Philanthropy in Action: Experiences of an ELP Graduate

By: Will
Will was a participant in Allowance for Good's Spring 2015 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy class in the McCormick Foundation location. Will is currently a summer fellow with Allowance for Good.  

When a friend and I signed up for Allowance for Good’s Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program the spring of my junior year in high school, I had no idea the path it would set me upon. I was originally drawn to the opportunity to learn more about a few trendy buzzwords such as philanthropy in an environment full of like-minded students. Yet, I was immediately struck by the unique messages AFG sent about what philanthropy meant.

Today, what stands out the most is a conversation our class had on the differences between charity and philanthropy. I had subconsciously come to believe that these two words were synonyms, but it was made clear to me that philanthropy went a step farther. Whereas charity is passive and monetarily based, philanthropy is active, socially conscious, and available for all audiences to participate in. (It’s what’s often specifically referred to by the staff here as the giving of time, talent, and treasure). Philanthropy, it became clear, was something I wanted to be a part of.

With this grand realization in mind, the aforementioned friend (named Jackson) and I set to work. With the help of some fantastic teachers, we founded the Student Philanthropy Initiative this fall at the Latin School of Chicago. Eight dedicated students joined us in the fall semester, where Jackson and I held biweekly classes to impart the knowledge AFG had given us onto these students. We discussed grant making, read case studies, and met with community leaders from the Uptown neighborhood—a place where Latin has strong ties. Culling resources from the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program and other national organizations, we provided the students with a baseline idea of how philanthropy is used as a catalyst for impact.

Our spring semester, though, was where the fun really started. Due to generous donations from alumni and other sources, the Student Philanthropy Initiative had $6200 to give to a deserving nonprofit in Uptown. We reached out to organizations, read grant applications, went on site visits, debated vigorously, and ultimately awarded two grants to two nonprofits doing life-changing work. The second place grant of $1200 was awarded to The Viola Project, an organization that uses Shakespeare to empower young girls from diverse backgrounds and plans on using the grant to help hire a director of diversity and outreach. The grand prize of $5000 was given to Chicago Youth Programs, which—in their own words—strives to improve the health and life opportunities of at-risk youth using a comprehensive approach aimed at developing their capabilities.” Our grant will enable them to fund a variety of programs for all age groups over the summer. These particular organizations stood out to us for their impact in the community, but it was heartening having the opportunity to come into contact with so many extraordinary nonprofits in the Uptown neighborhood alone.

Allowance for Good’s program inspired me to use what I’d learned and help implement an initiative in my community that I hope to thrive long past my graduation. If that isn’t indicative of AFG’s ripple effect, I’m not sure what is.

Now, as I return to AFG as a summer intern, I must reflect as well as look forward. I can’t wait to continue my efforts in philanthropy and community service next year in college through whatever avenues I can. And this summer, I’m ecstatic to work with such dedicated individuals on the staff to make Allowance for Good the best organization it can be.