The Future of Philanthropy
Posted by John Funari
Since the focus of this blog is to help nonprofits further their cause, I thought we would kick it off with a glimpse into what the future of philanthropy may look like. The philanthropists' of tomorrow will have a great opportunity and a great responsibility to change the world in ways that were never before possible. The organizations who can best inspire and influence communities with great passion towards their purpose will thrive during this time. Let's take a look at some of the key components that will shape the future of these organizations:
Community
Probably the single most important component is the ability to grow and foster community. The line between employees, constituents, supporters, volunteers, etc. of philanthropists' in the future may slowly fade away. Individuals and groups with the greatest ability to motivate and build community around a cause will be the ones making the difference. The tools needed in order to reach the masses are no longer controlled by TV producers, media companies, big business, or large nonprofits. They are freely available and are making a big impact in the world even today.
Relationships
The individuals of the community will all have something in common, the cause, but as we all know each individual is different. The successful nonprofit of the future will not only develop a personal relationship with the community members but will foster relationships amongst the community. With so much information assembled and aggregated from social networks and online services, the nonprofits of the future will have an unprecedented understanding of their supporters. The efficient organizations will know what to communicate and how much to communicate about the topics that are relevant based on each individual's preferences.
Transparency
The donors of tomorrow will have great expectations of the organizations they support. Just as constituents can view up to the minute statements on their bank account sorted and categorized to their liking, they will demand the same kind of information from the organizations they support. Many constituents will dive deeper to see the fruits of their labor by watching live video streaming, listening to sound bites from the people or communities they are helping, or even develop relationships of their own with the very people or groups they are helping. Key decisions, strategic advancements, and critical information will be available and communicated to the community in real time as each individual is an active part of the whole.
Effectiveness
Since constituents will have visibility into every dollar they spend or service they perform, the organizations that can do the most and prove it over time will be successful. The nonprofits that do a poor job of using their resources effectively and spend big money on old forms of advertising and solicitation will slowly lose out in the end as more flexible organizations find cheaper and more effective alternatives.
These are just a few characteristics of what I believe will shape the nonprofits of tomorrow. One of the goals this blog will set out to accomplish is to equip you with some tools and ideas necessary to help you and your organization move into this new era of philanthropy. So for those of you eager to change the world, tune in because the "Fundraising Futurist" begins today.