The Everyday Philanthropist A Better Way to Make A Better World

by Pallotta, Dan

• ISBN13: 9781394190508
• ISBN10: 1394190506
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2023-05-09
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Discover new ways to make charity a central part of your everyday life

In The Everyday Philanthropist: A Better Way to Make a Better World, dedicated fundraiser and social impact veteran Dan Pallotta delivers an insightful and inspirational treatment of giving, charity, impact, overhead ratios, and philanthropy for people of all ages and abilities. This breakthrough exploration of charity and activism brings home the message that philanthropy is for everyone – from wealthy benefactors to high school activists and families who want their lives to impact their communities.

In the book, you’ll find:

• New ideas about turning giving into a daily activity and a lifestyle focused on making a difference
• 32 digestible and easy-to-understand micro-chapters – complete with clear and helpful graphics – on critical aspects of everyday philanthropy
• Comprehensive and actionable info designed to make this book your pocket guide to giving

An essential and engaging new way of thinking about charity, philanthropy, and giving, The Everyday Philanthropist is a must-read guide for activists, fundraisers, nonprofit managers and board members, and other social impact professionals and volunteers.

Author Biography

Dan Pallotta’s events have raised over half a billion dollars for charity and were the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. He has been a featured contributor to Harvard Business Review online. His TED talk on charity has five million views. His seminal book on giving, Uncharitable, is the bestselling title in the history of Tufts University Press. He has given over 400 talks on charitable giving in thirty states and ten countries.

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................................................................... I

Part One

The Good Citizen: Philanthropy and You........................................................................... 1

Ch. 1 Why Charity?...................................................................................................... 3

Ch. 2 Why Giving?....................................................................................................... 9

Ch. 3 You Are a Philanthropist.................................................................................. 13

Ch. 4 The Difference Between Acute and Chronic Issues:

Empathy Today vs. Strategy for Tomorrow........................................................17

Ch. 5 Is There a Difference Between Giving to

a Nonprofit and Giving to a Charity?............................................................... 21

Ch. 6 Are All Cancer Charities Alike? Services vs. Solutions.................................... 25

Ch. 7 Why Do You Give? Do You Really Understand Your Motives?........................... 29

Ch. 8 What’s Your Cause for Life?............................................................................. 33

Part Two

Good Information Gathering........................................................................................... 39

Ch. 9 Find a Great Organization................................................................................41

Ch. 10 The Three Essential Questions........................................................................ 43

Ch. 11 First Question: Goals....................................................................................... 47

Ch. 12 Second Question: Progress...............................................................................51

Ch. 13 Third Question: How They Improve.................................................................. 55

Ch. 14 Don’t Rely on Others for Simple Answers........................................................ 63

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Part Three

Good Information Filtering: Don’t Be Duped by Dumbed-Down Data............................. 67

Ch. 15 Questions NOT to Ask...................................................................................... 69

Ch. 16 Stop Asking About Overhead........................................................................... 73

Ch. 17 Overhead Ratios Tell You Nothing About Impact ............................................ 77

Ch. 18 Overhead Ratios Weaken Charitable Services and Programs......................... 85

Ch. 19 Overhead Measures Discriminate Against Underdog Causes......................... 91

Ch. 20 Overhead Measures Weaken Civil Society and Diminish

Civic Engagement........................................................................................... 97

Ch. 21 Overhead Measures Hide Unfair Differences in Accounting......................... 105

Ch. 22 Overhead Measures Discourage Growth........................................................113

Ch. 23 Demanding Low Salaries Undermines Your Strategy

to Help the Most People..................................................................................117

Part Four

Good Media Consumption: Monitor Truth in Media ...................................................... 121

Ch. 24 Be Responsible and Rigorous When Learning

About Charities in the Media......................................................................... 123

Ch. 25 Case Study: CNN and Boys & Girls Clubs of America................................... 125

Ch. 26 Case Study: The New York Times and Wounded Warrior Project.................... 133

Ch. 27 Case Study: ProPublica on the American Red Cross......................................141

Part Five

Are We Good?.................................................................................................................151

Ch. 28 It’s Time to Rethink Charity........................................................................... 153

Ch. 29 Re-Cap...........................................................................................................161

Ch. 30 You................................................................................................................. 165

Ch. 31 Afraid You’ll Forget?...................................................................................... 167

Ch. 32 Want to See It on Video?................................................................................ 169

Thank You.......................................................................................................173