanding what their specific priorities are so they can live more productive lives. We also need their ongoing thoughts and input so our foundations’ decision making is grounded in real life issues and awareness.
Social change, to me, is far less about money and far more about attitude, clarity of purpose, influence and education. We often get caught in the money trap but, quite frankly, private philanthropy’s wealth is simply “a drop in the bucket” compared to the societal needs for underserved communities today.
More involvement and input from those we want to help is at the top of our list at the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. It has to be. If not, we are making decisions in a vacuum that may be well-intended but often end up leaving important stakeholders out of the equation. I am not just talking about agency input but individual “client” input: the homeless, clients of the food banks, the unemployed, the children of single parents, students in poor school districts, families without access to health care, seniors without transportation, etc. It is a simple concept but it is also a fundamental shift for philanthropy. It is like asking a patient, “Where do you hurt?” rather than coming up with a diagnosis based on what you, the doctor, observes and thinks.
The true measure of social change will be viewed through many different lenses and measured differently by people in the field. However, significant change starts from the ground floor and works up; in the classroom, waiting in line for food or shelter, teen parenting, father absence, etc. Let’s not focus our energy solely on the process but rather on understanding and responding to those who really know how they feel. It is the right prescription for today’s philanthropic ills.
Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
