The Other 99%

I saw a post on LinkedIn the other day celebrating MacKenzie Scott’s extraordinary philanthropy that gave me pause.

The author applauded the fact that when it comes to Scott’s giving there are no moves management, feasibility studies, or proposals.

Um, OK…

That’s all true, but MacKenzie Scott is in the top 1% of wealthy people, which comes with all kinds of privileges and opportunities. Please don’t misunderstand me, I think what she’s doing is incredible and necessary. I hope other mega-wealthy individuals and institutional funders follow her lead.

But behind Scott’s giving is a team of people who are vetting nonprofits for her. They gather information, evaluate each organization, and make recommendations. It’s outside the norm of how fundraising has traditionally worked, and that is certainly refreshing. 

It’s also something the vast majority of charitably-inclined people cannot afford to do. 

Everyone else has to rely on one or more of:

• personal values

• gut feelings

• relationship managers

• communications that make a strong case and convey measurable outcomes

• transparency in financial reporting 

• and other influential factors

Fundraising is hard. Being a donor with a limited budget is too. 

Someone has to help connect people who care with causes that matter to them.

That’s us. We’re the development and communications professionals who are on the ground every day, working hard for our clients and employers and, most of all, the donors whose gifts add up in such meaningful ways.

So if you read that LinkedIn post and felt, like I did, a tiny bit defensive, don’t. I see you. Keep doing what you’re doing. It matters.