August 2011 Newsletter

Greetings from Voices for Philanthropy!

January may be the start of the New Year, but August is definitely when many draw a breath and prepare for new beginnings: the start of a new school year, the traditional return of Congress to session, and the homestretch of Major League Baseball’s regular season. At Voices for Philanthropy, we’ll spend time this August recalling how far we’ve come in the last 12 months, and contemplating the future of this effort and others like it in the philanthropic community and nonprofit sector.

In the meantime, summer may be growing shorter but August is long on opportunities to share your story about the positive impact of philanthropy.

No man needs a vacation so much as a man who has just had one.
                                - Elbert Hubbard, So Here Cometh White Hyacinths, 1907

Dollars and Sense

The showdown about the national debt ceiling has been front and center for policymakers for several months. It appears as if a compromise solution is in the works and will be voted on by Congress shortly. The complicated nature of the global financial system doesn’t lend itself to easy answers but at Voices for Philanthropy we thought we would highlight several basic ways that philanthropy is teaching people about managing their own personal finances, whether it is learning basic skills like balancing a checkbook and planning a budget or more complicated endeavors like turning a great idea into a workable business plan.

Policymakers grappling with issues that impact the nation’s financial health could benefit from the work of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) . NEFE’s mission is to “inspire empowered financial decision making for individuals and families through every stage of life” and claims to be the only national foundation “wholly dedicated to improving the financial well-being of all Americans.” On its website, NEFE provides a wealth of information for consumers and offers research and grant opportunities as well as finance and economics curriculum for educators and high school students. NEFE is also an advocate for financial literacy, and has testified before Congress on issues including debt management and retirement preparedness. Learn more at: www.nefe.org

You’re never too young to learn about managing money. That’s what Bill Daniels thought when he established Young Americans Bank in 1987. This state-chartered, FDIC-insured institution provides a firsthand opportunity for youth to learn how to manage money, start a business, and the basics of economics and finance. Young Americans Bank has served 470,000 young people since opening its doors, and offers many traditional bank products including checking and savings accounts, CDs, loans, and even credit cards that come with lessons on how to use credit correctly and responsibly. Learn more about Young Americans Bank and its programs (including “fun-ancial” summer camps in Colorado and elsewhere) at: www.yacenter.org

The Community Foundation for Financial Literacy (CFFL) takes what it calls a “grassroots” approach to sharing information about money management while also building and maintaining financial assets for kids and their parents. CFFL's primary approach is developing relationships with community organizations, churches, schools, and others in order to facilitate programming that offers resources to families to help them manage their personal finances. It also encourages students to become a part of the movement by participating in CFFL’s “Financial Certification Program” which trains young people to go into their own communities as advocates for responsible financial management. For more information on a community-based approach to financial literacy, visit: www.thecommunityfoundation-ffl.org

Your Member of Congress will be at home - drop them a line!

If you have a story to tell about the positive impact philanthropy has made in your life or your community, August is the time to tell it. Your Member of Congress will likely be home for the August recess and raising her/his awareness about how a particular program or a project enhanced something you care about is one of the best things you can do to support philanthropy and the freedom to give.

Included below is a list of resources we’ve gathered that provides tips on how to contact your Congressional representative. First and foremost, Voices for Philanthropy asks that you remember this: philanthropy impacts the things you personally care about in your community and in the world or you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter. Your Member of Congress needs to hear your Voice and know that their constituents in the philanthropic community have unheralded tales of success to share. Introduce yourself and tell them what you support and why –make sure they understand the impact your organization has on their district. Don’t be modest; Members need to know how philanthropy is strengthening their district and the people they represent! 

Comprehensive search tool to identify your Member of Congress:
www.contactingthecongress.org

Tips on contacting your Member of Congress from the Council on Foundations: (Click on the “Capitol Hill Basics” link in the Policy Tools navigation bar on the right side of the page.)
http://www.cof.org/programsandservices/publicpolicy/takeaction.cfm?navItemNumber=16355

Helpful information from Independent Sector on connecting with Congress (http://www.independentsector.org/connecting_with_congress) and advocacy basic for nonprofit organizations and private foundations (http://www.independentsector.org/advocacy_basics)

Voices for Philanthropy Profile

Funding Paths to Economic Prosperity

Harvard Professor and recognized expert on competitive strategy Michael Porter said “innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity.” That is why we have chosen the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to be featured in our August newsletter. 

The Kauffman Foundation’s dedication to understanding and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit and fostering innovation is a beacon amid the relentless media coverage of doom, blame, and stalemate. As a founding part of the Obama Administration’s Startup America  program, the Kauffman Foundation, along with the Case Foundation, has helped facilitate contributions of over $400 million –all private, non-taxpayer dollars– from a diverse group of private sector companies to new companies and entrepreneurs to help them start and grow new businesses.

But that is a small fraction of the Kauffman Foundation’s commitment to advancing opportunity and encouraging progress in medicine, life sciences, education, and clean technology. Its vision of “a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities” is particularly apt in today’s environment. With its gaze fixed firmly on the future, the Kauffman Foundation’s bullishness on America is reflected in its programming and grant support at every level. This August, we applaud and salute the Kauffman Foundation as another example of how personal passion combined with philanthropic commitment can impact a nation. 

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These monthly e-newsletters are designed to provide a snapshot of American philanthropy by highlighting events, acknowledging important dates, and profiling individuals, organizations and others making a difference.

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