Creating Local Change through Community Foundations

By: Ben

Ben is participating in Allowance for Good's Spring 2016 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy class in the Elmhurst location.

"I am a Catalyst for Good
because...everyone deserves
to be treated with respect."
- Ben

What is a community foundation? What did you learn about the DuPage Foundation from Barb Szczepaniak? What did you learn about DuPage County that surprised you? How did the activity help you understand the grant making process? How can you help your community thrive? 

I learned from Barb Szczepaniak that a community foundation organizes and gives out grants to organizations aimed to help the less fortunate. Barb taught us many things about how her committee gets together and decides how much to donate to certain organizations who reached out for money, and how much of their demand they are willing to pay. I was very surprised to learn that the federal poverty level is 20,000 a year but a typical family needs a bare minimum of 63,000 a year to just get by. And I learned that that is where Barb aims to help out, the gap in between.

The activity made me understand how difficult the grant making process could be for those deciding where the money goes to. I learned that by donating to the community foundation I can make a difference by giving the people in the grant process able to give more money to more organizations in need of financial support. By doing this I can focus on helping, and focusing on making change in my own community.

Lessons in Corporate Philanthropy

By: Tim
Tim is a participant in Allowance for Good's Fall 2015 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy class in the Elmhurst location. 

"I am a catalyst for good because...
I want to improve the world"
Tim, at the ELP Elmhurst class.

Corporate philanthropy is the giving of profits or resources from a corporation to a charitable cause. When asked about philanthropy, most people think about cash.  However, facilities, services, and time are also considered types of philanthropy.

Certain employers offer matching gifts programs.  With matching gifts, a company will match an employee’s cash donation to an eligible nonprofit organization at some set ratio. With grants, the company provides a nonprofit with money to accomplish an agreed-upon purpose.  The company can also provide volunteer grants, in which the time of the corporation’s employees is also donated.

Reasons for corporate philanthropy could come from a commitment to the common good, a sense that the company is making a community investment, or even that it is a good marketing tool. Whatever the reason, research has shown that corporations with sound corporate philanthropy perform better than those without it. Emily taught me that corporations should have a social responsibility toward philanthropy.  She taught me that employees of a corporation play a significant role in corporate philanthropy.  Using matching gifts, employees can make a larger donation to their charity.

Employees can also donate their time and expertise, which can be as valuable as money. If a corporation doesn’t currently have a philanthropy program, the employee can be instrumental in providing rationale as to why corporate philanthropy is important and then assisting the company in setting one up. When I am in the working world, I can see myself becoming involved in philanthropy by providing donations of both time and money. I enjoy working with other people towards a common goal, and employing our unique abilities to accomplish it.

Free and Equal: Working towards Equal Human Rights for All

By: Danny

Danny is a participant in Allowance for Good's Fall 2015 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy class in the Elmhurst location. 

"I am a Catalyst for Good because...
I want everyone to have a chance to follow their dreams"
Danny pictured at the ELP Elmhurst class.

During our discussion about human rights and the sustainable development goals, I was introduced to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was written by the United Nations. I realized that many countries do not have the same rights as we are so fortunate to have in the United States, despite the fact that everyone is entitled to the rights. I feel these human rights are important because everyone should have the opportunity to be independent, to make decisions for themselves, and yet in numerous regions across the world, only a few or a small group of these rights are followed, which calls for a need for change. I feel that the most important right is the first right, which is: We Are All Born Free & Equal. It explains the reasoning, stating, “We are all born free. We all have our own thoughts and ideas. We should all be treated in the same way.” I feel that treating people equally has been the one of the most prevalent issues over time, which ties into the second right, which states: Don’t Discriminate. Throughout history, many issues have been caused by people not being treated equally. While many bad things have emerged from discrimination, such as the Holocaust and slavery, there are a few good things that have come from this. The good things stream from activists who have stood up to ensure equality, which is actually the root of our country, as the colonists stood up to England after unequal treatment.

While Malala is passionate about the right of education for women, I am passionate about no unfair detainment. People have the right to move as they wish, and yet many countries do not allow their citizens to leave the country. Many people, for example in North Korea, are placed in labor camps for suspicion of being a rebel despite the fact that they have no direct evidence. This ties to the right to fair trial. I could raise awareness about this issue by exposing that North Korea and other countries have labor camps, because many people are unaware of this issue. The issue with North Korea is that they do not let anyone in or out of the country. Through a Global Awareness Project, I could send materials such as clothes, shoes, and food to Syrian refugees, which is another example of people who have nowhere to go. The Syrian refugees are living in very poor conditions, and they need help.

Understanding How We Spend Money

By: Charles

Charles is a participant in Allowance for Good's 2015 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy class in the Elmhurst location. 

"I am a Catalyst for Good because....I want to make a change"
Charles at AfG's ELP class in Elmhurst this week. 

I learned how every little thing I buy really adds up. Almost all the things I am spending my money on is something that is not necessary and I can live without. I was really surprised tracking my spending because I spent a lot more than I even realized. I will definitely spend my money differently now that I realize that I don't need to spend as much money and use it to donate because I know how much farther the money goes in third world countries than it does here. Financial literacy is very important to philanthropy because if everyone realized how unnecessary a lot of the things they are buying then we could use it to change the world.

My Life Changing Moment on GEE

By: Analise
Analise was a youth traveler on Allowance for Good's 2015 Global Engagement Expedition to Bucerias, Mexico to visit Human Connections, a social enterprise designed to foster cross-cultural understanding and empower local entrepreneurs. 

Coming back from GEE, my view on my own daily life and the lives of the people I surround myself with has significantly changed. I now have a greater understanding of how much I have and how I can use all the blessings I received for better. There were several moments on the trip that caused this change, but there is one moment that stands out from the rest. On Friday, the fourth day of our trip, we visited Lomas del Valle and worked with Fundación ATD helping build the new school and playing with the little kids. After we finished playing with the kids I got to get a better look at the old school. It was astonishing to see this "school" with walls made out of wire and a roof made out of tin and then to think about my own school, Saint Ignatius.

As I walked next to one of the four outer walls of the school there was a list, as there are on many schools in Mexico. In the Mexican school system, the government sets up a school, but that is it. The children must pay for supplies, books, and repairs of their classrooms. As it is not uncommon for families to be unable to pay for all that is needed for school, each list schools' lists have the names of children who owe money to the school and how much they owe. I read the list outside of the school in Lomas del Valle and I added up the money that was owed by the ten names on the list. All together it was $435 and I thought for a low income community 435 U.S. dollars was a lot so it made sense to me. Then, it hit me. It wasn't U.S. dollars, it was in pesos. which meant it was only about $35 U.S. dollars. I knew right there that I had 3 times that amount of money sitting in my wallet on the bus.

I will forever remember that moment. It put my life in a whole new perspective I had never thought of before. I realized just how incredibly blessed I am to be born where I was, to have the family I have, to be the person I am, and to have so many opportunities in front of me that I must not waste.

Analise dancing with the kids at Entreamigos in San Pancho, Mexico.

List outside of the school in Lomas del Valle outlining how much each family owes.

Remembering to Look Up -- Lessons from GPS

By: Ross

Ross participated in Allowance for Good's 2015 Global Philanthropy Summit in June, which focused on Global Engagement.

My time at the Allowance for Good Global Philanthropy Summit (GPS) was really eye-opening. One of my goals this summer was expanding my horizons in regards to philanthropy and service. Not only did GPS introduce me to incredibly inspiring organizations and individuals, it also gave me new and interesting tools and perspectives on philanthropy. I think much of the general population views philanthropy as monetary contribution. In reality, it’s so much more. As we learned on day one of GPS, philanthropy is giving your time, talent, treasure, and/or ties.

For example, Harvey Newcomb from Rotary International and Claire Dillon of Art Works Projects taught us about the large role marketing plays in a strong philanthropic campaign. The founder of World Bicycle Relief showed us how giving children bicycles not only allows access to education, but the responsibility of managing of contracts and who is given bikes builds a structured community that is strong and savvy. Lorraine Dillon of Right to be Free showed us how the efforts of one man have changed so many lives.

While we learned so many definitions and facts about philanthropy and ways to give, we learned a lot more by meeting people, and having conversations. I personally prefer a phone call to text or email, and I much prefer a face-to-face conversation to a phone call! At GPS, we not only listened to speakers, but we asked questions. We entered a dialogue about philanthropy. The speakers Allowance for Good chose not only did interesting things, but told interesting stories. They shared with us their experiences, and encouraged us to get out there and make experiences of our own. Experiences that will someday make really interesting stories.

I think my largest takeaway from GPS was this: Philanthropy comes in all shapes and sizes, and the biggest impact we can make is opening our eyes. Looking up from screens and schedules, taking a break from the daily grind to look out that window we sit by every day and noticing something new. Whether it be a birds nest, a squirrel on your neighbor’s roof, or even the way the sunlight shines. The more we look up, the more we SEE. We miss so much by not taking time to experience. Allowance for Good made me realize the importance of looking up. When I look up, I can appreciate my world. I can see what needs fixing and I can do something about it. The Global Philanthropy Summit is surely a week well spent, and taught me lessons that are sure to keep paying off. I encourage everyone who hasn’t yet taken part in a GPS (no matter how involved with Allowance for Good you already are) to spend a week engaging, learning, and experiencing life with your eyes open. Hopefully it will be as rewarding for you as it was for me.

Ross presenting his ideas at the workshop with Chapín Coffee and Right to be Free.

Philanthropy: Fun, Easy, and Motivating

By: Meredith

Meredith is participating in Allowance for Good's spring 2014 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy: Explorers program.

I have always enjoyed helping people and having that feeling of accomplishment after. That feeling always makes me feel like a better person. To help someone I don’t have to save a person from tragic accident, I just have to do a simple act of good.

Part of what motivates me to be a philanthropist/young catalyst for good is after helping someone they get this joyful and satisfied look on their face. That makes me feel very happy with myself and what I had just done. The way people feel when I help them is the motivation I get to be a philanthropist, but I also find helping people and being a young catalyst fun. When I am given a goal that I must reach and I like to do what I have to do, it makes good memories and is very fun. Many people may think that helping people is hard, but with help from some adults, I have found that being a philanthropist and helping people is very easy.

After the first Sunday class I had I went home and talked about philanthropy with my mom. She had explained to me that I actually have done a lot of philanthropy in my life, without knowing it. During Christmas time, my family and a bunch of other families come together and wrap up presents for people that maybe can’t afford presents or need care packages to help them live easier. Also, I am a swimmer at the YWCA and had been offered to teach swimming lessons to little kids on days that I don’t have school or on the weekends. I wouldn’t get paid, but I did it anyway. I get to help out the teachers and I get to teach kids how to swim. Not only does it benefits the kids, but it helps me become a better swimmer and for in the future, a better teacher.

In the future I hope that I take charge and do good for the world. I don’t have to be a genesis that comes up with a new way to make everyone’s life easier. But, by doing little everyday things and some big projects here and there I can change the world to be just a little bit of a better place.

AfG Youth Empowered to Make Change

By: Nina

Nina is participating in Allowance for Good's inaugural Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy: Changemakers program.

Throughout the past few sessions of the ELP: Changemakers program, I have been exposed to a variety of components of the grantmaking process. In class thus far, we have covered aspects such as what makes up a non-profit (executive director, founder, board of directors, advisors, etc.), the relationship between grantors and grantees, what factors grantmakers have to take into account when awarding a grant to a non-profit, and what kinds of documents must be filled out for grantees when applying for a grant.

As a part of our weekly sessions, we have had the opportunity to look at actual grant applications, and to answer the questions posed on the application form as representatives of a real-life non profit organization. In order to help us understand what RFPs, or Requests for Proposals, which a non-profit typically fills out in order to get a certain amount of money from a foundation or other organization, such as the government, are, we created our own proposals and had a couple of members of Allowance for Good's Advisory Council give us feedback. We also had the chance to act as grantors, and write a recommendation for a non-profit worthy of a grant. These activities have all helped me gain a deeper understanding of what I think is the hardest part of having a non-profit: making sure that it functions efficiently and with the greatest impact.

For me personally, what I think are the most surprising and challenging components of the nitty-gritty aspects of non-profit long term impact and success is a) how much a person needs to know about the organization and b) how much information needs to be taken into account in the grantmaking process. You have to be able to not only talk about your organization's successes, but also its failures and how those failures have been fixed. I have learned that there is a lot more that goes into the finer aspects of what keeps an organization running smoothly, and it is not as easy as it seems. The knowledge that I have gained during this class will allow me to become a better philanthropist as I continue to work with Allowance for Good and other organizations, because it has prepared me to think about how to help a non-profit organization continue to have the greatest impact. Armed with these skills, I feel more empowered to have the ability to make a change.

Nina, left, and Zoe pose for the camera during the 2013 Global Philanthropy Summit.

Evaluating Effective Altruism with Peter Singer

By: Leah

Leah is participating in Allowance for Good's autumn 2013 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program.

Hi! I’m Leah, I’m 17, a senior at ETHS, and I’ll be writing this week’s blog post.

On Wednesday night we heard Peter Singer, a bioethics professor at Princeton, speak at Northwestern on the topic of effective altruism.  Peter belongs to a utilitarian school of thought and generally approaches issues through a secular lens.

At its core, Peter’s argument was that we should find ways to make each dollar we donate go as far as possible. This seemed based on a hierarchy similar to Maslow’s pyramid, guaranteeing all people their basic rights and necessities before addressing the non-basic needs of others. One of the examples Peter used to effectively show this point revolved around the problem of blindness. Cataracts are an incredibly common and treatable cause of blindness, especially in the developing world. A cataract surgery, giving someone the gift of sight, costs within a range of $20-50. Giving a seeing-eye dog to a not preventably blind person in the first world costs around $40,000.  Peter argues that the obvious choice is to cure many more people of preventable blindness rather than assist one person who will remain blind for the rest of their life.

Peter stressed the fact that he believes all human lives have the same value, which is something a think a lot of us coming from privileged backgrounds overlook too often. I think we need reminders, like Peter’s lecture, that we are people in exactly the way that people from Cambodia, Laos, Botswana, Uganda, Columbia, and Nicaragua are people and that we cannot assign their lives any less value than we assign our own. This is a topic we discuss a lot in ELP and I think it merits our attention.

Some of the Northwestern students in the crowd asked questions that were frankly kind of stupid. Through my learning about the world (in ELP and elsewhere) and by simply listening to Peter’s talk, I felt confident enough to answer. Hopefully more students in my generation will learn what I have the privilege of learning now in ELP and the power of listening so that we can avoid silly questions and truly get ot the core of helping our world.

Leah, left, shares her group's venture philanthropy idea during one of the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy sessions. 

Millennials Want Companies That Encourage Philanthropy

By: Turner

Turner is participating in Allowance for Good's autumn 2013 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy program.

At our last ELP meeting we talked about corporate philanthropy. Corporate philanthropy is a way for companies to give back to the community and their employees. At our meeting I learned a lot of things I didn’t know about corporate philanthropy and how some companies help their customers too. Corporate philanthropy is also used within companies to inspire their employees to help others.

During our session we talked about how corporations give back to their employees and customers. And we talked about some of the different ways companies can be philanthropic. Some of the ways companies are philanthropic are that some give their employees days off to do philanthropic work and get paid for it as a regular workday. Some companies will match the donations of their employees if they donate to an organization and encourage them to donate. We also talked about how the most effective way for companies to encourage their employees to help with philanthropy is by donating to a cause that their employees care about. Some companies even let their employees vote on where to donate. I think that it is nice of corporations to give back because it shows that they really care.

We had a wonderful guest speaker this week named Jenna Daugherty from AbbVie, which is a medical supply company. Jenna is the leader of AbbVie’s civic engagement in the community and she also helps to lead strategic projects on behalf of executive management.  At our meeting Jenna talked about corporate philanthropy with us, and the many different types of corporate philanthropy that AbbVie is involved in. For example, they give away free medicine to some of their customers who are in need.  I found it very interesting and was very inspired to hear that some large companies like this are willing to give away their supplies to people who ask for them and it has encouraged me to want to be a philanthropist throughout my whole life.

In the future I am hoping to work at a company that encourages philanthropy in their employees.  After this meeting I learned that companies can be very nice to their employees and get involved in helping causes that they want.