Giving Back

I would be the first to defend anyone's right to spend their own money extravagantly. (I even changed hairdressers when my former suggested that Christo and Jeanne-Claude's money would have been better spent than on The Gates. ) However I rankle at Johnny Depp's characterization of his $2 million expenditure to underwrite Hunter S. Thompson's memorial as "giving back".

Tissue Thin Philanthropy

If you would like to engage in tissue thin philanthropy, the corporate citizens at GeogiaPacifice have a new program to enable you to do so. For every UPC you mail in from their Quilted Northern Ultra bathroom tissue, they will contribute 50 cents to--you guessed it--the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. (up to $500,000)

For this classic, well-meaning, women-patronizing, cause marketing campaign, GeorgiaPacific is hereby inducted to the Cowgirl Philanthropy Hall of Shame.

Notice the Nostrils

Well, Folks, you can hear anything on internet talk radio. The medium is abundant with self-proclaimed experts (a somewhat redundant description) who carry forth both on topics that are rather mundane and predictable and topics that are beyond my feeble imagination.

This afternoon I distractedly listened as Rose Rosetree, an author and expert on face reading, explained that if you want to know about a person's attitude towards money, you should take a look at his/her nose. Yes, this authority claims that you will reveal your level of money confidance and competence through the size and shape of your nose tip and nostrils. Makes this Cowgirl want to wear a veil with her Stetson!

Coin Boxes: I'm Thrilled!

They arrived. My "free" coin boxes from Thrill!onaires. They were a requested gift from the founder of the organization sent with the intent to allow me to experience the "thrill" of giving, by giving my pocket change. This well meaning promotion of philanthropy misses the point. If your gift is so small that no one, including you notices that you have given it, you are unlikely to experience a thrill.

Celebrity Philanthropy

Justin McKeating, the purveyor of Chicken Yoghurt, writes with pithy disdain for the celebrity rockstars who have signed on to participate in the upcoming Live 8 Concert. He points out that multi-millionaires like Elton John and Paul McCartney could accomplish more for the cause by staying home and sending cash.

Justin, you are exactly right. But celebrities involved in fundraising campaigns are never told the truth by their recruiters. Instead, they are told, and readily come to believe, that their involvment on any level has such great value to the organization, cause or project that they needn't make an actual financial contribution. And, frequently in addition to "their great big back-slap" for their "uncompensated" participation, celebrity philanthropists receive lavish expense reinmbursements and other in-kind payments artfully negotiated by their agents.

For a delicious serving of Chicken Yoghurt go to
http://chickyog.blogspot.com/2005/06/live-8-point-being-what-exactly.html

Wrist Banned? Risk Banned?

Oscar Wildebeest who blogs intelligently and prolifically from the UK derides the self congratulatory element inherent in wearing promotional trinkets ("wristband/ribbon/badge/white poppy") to demonstrate one's partcipation in fundraising campaigns.

Here's my take: Wrist band campaigns are troublesome but not simply because they permit participants to demonstrate smugness. They are troublesome because they encourage and even teach powerless philanthropy. Self-congratulation, when justified, can be a good thing, but very little congratulation is due for purchasing or wearing a rubber bracelet even in heartfelt support of a worthy cause.

Yeah, I'd go for a Wrist Ban.

You can read OW's Gnus of the World at http://gnusoftheworld.blogspot.com/

Valuable Liquids

Widely reported, the Northern Virginia chapter of the American Red Cross is hoping to increase blood donations this summer through its weekly gasoline raffles. Blood donors will be entered into a weekly drawing for $100 worth of gasoline. At the end of the summer, donors will be eligible for a drawing for $1000 worth of gas.

My first thought was that this is terribly silly. On further reflection, I decided that it was a brilliant public relations strategy. By tying their story of summer blood shortages to the story of high gasoline prices, the Red Cross was able to receive valuable publicity for its blood donor program.

Street Beggars

Years ago, when I first moved to the mountains of Northern Virginia and began employment in downtown Washington, DC, I realized that I would encounter street beggars daily. I decided that to ease the pain of confronting their pain, I would follow this simple rule: I would always give money to street musicians; I would never give money to street beggars. I reasoned that street musicians were giving something of great value to those of us who had the good fortune to hear their impromptu, informal concerts. Street beggars, on the other hand, brought all of us down. By making the decsion ahead of time about who and who not I would give to, I was mostly able to avoid guilt when I turned down a street beggar's plea.

Today, I listened to the internet radio cast "Bringing Your Genius to Life" by Michael Neil regarding philanthropy and learned a new and possibly better approach to the situation. Michael's guest, Bill Cumming, told about his practice (inspired by a philanthropic mentor) of sometimes giving $20 to street beggars who asked him only for spare change. He pointed out that doing so would provide several modest opportunities for the recipient while a handful of change would not.

Bill Cumming's approach is in tune with the Cowgirl Philanthropy philosophy that a gift should be large enough to be noticed by the recipient.

The Center Will Focus on the Following:

Public Service: Women Becoming Citizen Leaders through Philanthropy

Teaching, training and encouraging women to advance their personal and professional lives and to make a positive impact upon their communities by becoming philanthropic leaders through both their individual financial giving and their effective involvement in fundraising.

Women in Academia

Teaching, training and encouraging women who have or who are seeking academic careers to advance their standing within their institutions and to garner necessary financial support for their research and scholarly work by becoming skilled and practiced at fundraising.

Feminization of the Third Sector: A Proactive, Prescriptive Approach

Teaching, training and encouraging women who have obtained or who are seeking managerial and executive positions within the third sector to manage their careers strategically and to lead their organizations in a manner that will maintain and/or enhance the prestige and power of the third sector despite its increasing feminization.

and, Related Public Policy Issues

The Center for Women's Philanthropic Leadership

The Center for Women’s Philanthropic Leadership will be the recognized thought and opinion authority on issues pertaining to the nexus of women and philanthropy and leadership. It will also be the nation’s most highly regarded source of leadership training for women in both philanthropic giving and philanthropic fundraising.

First Post. Not Surprisingly Little KayKay is With Me.

(I am my own Muse.)