The Future of Work in the Philanthropic Sector @iuphilanthropy - Tumblr Blog

Giving Challenge and Prospect Riding Center

The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and The Patterson Foundation are partnering on “The Future of the Philanthropic Sector,” a special topics course for the school’s students during the spring 2020 semester. The course has connected students to The Patterson Foundation’s innovative approach to philanthropy and nonprofits in the Sarasota area engaged in the Foundation’s initiatives through interactive online experiences.

By Lucy Hauser

The Prospect Riding Center was founded by Susan Tambone in 2011 in Myakka City, Florida. The center officially became registered as a 501(c)(3) in 2013, and quickly became known for its effective horse-riding therapy. Prospect’s mission statement is focused on valuing diversity and encouraging respect, as well as “teaching persistence, patience, and courage through natural interactions with horses.” Most of its clients come to the center to work on physical, developmental, or psychological conditions. A characteristic that makes Prospect unique is its ability to work with clients of all ages. From young children to retirees, Prospect’s practices can be effective on anyone.

For the 2020 Giving Challenge, Prospect’s main goal was to gain a presence on social media and engage its followers. Luckily, it had already established a presence on Facebook with many loyal donors and supporters engaging with it on that platform. An important aspect of Facebook are ‘groups:’ people brought together by a common characteristic, hobby, or background. Prospect had been incorporated into local and national groups centered around the conditions that it works with, such as down syndrome, autism, and PTSD. Being a part of these groups gave it massive exposure to potential clients and/or donors. With the approaching 2020 Giving Challenge, we decided to build off of Prospect’s Facebook platform and introduce it to Instagram and Twitter. Since it had already accomplished a loyal following on Facebook, it was important that we incorporated its tactics along with new strategies to promote the 2020 Giving Challenge on the other platforms. Our team strategized to come up with a two-week social media plan for Prospect to post on all three platforms to both promote why donors should give to Prospect Riding Center and how they can give during the 2020 Giving Challenge.

We started by developing a three-day pattern to maintain a schedule on all three platforms. For two days, the center will focus on posting about why donors should donate to Prospect specifically. These posts will center around volunteers, activities, and aspects that make Prospect unique and a vital part of its community. Our ideas included volunteer introductions, tours of the grounds, horse facts, and much more content that will make the viewer feel a part of the team. For the third day, Prospect will post about how interested donors can give in the 2020 Giving Challenge. These posts will include the Giving Challenge logo, dates, and links that make donating as easy as possible. With generations that have grown up with social media, accessibility and ease is extremely important when asking young donors to give. They want to be able to click a few links and be done – not go through a long, drawn-out process.

With this two-week plan, Prospect will effectively engage its audience while guiding them toward becoming active donors. Over the course of working with Prospect, it became clear just how vital it is to its clients and community. The funds raised in the 2020 Giving Challenge will give Prospect Riding Center the ability to broadcast its mission and attract more potential clients and donors.

#philanthropy #Lucy Hauser #The Patterson Foundation #Giving Challenge #Prospect Riding Center #study away

Helping a community build homes for their heroes

By Traycee Lane

Less than one week before our small but mighty team was scheduled to land in Sarasota, Florida, we learned that our trip was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. After several weeks of preparation to travel and work alongside The Patterson Foundation and their partners, we quickly pivoted and prepared to do our work remotely. In some ways, this was disappointing. We wouldn’t get to meet local nonprofit leaders and tour facilities in person. In other ways, it was a great way to learn how as philanthropists, we must be willing to embrace and adapt to change.

When we received our assignments, I was thrilled to learn that I would be working with the Giving Challenge. The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour fundraising event that allows donors to support over 700 nonprofits in the four-county area surrounding Sarasota. This event is hosted by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and it takes place completely online! Not only is this a great way for a participating organization to connect with their existing donor base, it’s also great way to expand the awareness of their mission throughout their community.

Our group’s objective was to serve as “consultants” for two local nonprofits and develop a strategy that could enhance their success in this year’s Giving Challenge. One of the organizations we had the pleasure of working with was Manatee County Habitat for Humanity. During our virtual site visit with Executive Director Diana Shoemaker and Director of Marketing KC Quaretti, we learned that building homes is only part of what they do. In addition to their construction program, Manatee Habitat combines other efforts like their critical home repairs program and their community building efforts to create a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization.

Diana and KC shared the two goals for this year: 1) To raise $30,000 that would be used to support their veteran’s program, and 2) To identify 10 “Fundraising Champions” who will utilize the peer-to-peer fundraising platform GiveGab to engage 100 new donors. Since their focus will be on veterans this year, they were also interested in hearing our ideas on how to make this message resonate within the community, especially with younger generations.

While under normal circumstances, a consultant would have had more time to formulate a fundraising plan, we only had 24 hours. But we’re philanthropy students who were born for this moment. I’ll admit this was challenging, not only because of the time constraint, but also because we needed to develop ideas that an established organization such as Habitat Manatee hasn’t already used. As a result, some of our recommendations included small adjustments to things they already do, like using volunteers to send personalized texts rather than using a mass texting service. We also suggested some new ideas such as using Facebook Live and speaking with veterans and their families who can speak to the importance of this cause.

I’m proud of our group. Despite unfortunate circumstances, we pressed on. As a result, we built upon the concepts we’ve learned in class, helped a nonprofit from over a thousand miles away, and witnessed first-hand how another community fosters a culture of philanthropy. I am very grateful for the partnership between The Patterson Foundation and the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy for creating this impactful experience!

#The Patterson Foundation #Traycee Lane #Giving Challenge #Manatee County Habitat for Humanity #study away #philanthropy

Literacy Council of Sarasota

By McKayla Cox

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the world, it is making changes to the way we all work, live, and even operate nonprofits. The #TPFStudyAway week was of no exception, since we were unable to travel to Sarasota and completed a virtual experience instead. However, the decision to move to a virtual study away experience turned out to be extremely beneficial while I worked with the Literacy Council of Sarasota.

The Literacy Council of Sarasota (LCS) improves literacy for adults in Sarasota County through personalized, needs-based tutoring. Additionally, the Literacy Council of Sarasota uniquely offers literacy educational services through small-group instruction for businesses, human service agencies, and school districts as a way to generate additional revenue to sustain their mission in the community. The sole method of delivery for this earned-income venture is through face-to-face instruction via small group classes. This had been widely successful for the Literacy Council of Sarasota, so I set out to expand and grow their fee-for-service offerings. Of course, I didn’t do this alone. I was lucky to work with Tom and Susan from the Literacy Council of Sarasota and Mike from No Margin, No Mission on this project.

In our brainstorming sessions Tom, Susan, Mike, and I discussed many options. None of them seemed to be the perfect fit. That is, until we discussed the idea of implementing an array of services that incorporate distance education strategies. Was there a need for this? Absolutely! Here’s why:

· People’s busy schedules require flexible service offerings.

· There is demand for educational services that allow adult language learners to access them 24/7/365.

· Shame and stigma is an issue for many low literate individuals and providing anonymity is critical.

· Need to increase access to low literate native English speakers.

· In today’s new COVID-19 world, meeting face-to-face is challenging.

Since the Literacy Council was not currently incorporating any of these strategies in their services, we knew that we would need to complete some work during the implementation phase to make this happen. Implementation activities would include things like subscribing to an online learning platform, training and recruiting volunteers, developing marketing and communications strategies to market the expanded service offerings, and acquiring the needed growth capital. With our implementation strategies set, we then worked on a timeline. We should expect to see a pilot of the program by Q3 2020!

As LCS moves forward with their new earned income opportunity, we anticipated there would be some ripple effects as well. We expect that learners will be able to take more classes on their own schedule and will capitalize on their digital literacy skills by completing virtual classes. LCS will also be able to attract younger volunteers to build capacity and the organization will also be able to expand its offerings in computer, health, and financial literacy. Most importantly, the Literacy Council of Sarasota will expand its reach, and therefore, its mission impact.

Although it was disappointing not to be in Sarasota with The Patterson Foundation and the Literacy Council of Sarasota, the virtual experiences became the cornerstone of my work with LCS. As we continue to work and live in today’s COVID-19 world, all of us will make changes to our lives. The time is right for nonprofits to pursue distance education and virtual resources as key components of service delivery. These service delivery models will make a difference in boosting revenue and mission impact!

#Literacy Council of Sarasota #McKayla Cox #The Patterson Foundation #study away #philanthropy

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

By Tanika Scott

The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (SCGLR) is an initiative supported by The Patterson Foundation (TPF) that focuses on youth literacy. As part of a nationwide movement, SCGLR is a community-wide effort to help children from birth through 3rd grade, especially those from asset-limited families, succeed in life by ensuring they read at their grade level by the end of third grade. The Suncoast region consists of the 4 following counties in Florida: Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee, and Sarasota.

TPF’s role is to utilize its resources to support the local coalitions by assisting with planning, sharing national research and best practices, assisting in securing state and national funding, assisting with communication resources, and fostering community connectivity by promoting that the four counties learn and share with each other.

TPF’s community partners for SCGLR include nonprofits, schools, community organizations, and individuals. Regional United Ways serve as the lead partner for three of the counties, while the Community Foundation of Sarasota County is the lead partner for Sarasota County.

The foundation for a student’s positive school experience primarily starts with a successful transition between reading to learn and learning to read. When this transition is successful, it reduces the likelihood that the student will fall behind early in life. This knowledge has led to SCGLR initiatives and projects that focus on five solution areas proven to ensure early school success:

· School Readiness – The preparation that takes place in the years between birth and the first day of kindergarten.

· Attendance – Focuses on decreasing chronic absences.

· Summer Learning – Focuses on lessening the academic learning loss when students are out of school for the summer and do not engage in educational activities.

· Family Engagement – Focuses on keeping parents and family members involved as part of the student’s support team.

· Health Determinants – Focuses on how a healthy development (physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and verbal) impacts a child’s ability to learn.

Last year, each of the four counties in SCGLR saw an increase in 3rd Grade Reading Proficiency (as shown below), a true testament to the importance and success of the program.

3rd Grade Reading Proficiency

County 2018 2019

Charlotte 63% 69%

DeSoto 29% 34%

Manatee 49% 51%

Sarasota 68% 70%

There are a variety of events and activities that promote SCGLR including: a summer reading challenge, Reach Out and Read, and Pop-Up Neighbor. Of these events, Pop-Up Neighbor is probably the most loved event because it is a surprise event that involves a whole community, in the spirit of being good neighbors. At these Pop-Up Neighbor events, TPF partners with The Laundry Project and other community groups (a laundromat, food banks, libraries, sports teams, etc.) to provide free, unlimited laundry cleaning for any family/person that shows up at the laundromat that day. In addition, the event offers free food and entertainment. Attendees also receive a free book for all of the children in their family.

I was on a team (along with Kellie Alexander, Haley Bryant, and Pamela Clark) that had to analyze survey results from three different focus groups that consisted of early educators, parents, & kindergarten and administrator educators. We identified common themes and issues that were evident in the responses and gave a presentation that suggested ways to improve communication, collaboration, and access to quality education, in order for a student to have a successful transition from Pre-K to Kindergarten. Through this insightful project, I was surprised to learn that lack of communication between parents, teachers, and administrators was one of the main reasons that students had trouble transitioning from Pre-K to Kindergarten.

For more information about this initiative, as well as resources and tools, visit https://www.gradelevelreadingsuncoast.net/ and https://www.thepattersonfoundation.org/suncoast-grade-level-reading.html.

#Tanika Scott #The Patterson Foundation #Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading #philanthropy #study away

Margin & Mission Ignition: Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity

By Connor LaGrange

There is a Proverb in the Bible that goes, “Hope differed, makes the heart sick.”

I have experienced heart sickness a few times in my life, but when the news came in that our spring break study away trip to The Patterson Foundation (TPF) was cancelled, I was absolutely devastated. I was so looking forward to the chance to learn and convene with the incredible leaders that The Patterson Foundation was bringing together (and selfishly, I was looking forward to some sunshine).

After the news of our trip cancelation, I was not expecting much from the class (because, well, TPF is in Florida and we are not). However, the way the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and TPF collaborated to create a week-long virtual learning space was amazing. Not only was it amazing, it was extremely humbling to see the effort the two organizations put in to make things work for students.

Obviously, much of our plan was changed due to the virtual nature of our trip, but we were still able to participate in many activities with The Patterson Foundation and their local partners. For the week, I was partnered with one of The Patterson Foundation’s initiatives, Margin & Mission Ignition (MMI). MMI focuses on training non-profits to create their own earned income to supplement their financial means. Through MMI I was able to spend a few days working with the Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity and learning about a potential earned-income venture for their resale stores.

Working alongside their CEO Mike Mansfield and Senior Director for Outreach Gabrielle Reineck was an absolute joy. The two of them, combined with Larry Clark’s guidance and leadership, gave us the best possible experience. They were eager to share their experiences and more than willing to listen to a few suggestions we had. It was humbling to watch them set aside time for me in the midst of an insane week for many businesses. We were able to home in on ways, such as purchasing new merchandise and selling it at a markup, in which Habitat could continue to generate more income than they currently were. We were then able to share our findings with a group of Lilly Family School of Philanthropy students, faculty, TPF faculty and other non-profits who had previously participated in MMI. It was a great virtual forum where we were able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of not only our plan, but the plan of other student consultants in the MMI program. It was wonderful to see so many community leaders interacting and encouraging one another in the fight to continually change their worlds for the better.

It is hard to share in such a short forum the impact this week has had. It was a hopeful experience. I was able to watch people so invested in changing the world, come together and pour their knowledge into students who were learning across the country. It was inspiring to see a new generation of philanthropists gleaning all the information they could from people who have spent their lives doing what we learn about in our classroom walls.

#The Patterson Foundation #Margin and Mission Ignition #Connor LaGrange #study away #philanthropy #Habitat for Humanity

Learning Communications Strategies with MagnifyGood

By Haley Bryant

On Monday, March 19, 2020, all 12 of the study away course members met with The Patterson Foundation and its communications team to have a communications workshop. The workshop was led by Sam Stern and Roxanne Joffe from MagnifyGood. They discussed strategic communications, defining it as “the purposeful use of communication by an organization to fulfill its mission.”

We started off our workshop by saying if we have been strategic communicators. I knew I had been at some point, but I was not sure what it would have been. Pamela Clark said that she strategically communicates with current and potential students during recruitment and advising appointments at our school. I talk to current students a lot with my job in student services, and also speak with prospective students when I either give them a tour of campus or work at career fairs that IUPUI admissions holds.

MagnifyGood said in this presentation that “social sector organizations assume everyone knows about them and their mission,” which leads them to fail to make communication a true priority. Stern and Joffe then went over The Patterson Foundation’s 2019 metrics on their social media. The Foundation has a solid following, and is very active on its Twitter and Facebook accounts, while also publishing blog posts every week.

MagnifyGood also wanted to show us its communications plan for #GivingTuesday, and how they hope that DeSoto, Sarasota, Manatee, and Charlotte Counties have a 100% response rate on the 2020 Census. The firm established calls to action, such as visit a nonprofit’s website and make a donation, tell a friend, and take the Census. They had to create a motivator to make individuals want to donate and take the Census. The motivator was based around knowing that their donations were going to make a difference in the four counties. A video was also shown to us on how we can establish our own motivators.

Then, they showed a video that talked about a person or an organization's why: why should they care, why should they donate, why is this important, etc.? You have to find your why before people are going to care and understand what you are working toward. Then you have to decide how you are going to reach them. There are four different areas of media, and I learned that you want to be the middle of all four of those. The first one is earned media, second is paid media, third is owned media, and fourth is shared media. However, communication can happen everywhere, and it does not have to be paid for. Instead, it is all about mindset. This was a really interesting presentation to me because I never thought of coming up with a why statement. The why can help me in anything that I do, and can relate to assignments and internships and jobs.

Overall, this was an amazing presentation and I am very thankful that MagnifyGood shared with us what communication is and how to communicate well. I will use the knowledge gained from this presentation on how to communicate effectively in personal and work life for many years ahead..

#philanthropy #communications #study away #Haley Bryant #The Patterson Foundation #MagnifyGood

Margin & Mission Ignition: Visual Arts Center

By Rachel Ploss

When you are lucky enough to receive an opportunity to gain experiences for your career, I think your goal should be to learn from it and grow as much as you can. At least, that was my goal when I was selected to be a consultant for the Margin & Mission Ignition initiative for the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda, Florida. I wanted to work on this initiative because I wanted a challenge, and it scared me the most out of the three initiatives of The Patterson Foundation we could choose to focus on for our course. I am only twenty years old and I have zero consulting experience. Coming up with a plan in one day for Visual Arts Center to gain earned income was scary. I did not think I would be good enough to be on the initiative, but then I realized that this was the best way for me to grow and learn and push myself. I am so glad I chose this initiative because I grew beyond my expectations and it is now an experience I’ll carry with me forever.

After watching the webinar prepared by The Patterson Foundation with the initiative consultants for Margin & Mission Ignition, I knew that I would be in good hands for help and guidance. Their webinar was funny and energetic, and all three leaders were quite knowledgeable, which came through during our virtual trip. I got to work closely with Larry Clark, and he provided me with great guidance and feedback throughout my process of coming up with a plan for the Visual Arts Center. It is because of his guidance and suggestions that I had such a great experience and put together some of my best work in order to present my plan at the end of the week.

By working closely with the Visual Arts Center Executive Director, Janet Watermeier, I really got to know the organization within two days. They had an earned-income opportunity to increase revenue through their Art & Supply Store by enhancing their strategic partnerships. Working with Janet, I discovered that the Visual Arts Center has a strong alliance with the public schools, as well as a goal to increase youth engagement with the Visual Arts Center. My idea was to build on that alliance and secure funds from a donor to sponsor an art teacher at each school with $500 that they could use to purchase quality art supplies for their students from the Art & Supply Store. This idea would give funding to schools that are typically in need of funding and would provide students with quality supplies to be creative and embrace STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). I developed this idea with Janet over a long day, and put together a PowerPoint presentation to present this plan in detail about how the Visual Arts Center could implement this project in a pilot phase and eventually expand to more schools and even youth clubs to increase revenue.

It was one of the best presentations I have ever done and it is an experience I will carry with me throughout my philanthropic career.

#Margin & Mission Ignition #The Patterson Foundation #Rachel Ploss #Visual Arts Center #philanthropy #study away

The Giving Challenge

By Kellie Alexander

Through the “The Future of the Philanthropic Sector – Experiential Learning with The Patterson Foundation” course, students have an opportunity to explore many different parts of the nonprofit sector, including the Giving Challenge, which is presented by the Community Foundation of Sarasota County with giving strengthened by The Patterson Foundation. On Wednesday, March 18th these students listened in on the Giving Challenge Panel Discussion with members of both foundations and local nonprofit organization members.

We started our conversation with an introduction of everyone sharing a moment when their philanthropic passion was sparked. Learning from each other’s experiences presented the motto that everyone can be a philanthropist. It took us on the perfect detour in order to fully understand the components that make up the Giving Challenge.

Using the same theme as our course objective, inspiring philanthropy, the Giving Challenge gives organizations an opportunity to develop connections within the communities of Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties in Florida. However, before an organization can take part in the Giving Challenge, a profile on The Giving Partner must be created. The Giving Partner is an online platform offering key information about nonprofits in the region to help donors make informed decisions. Organizations must develop and update a profile in order to show their impact in their local community. This must include evidence of transparent practices, legal documents and their mission, and their programs and needs. Only after completion of this profile are nonprofits eligible to take part in the Giving Challenge.

Nonprofit members agree that The Giving Partner, which recently upgraded to a new platform, is easy to use to upload documents, stories, photos, and use the interactive space. In addition, this is an amazing opportunity to allow the community to look at what local organizations can do while also working with GiveGab, an online giving platform, to establish a new arena that is supportive for this need.

However, organizations must do more than just upload a profile onto The Giving Partner. They must pump their philanthropic muscle to get those donations from community members who can give. During the months leading up to the Giving Challenge and even after, communication trainings on how to reach out to donors take place, and fundraising campaign strategies are shared for organizations and other community members.

The Giving Challenge is a 24-hour completely virtual event that takes place during strategically planned times. The donations that go to organizations are unrestricted revenue, which is able to directly develop programs that make sense and fit the needs of the community. There is a minimum donation of $25 within the Giving Challenge, which allows everyone to be a philanthropist. In addition, during the 2020 Giving Challenge, The Patterson Foundation will match unique donations 1:1 up to $100 without a cap on the number of unique donations. This allows donors to give to whom they want, and then gives organizations the ability to raise as much money as they can.

A member from a smaller local nonprofit organization stated that through the Giving Challenge, more donors and friends join in to create large change and positive effect. “We are able to tell our story and communicate with the donors through this experience. Especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still able to check in with donors, see how they are doing, and thank them.”

After the Giving Challenge takes place, there is one thing that is imperative for organizations to follow through with: Thanking donors! This campaign is not just about the 24 hours, but about the difference that can be made during and after the virtual event. Organizations have the opportunity to steward these donors that are seeking opportunities to make a difference now and in the future.

The Giving Challenge shows that everyone can be a philanthropist — they just need the opportunity to find their passion.

#The Patterson Foundation #The Giving Challenge #Kellie Alexander #philanthropy #study away

The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and The Patterson Foundation are partnering on “The Future of the Philanthropic Sector,” a special topics course for the school's students during the spring 2020 semester. The course has connected students to The Patterson Foundation’s innovative approach to philanthropy and nonprofits in the Sarasota area engaged in the Foundation’s initiatives through interactive online experiences.

By Madison Johnson

Well, this week has been quite the turn of events! With the cancellation of face-to-face classes, domestic/international travel and large events, IUPUI has had to drastically change plans for spring break. These changes have given students the opportunity to focus on their health and well-being, while also being able to continue their education through online coursework. I believe that is an extremely well thought-out decision, and I appreciate Indiana University making that decision. However, this has obviously caused quite the issue for our study-away class in terms of travelling to Sarasota to work with The Patterson Foundation for the week. While our class is not sure what the upcoming week will look like, our professors, along with our colleagues at The Patterson Foundation, are working tirelessly to create a connection between us for the next week. While everything is still up in the air, I can still talk in-depth about the steps we took in order to prepare ourselves for the upcoming week, when we still had plans to go to Sarasota.

Our class worked extensively on the topic of team-building. Our instructional team worked vigorously putting together projects, assignments, and guest lecturers, and gathered all available tools in order for our class to gain a complete understanding of how teamwork will benefit us during our week in Sarasota, as well as our professional careers. Teamwork is a crucial responsibility of our role as students when travelling to work with The Patterson Foundation because the duties expressed to us would all be done poorly if our class was not a well-oiled machine.

Another item our class worked on was taking notes over the webinars provided that had information regarding the different initiatives we are able to choose from while in Sarasota. The webinars were very informative and made the week that we were going to spend in Sarasota very exciting and full of tasks that would allow us to further our knowledge in the field of philanthropy!

Overall, class meetings have made our team more than prepared to take on this generous opportunity. I know I can speak for all of the students in this course when I say I have learned how to be a better leader in my own work and a better teammate in all settings. I know our class will be able to work well as a team, as the expertise and knowledge that we each bring to the table is so diverse and that will be more than helpful when we get to work online with The Patterson Foundation and their partners! The skills we have gained so far and will continue to gain when our week of activities begins will carry on with us through graduation and into our professional careers. Again, I know I can speak for the class when I say that this opportunity to work with The Patterson Foundation is not taken lightly and we will work to complete our projects with knowledge, care and professionalism.

#The Patterson Foundation #study away #Madison Johnson #class #philanthropy #teamwork

Connecting event management with volunteering in the Netherlands

By Katelyn Summitt

Located in North Holland, specifically a cultural association in NDSM Werf, Hemeltjelief!jelief Festival is a big deal. Hemeltjelief!jelief Festival is for everyone and every age and is made up of exciting bands, grooving DJs, rich culture and arts, as well as ever changing themes. This year’s theme was ‘Out of Space’ and never brought a dull moment to those in attendance. The Festival takes place every year on Ascension Thursday, which commemorates the Christian belief of the bodily Ascension of Jesus into heaven. As an event management and philanthropic studies student at IUPUI, I was especially excited to contribute my knowledge of strategic event planning to my volunteer tasks throughout the day. Every year, Amsterdam hosts numerous world-class conventions, trade fairs, and events. The city is also known as a bustling tourist destination due to its world-famous museums, beautiful canals, and high-quality accommodations.

I was enthusiastic to learn more about the festival's basic event logistics, what the planning process was like, and also about the appropriate permits needed to host such a large event in Amsterdam compared to the United States. Our group was assigned a variety of volunteer tasks which included registration and entry support, program facilitation, as well as operational support. Food truck vendors, live music performers, local street artists, face painters, a bouncy house, vintage pop-up shops, security personnel, and even a rocket-ship marshmallow roaster on wheels, all contributed to the excitement and overall success of the festival as over 5,000 people attended. Initially, I was assigned to help out at Boraboarland, which translates to “fantasyland” where children were welcome to purchase articles of clothing, decorate them using a variety of creative supplies, and then dress up.

I also assisted with basic set-up and helped to ensure that specific safety measures were met. While doing this, I noticed a few questionable safety measures, which would likely never be allowed at a festival or any event in the United States. In Amsterdam, event permits and licenses typically don’t have very strict conditions and the police department, fire department, and other municipal departments seem to be more carefree and tolerant. Interestingly enough, one event permit for a large scale event like the Hemeltjelief!jelief Festival in Amsterdam can cost between €7,500 and €10,000 where as in the United States, a special event permit fee is not near this expensive. Specifically, in Indianapolis, a special event permit anticipating over 2,500 attendees can cost around $250. Also, special event permit applications are by far more involved and structured in the United States than special event permit requests in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam’s requirements and conditions for the organization of large-scale events include submitting a safety plan, ensuring that traffic is never blocked, determining the impact the event has on public space, time and emergency aid services, as well as being aware and extremely cautious of the risk of pollution or damage to the environment in any way. The Dutch’s thoughtful environmental conscious and awareness seems to be a positive driving factor when considering all aspects of an event during the planning process. While the United States seems to be more concerned with the direct safety of attendees and fortunately, places severe emphasis on special event insurance, we can learn from the Dutch in terms of environmental awareness and further strive to develop lasting event sustainability plans.

Holding a successful event requires a large staff and volunteers to ensure everything goes smoothly and as planned. Universally and without a doubt, volunteering offers an abundance of positive benefits to everyone involved. Volunteering at community events allows us to not only positively contribute to the manpower supporting the event in terms of operations, but it helps us feel more connected to others, socialize, develop new skills, expand career options, problem solve, improve programming, teach others, and gain valuable leadership experience.

Specifically, at the Hemeltjelief!jelief Festival, the event staff seemed very appreciative of our group right away due to their welcoming attitudes, and I was happy to be able to meet and connect with a diverse range of people. Overall, I felt that volunteering at the Hemeltjelief!jelief Festival enhanced our group's discussions and strengthened everyone's sense of achievement. Volunteering was definitely one of the biggest highlights of our time in Amsterdam! Pictured below is a moment I found particularly fun (and dangerous) was walking alongside the rocket-ship marshmallow roaster tricycle and eventually roasting my own marshmallow. The rocket-ship driver insisted that the marshmallows came from trees on planet Mars. I was very uneasy about getting too close to the flames!

#philanthropy #volunteering #study abroad #festival #amsterdam #event management

Reflection for A Broader Mind

By Taylor Parker

On the last day of the Summer 2019 Lilly Family School of Philanthropy study abroad program, the class got to sit with Rosan Van Niekerk (social sciences student, Broader Mind employee) and Arjen De Wit (post-doc researcher). Rosan and Arjen were able to share about the work they’ve done with A Broader Mind program and the intentions behind the first pilot year (which just ended).

A Broader Mind is an optional course for students at Vrije University in Amsterdam. This course teaches students about 8 focuses that are set to increase their social awareness and expand their current worldview. During the presentation, Rosan shared that “the knowledge you learn in your study program may not be valid in a few years so you need to learn more about how you as a person relates to the program and develop as a student and a person.” The emphasis here is that the university wants to use this course as an effort to not necessarily create better students, but to create better people.

A Broader Mind has three objectives: the A Broader Mind course, community service learning, and a longitudinal study. With these components, the university hopes to expand and improve A Broader Mind for different study programs and different needs of the student culture.

To really understand the exercises for the program and the impact that it can have on students, Rosan and Arjen led our group in an exercise from their SUCCESS module. For this exercise, we were first tasked with naming someone we really admire from an international perspective. Why do we admire them? What is the nature of their greatest success? From there, we were tasked with naming three people we admire from a local or inner-circle perspective. Why do we admire them? Was it easy or hard to pick three? From there, we were to create definitions of success in a way that those three people would define it based on their life experiences, why we admire them, and their successes. In the end, we used all of this to define success for ourselves.

Personally, I defined a successful life as a life lived to make living easier for others without compromising one’s values, doing tangible good, and looking over the past with contentment and pride. It was fascinating to hear all of my peers’ thoughts on success and personal definitions. What really struck a chord with me was how engaged Rosan and Arjen were through the entire exercise. Their interest and passion for the program and its results showed through every step, even if we weren’t their students from Amsterdam. There was a genuine care for student learning and perspective gaining from the get-go with the two of them.

They mentioned that the program is going to have 200 students in the upcoming year. That may sound like just another number, but it’s a very exciting idea. Two hundred students will expand their worldview in the next year. This could mean more empathy among peers in higher education or more interest in international or intercultural experiences. It could lead to new interests in different study areas or new friendship without the social and cultural boundaries that would have separated or prevented them beforehand. Two hundred students will be able to be a bit more informed and maybe even a bit more kind.

At the beginning of the presentation, Arjen and Rosan shared their stories of how they gained broader perspectives, or broader minds. Both of them seemed truly touched and changed by these experiences, very eager to share them with the group as if to inspire a similar moment for one of us. It was clear they believed in the program and they believed in students.

The study abroad trip alone has given this group of students an expanded worldview, but the presentation of values that people are constantly learning about was so helpful for reflection at the end of this trip. A Broader Mind is a remarkable program that truly has the opportunity to radically change the campus culture at VU. With that opportunity, I can easily see how Arjen and Rosan are so passionate about their work and why they believe so strongly in the positive impact from having A Broader Mind.

#philanthropy #amsterdam #study abroad #a broader mind #success

Charitable lotteries and philanthropy

By Ryan Duncan

Friday, May 31st was our last official day all together for the Philanthropy in Comparative European Perspective group, and we spent the afternoon at the headquarters of the Dutch Charity Lotteries, a building located at Beethovenstraat 200, which is a bit south from the Amsterdam city center in a commercial area of town. It was a short walk from our morning lecture at Vrije University, and not far from the southern train station and transportation hub, Station Zuid.

The first thing I need to mention is our wonderful lunch at La Lotteria, the restaurant located in the HQ building. It is a very good osteria (a fancy word for an Italian Restaurant) and we were served an array of appetizers (antipasto), several kinds of pasta, a few pizzas and perhaps a glass of wine here or there. The food was amazing. Additionally, we learned that the restaurant itself is a social enterprise. It is part of a group of eateries in the Netherlands called The Colour Kitchen, whose motto is “No Social Waste”. The idea is to offer training and job opportunities in the culinary field for people who have had difficult pasts and/or other trouble entering the workforce. Attached is a short video about their mission (in Dutch unfortunately).

After lunch, with bellies full, we were given a tour of the building, which is brand new and very impressive. The Dutch Charitable Lotteries purchased the property in 2013, during a downturn in the Dutch economy. Previously, as the enterprise grew, it had occupied 30 buildings spread out around downtown Amsterdam. The decision was made to find a new home that would consolidate and centralize the National Postcode Lottery’s (NPL) activity. Over three years, the building underwent a massive renovation, and was just finally fully occupied earlier this year. The most outstanding feature of the edifice is the large, multi-story atrium that is full of light and vibrant architectural features. In truth, that area was originally a parking lot, but the designers of the building wrapped the whole thing in triple paned, environmentally sound glass and steel panels.

Thus, the former outdoor parking area was transformed into a massive atrium, entryway, and public space for the workers. Sustainability and eco-friendliness is a top priority for both the designers of the building and of the lotteries itself. Therefore, the facility incorporates many other features including 6,800 aluminum foils in the ceiling that help direct and diffuse light, a rooftop garden, 950 solar panels that furnish electricity, a rain collection system, and tons of windows. Public “hot” zones were created as well as more personal, private, quiet “cold zones” that are more conducive to individual work. In addition, there is an auditorium and a television studio. Our guide also mentioned that when not at full capacity, the building itself is actually energy positive, meaning that it actually produces more energy than it consumes. However, with all of the work that goes on in running a national social enterprise, the building does use its share of energy when it is being actively utilized.

After our tour, we were then ushered into a boardroom, where we were given a presentation about the nature of one of the lotteries, the Dutch Nationale Postcode Loterij by a woman named Marieke, who is a director in charge of charity applications. The firm was founded in 1989 by a company called Novamedia, a marketing organization that sets up and runs charitable lotteries in the Netherlands and several other countries including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany, Norway and Sweden. In addition to the Postcode Lottery, Novamedia also administers two other charitable lotteries in the Netherlands, the Friends Lottery, which focuses on health related charities and also the Bankgiro Lottery, which provides funds for museums and other cultural institutions.

Interestingly enough, Novamedia and its subsidiaries are not nonprofits. The individual lotteries are all independent and provide Novamedia with a licensing fee. They are actually social enterprises which means that while they do make profits and are organized as commercial endeavors, they also have a primary concern in social welfare. As far as the Dutch Postcode Lottery is concerned, 50% of lottery proceeds are donated to a wide array of over 80 charities, 30% are used for prizes, and the remaining 20% are used for company operations, staff, marketing, etc. In truth, the money generated is staggering, making the Dutch Postcode Lottery the third largest private charitable donor in the world, in terms of annual donations.

Uniquely, however, unlike the mega-foundations, they do not retain any endowment, and produce funds solely from their own operations year after year. Approximately 2.9 million Dutch residences participate in the postcode lottery, out of seven million total households. Prizes are awarded when a person’s postcode (equivalent to a US Zip Code but smaller) is called and the money is split among the resident subscribers.

Operationally, the NPL spends a lot of its budget on marketing, two daily live broadcasts on national TV, and direct mailings. In order to further legitimize their position, the NPL also uses ambassadors to represent the firm. Famous people who have served as ambassadors include Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, Rafael Nadal, and famous Dutch soccer legend Johan Cruyff, among others.

We capped off our final day back at VU, where we engaged in some reflection and discussed our final flipgrid assignment as a class, wrote some thank-you cards, and said our goodbyes. Thanks to Pamala, Cathie, and everyone for a wonderful class, travel adventure, opportunity, and experience!

#study abroad #amsterdam #philanthropy #lotteries

Philanthropy and the power of words

By Abby Rolland

Last Thursday was a day of contrasts: we volunteered in the morning at a children’s festival, thrown in conjunction with Ascension Day in the Netherlands. It was a joyous, albeit crowded occasion, with children and their parents and guardians enjoying a multitude of activities and a festive atmosphere. However, I’ll focus on our second activity: one on the complete other side of festivity. We were able to take a tour of the Anne Frank House, a museum preserving the memory of a young woman, her family, and their friends, who were brutally murdered by the Nazi regime during the Holocaust in the 1940s. This young woman’s diary survived a horrific time, and was later published by her father, the sole survivor of eight people of ‘The Secret Annex.’

How one puts into words the impact of the museum and annex is incredibly difficult, and I write for a living. The echoes of the audio guides throughout the museum felt to me like whispers of ghosts from 75+ years past, sharing stories, feelings, and memories of lives lived. Throughout the creaky walk in the Annex, Anne’s words came alive, helping visitors imagine the world she lived in. It was a world of adventure, with a love of writing. It included pictures of famous actresses and family pasted on walls and a desire to learn more and understand the world.

That world ended so cruelly in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in February 1945 after two years of hiding and six months of transport and suffering in extermination camps. Fifteen years old and murdered two months before the end of the war, Anne’s devastating death ended the dreams of an innocent girl.

However, her words live on. While her dreams ended tin the misery of a concentration camp, Anne’s diary serves as a voice for six million other innocents slaughtered by a regime intent on implementing “The Final Solution,” which was and is not a solution, but a horrific mission carried out by those who were evil and those incapable and unwilling to stand up for what was and is right.

During this study abroad, I have tried to relate what I’ve learned to philanthropy. This was a different and difficult experience, one where I thought I honestly didn’t and couldn’t connect a young woman’s life and cruel death to a word defined as love of humanity. As I walked out into the cool spring evening after our visit though, I thought of the power of Anne’s words and something I heard in a lecture seven months ago. Anne’s diary has been translated into over 70 languages and read by millions all over the world. At the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving’s Distinguished Visitor’s Lecture, Aimee Laramore shared her four “t” gifts of philanthropy: time, treasure, talent, and testimony. Stories, ones that include the good and the harm caused by philanthropy, are a powerful source of truth. Words can also craft lies and do harm, but I believe in the importance of sharing the truth in philanthropy, and testimonies and stories are a way to do that. Anne recognized the power of words, sharing that she wanted to be a famous writer or journalist when she grew up. As a writer and a student of philanthropy, I take these words to heart. They are a reminder of the importance of stories, and an encouragement to continue sharing stories of hope, goodwill, and love of humanity, while fighting the lies and power-hungry individuals that seek to destroy that love, or those who wish to continue on with the way things are, unwilling to inspire or work to promote real change.

Throughout this study abroad program, we have learned about and discussed many areas of philanthropy: corporate philanthropy and CSR, employee engagement, volunteering, history of philanthropy and philanthropic practices, the culture of giving and volunteering in three different countries, the challenges of fundraising and board and volunteer engagement, research and study in the field of philanthropy, etc.

What stands out to me is not only these lectures, discussions, and activities, but the words that we students use to write about them. We’re using our own voices to share truth, agreeing and disagreeing with aspects of philanthropy, culture, and society. We come from different backgrounds and have different strengths, interpreting and bringing to life our learning in our writing.

While we’re undergrad and grad students writing about philanthropy, and Anne was a young woman in fear of her own life every day, I came away from her museum with the renewed feeling (among many others, I was quite emotional) that words matter. Even in the most terrible situations, our words speak truth to power and once they are written, especially in this day in age, it’s difficult for them to be erased.

Anne’s story is one that has stayed and will stay with me forever, reminding me that those who write, believe, and work can truly make a difference in this world.

#philanthropy #study abroad #amsterdam #writing #anne frank #stories

A visit to the Rijksmuseum

By Duke Ogar

The other day our group visited KPN Mooiste Contact Fonds and the Rijksmuseum. As a lead sponsor, KPN not only supports the Rijksmuseum financially, but in particular with information and communications tech expertise. For instance, the museum guides use iPads on their tours, and visitors will find iPads in sub-collections that provide additional information about the artworks. Additionally, the Rijksmuseum’s acclaimed website is hosted by KPN. These are some of the ways KPN is making art accessible for everyone. Just as important are the large number of innovative products that KPN supplies in the fields of telephone, data traffic and data storage. In this way, KPN is helping the Rijksmuseum achieve its strategy of being an innovative, state-of-the-art cultural institution of global significance.

The Rijksmuseum is a family friendly Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. To give a brief background, it was founded in the 1800s in The Hague and moved to Amsterdam in 1808. The current building was designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1885. The collection of the Rijksmuseum consists of 1 million pieces of art from the years 1200 to 2000. According to the tour guide, about 8,000 pieces are currently on display. More than 2,000 paintings were derived from the Dutch Golden Age by several notable painters such as Jacob van Ruisdael, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, and Rembrandt. Interestingly, the museum proceeded to making 125,000 high resolution images available for download through its Rijksstudio web platform, with plans to add another 40,000 images per year until the entire collection of one million works is available, thanks to KPN.

The Rijksmuseum’s world-famous collection is now presented in an entirely new way. Visitors can now travel through time and experience a sense of beauty and time. As mentioned, 8,000 objects in 80 rooms tell the story of 800 years of Dutch art and history.

The Rijksmuseum’s collection illustrates the history of Holland, from the Middle Ages to the present. It showcases art and history in an international context. Some works that many look forward to seeing include:

· Night Watch, Rembrandt van Rijn’s most well-known painting that is famous throughout the world.

· The museum’s Gallery of Honor in which paintings from great masters are displayed, including Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Vermeer and Rembrandt. Even if one has only little time to spare for a visit, this is where you can see the best of the Golden Age in one place.

· A gorgeous collection of Delft Blue pottery ranging from tea sets to vases.

· The Cuypersbibliotheek, which is the biggest and oldest art history library in Holland. A far-reaching renovation has restored the space to its original state.

The museum organizes several exhibitions in what is known as the Philips Wing each year, showcasing works from its own collection as well as international loans. There is a coffee corner in the Philips Wing, where one could also buy exhibition catalogues and gifts associated with the exhibitions.

The museum’s aim for this year is to honor Rembrandt van Rijn with prestigious exhibitions. It was great to see the biggest collection of Rembrandt’s paintings ever in a single exhibition and discover why Rembrandt is still one of the world’s greatest artists. Come fall, one can see a number of works by Spanish masters exhibited side by side with the Dutch masters of the Golden Age.

The tour was complimented by the Rijksmuseum Garden, Rijksshop and Café, which are said to be accessible without tickets from 9:00 to 18:00. The food was great, so I advise combing a visit with lunch or dinner. It is also advisable to buy an online ticket ahead of time so you can join the fast lane and don't have to wait in line for a ticket.

During the tour, I got to appreciate the generosity of the donors as they have contributed to the success of the museum. Donations and funds help support education, digitization, restoration, research, and publications at the museum. As a result of these donations and funds, the museum has been able to appoint Marije Jansen as junior curator of Japanese Prints, fulfilling a long-time ambition of the museum and a cherished dream of Marije herself. Private donations and funds have also enabled the Rijksmuseum to set up a special fellowship programme that offers talented students from the Netherlands and abroad opportunities to conduct scholarly research on Dutch art and history in an unparalleled setting. Also, thanks to the generous support of the Kramer-Lems Foundation, metal restorer Arie Pappot was able to begin doctoral research on the development of the copper and bronze industry in the seventeenth-century Netherlands.

Overall, I was very impressed by the what I saw having explored the Rijksmuseum and its many works of art. The experience also highlights ways in which philanthropy has become a vital instrument to propel art culture around the world.

#philanthropy #study abroad #amsterdam #rijksmuseum #arts and culure

Another warm welcome from sunny Amsterdam

By Kate Jarvey

I can hardly believe it’s been over a week since I wrote my last blog. The days have rushed by and the learning curve has increased with each passing day and experience. Today was another beautiful sunny morning, and Amsterdam was looking its shining best as we took the easy tram ride to Vrije University.

The University has a very spacious feel to it with many open spaces for working alone or in groups. It was a real pleasure to meet with fellow students from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Our colleagues and friends from Hamburg University were also there.

Everyone was welcomed by Professor Dr. Rene Bekkers. He went on to open the morning session by offering some very interesting insights into the differences between countries (US and the Netherlands) and specifically the differences in their values of philanthropy.

He emphasised that when the big questions about giving were addressed in Europe, research based answers were sought. The VU Philanthropic Matrix chart is an excellent example of the type of research conducted. The chart denotes evidence based answers to questions such as; what is the historical context of giving in Europe, how has that affected behavioural giving, and what are the consequences. Although research answers are available in the US, there is a case to say that research in general terms is not always used as the first informational guide to answers about philanthropy and giving.

Another fascinating comparative was made between the approach and funding of philanthropic studies at VU and universities in the US. At VU, philanthropic studies is incorporated in the department of Social Sciences. This department also houses many other research disciplines. The funding stream for research is directly linked to the number of students enrolled. In the case of Social Sciences, this is comparatively few students, especially when compared with say the School of Medicine. This is of course a fundamentally different system from the research funding streams available at US universities.

The VU Department of Social Sciences does receive some funding from the Ministry of Justice. This of course led to the question of the government seeking influence relevant to the funding provided. The answer was that the Justice Ministry is interested in the outcomes but not from an influential perspective, rather in terms of broader research outcomes.

More general discussion ensued with regard to Government in the NL. There was an unequivocal statement by Professor Bekkers to say that in the NL, people are satisfied with their government because it works! Furthermore, the higher tax rates paid in the NL (relative to US tax rates) are not a political issue.

To come back more specifically to the topic of philanthropy, one very interesting point was that corporate giving is very difficult to track as they are not obliged to report giving. VU has conducted corporate giving surveys on a two year rotational basis. However, this data is not deemed to be conclusive. The best available data shows philanthropic giving sourced as follows; 40% individuals, 40% corporations, 20% foundations and legacies. US giving by individuals would most certainly be much higher.

It was important to receive authoritative information about different countries having different giving patterns across the spectrum of philanthropic endeavours. There is so much to be learned from these differences. Of course the transformational work will be to apply this learning to our own philanthropic careers. I learned today that just honouring difference, although important, will not positively impact the racism, stigma, and ignorance that all to often defines difference in our world today. Taking positive learning from differences and applying it in our lives and our work can make a positive impact. As I reflect on these important messages I cannot help but continue to be in awe of this beautiful city, abounding in green spaces and rich history at every turn in the road.

#philanthropy #study abroad #amsterdam #research #difference

Starting with the end

By Christina Eggenberger

Often times in our philanthropic studies program, we get caught up in the debate of if anyone is truly and purely altruistic or the theories of social change and don’t discuss the beneficiary of all this philanthropic effort and energy. This morning our team headed to Rotterdam for a day of hands on volunteering as well as to learn about corporate social responsibility from Dr. Lonneke Roza of Erasmus University. Today’s activities may have seemed disparate but the common thread was a reminder that it all starts with the beneficiary. How can we, as philanthropists, start with the end in mind?

We started the day taking a mixture of trams, intercity trains, and buses to arrive at the day’s classroom – the Van Nelle Factory and more specifically Jarige Job (translated from Dutch it means Birthday Boy). Jarige Job is a nonprofit organization that provides all the ingredients for a traditional Dutch child’s birthday celebration for families living in poverty so the child doesn’t feel left out of the tradition. Dutch schools have a tradition of the birthday boy (or girl!) bringing in treats for the class and each teacher in the school. Often times school children who cannot afford such treats stay home from school on their special day so Jarige Job helps keep kids from being excluded and instead celebrated like any other Dutch child. The box also contains the makings of a home birthday party such as a cake, decorations, and even gifts. Children who grow up in poverty often miss out on opportunities and as a result feel excluded socially. Jarige Job makes sure that, no matter a child’s socio-economic status, they feel like a normal kid on their birthday.

While the idea behind these birthday boxes is a good one, what makes the organization truly brilliant is the innovative ways in which their organization has worked to identify children in need of a birthday box and they way in which they deliver their services. Working through already existing structures that serve those experiencing poverty, Jarige Job sends the birthday box directly to the home or adds it to the weekly groceries given from the food bank. The box is a common, unbranded cardboard box so the child won’t know their birthday presents and treats are provided by an outside organization. This way, the child does not have to feel different from the other children in the way they are celebrated or feel the stigma that comes with poverty.

Our group was able to volunteer with Jarige Job assembling classroom treats as well as packing the birthday boxes with everything from toys to decorations to cake mix and frosting – all the ingredients for a truly excellent childhood birthday.

Afterwards, our group was led in reflection of our volunteer activity as well as about Jarige Job by Dr. Femida Handy from the University of Pennsylvania. Our group had some suggestions for improving the box and learned a lot about how the Dutch system works and how the birthday boxes fit into already existing systems. Our reflection turned into an interesting discussion when the group turned the conversation towards the idea of gender stereotyped toys and how many of the girls toys were geared towards make-up, dolls, and coloring or crafting while many of the boys toys were about building things or science related topics. Many suggested that all the boxes be gender neutral or the toys be focused on cognitive development. Dr. Handy reminded our group that the organization is very much focused on the child as the recipient and children want the toys that they want. As much as our group of budding philanthropists want to change the entire world, the point of the birthday box is to bring joy to the birthday boy or girl. It may not be the role of Jarige Job and their volunteers to take on the gendered nature of the toy industry, but it can minimize the social exclusion children experiencing poverty feel on their birthdays.

Next up on the day’s agenda was a lecture on corporate social responsibility (CSR) from Dr. Roza. Her research focuses on employees and their relationship to the CSR programs of their employer. One of the points I found most interesting in her presentation is that CSR programs in companies are either corporate led or employee led. While she does not present evidence that one is better than another, she does present an argument that the “sweet spot” of engaging employees in CSR successfully is combining the needs of the nonprofit organization and the interest of the employees with projects relevant to the work of the business. The needs of the client need to be part of the formula for CSR success.

Whether one is volunteering for a children’s organization packing toys and balloons into a box or creating a CSR program for a large corporation, philanthropists must always keep the beneficiary in mind. Doing what interests the volunteers or employers and is most relevant to the business but leaves out the nonprofit or ultimate beneficiary of the service only serves our ego. We must always keep in mind who we are serving or what cause we are championing. So, to all the future philanthropists out there, keep the end in mind. Remember who you are serving and let that be your guide.

#philanthropy #study abroad #rotterdam #corporate philanthropy #engagement #jarige job #birthday

The importance of the buddy system

By: Jenny Convey

Our second day in Amsterdam was quite a ride! Public transit workers were on strike all day as part of their fight for a better pension system. This left our group with no option except to go through the most Dutch rite (ride?!) of passage imaginable: commute to all of today’s meetings on bikes amongst the super-skilled Dutch cyclists! And, as if that weren’t going to be tricky enough, it was pouring rain throughout our early morning travel. Would the universe have it any other way? But being the champion IUPUI students that we are, we put on our bright pink ponchos, and lined up fifteen-deep and single-file on our rental bikes (perhaps the most obvious way to out yourself as American tourists), ready to tackle this next adventure and truly experience this beautiful city the way that the Dutch are accustomed to: on two wheels. We made sure to look out for each other – we use the buddy system during the program to always triple check our classmates are accounted for – and not only survived the trek, but even had fun doing it!

Our first stop of the day was the beautiful Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s most well-known and magnificent art museum. We all locked up our bikes and happily made our way onto the museum campus, grateful to be indoors where it was dry and the coffee was flowing. And what a treat to get to have our morning lecture in such a cultural institution, especially knowing we would have time to explore the museum afterwards and get to see eight centuries of Holland’s national treasures, from Vermeer to Van Gogh to Rembrandt and beyond.

For our first appointment of the day, we learned about corporate foundations and corporate philanthropy in the Netherlands. We had a fascinating presentation from Mark Versteegen, Director of the KPN “Mooiste Contact Fonds” – its name roughly translates to “the beautiful connections foundation” – which is the corporate foundation of Dutch telecommunications company KPN. Mark explained that their mission is just as the name suggests: paralleling their parent company, the corporate foundation is in the business of connecting people and they focus on combating loneliness and social isolation in the Netherlands, which we learned is a huge issue in this country. The foundation’s work focuses only on projects that allow KPN to use the company’s knowledge, skills, technology, and/or employees to tackle the loneliness problem, and they do so together with their nonprofit partner organizations.

KlasseContact is one of the programs KPN’s foundation seems the proudest of and promotes the most. It supports children in Holland who have long-term chronic illnesses by installing a state-of-the-art rotating camera device in the child’s classroom and in their home or hospital room so that they can still participate in their school classroom in a dynamic way. In this program, KPN uses their technology to power their philanthropic work. On the other hand, within their Zilverlign initiative, the foundation uses the people-power of KPN by asking their employees to volunteer to call elderly folks who live alone – often because their spouse has died – at the same time each week to chat and check in with them. They are extremely touching programs that KPN highlights in beautiful promotional videos that really tug at your heart strings, but I did find myself juxtaposing the level of need in the population they have chosen to serve – the lonely – with some of the marginalized groups or causes in the United States who I would view as having much more urgent needs, from victims of gang violence to those experiencing homelessness and other issues.

We learned today about how innovative corporate philanthropy can be as businesses like KPN marry their cutting-edge technology and business savvy with their philanthropic endeavors and invest in au courant practices like corporate social responsibility (CSR). Companies in this day and age have come so far from the back-breaking, dangerous and uncaring workplace of the industrial period, for instance, and instead seek both to do good in the world and at the same time attract employees, customers, and shareholders based on a positive reputation they build in part through their foundation, cultural sponsorships, and CSR. Yet despite this seemingly modern approach, it struck me how similar the human condition and philanthropic responses to it can be even across eras. In particular, just the other day, we covered the history of almshouses in the Netherlands going back about 400 years and philanthropists at that time were also focused on supporting widows – just like the Zilverlign or other KPN programs for lonely seniors, who are very often widowed – and were also highly motivated to give back in order to enhance their reputation in the community.

To conclude, one very simple – and very cute! – way that KPN and their corporate foundation tries to foster a positive reputation in the Netherlands is with their mascot, Maatje. Maatje means “buddy” in English, and he serves as the mascot for the KPN Mooiste Contact Fonds, which gives out plush Maatje dolls to lonely children so that they can always have a little buddy to share their worries with. Our whole group was lucky enough to each receive the gift of a Maatje to bring home with us! In my view, philanthropy is always more meaningful when you do it with a buddy, so I am sure he will serve us well back in the States!

#philanthropy #amsterdam #study abroad #bicycles #corporate philanthropy #loneliness

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