Transparency

Andrew Carnegie once said, "It is more difficult to give away money intelligently than to earn it in the first place."

In class this week we reviewed two writings on the rise of philanthrocapitalism and together laid out our thoughts about what a healthy "social contract" with philanthrocapitalists looks like. It was interesting to dive a little deeper into what makes an organization "healthy." At the top of the list was:

Transparency: Do they report truthfully about what they do and who they are? Are they accountable and up-front with the public? We also discussed:
Recognizing Limits: Are they open to the possibility of failure and honest about that reality?
Checks and Balances: Do they have third party audits? Do they welcome legitimate questions?
Participation of Beneficiaries: Do those they seek to help have a legitimate voice within the organization? And finally:
Structural Change: Do they put money toward solving the causes rather than merely the symptoms?

As we move into the decision-making segment of this class, it isn't enough to just "feel good" about the organizations that will apply for our grants. We have to take into consideration many factors that will tell us about the long-term health and sustainability of their programs, and know that the money will be managed in a transparent, responsible way. These are some of the questions we will be asking when we start to look at proposals next week.