I am a big fan of Bill Somerville's style on grassroots, local philanthropy. In the past year, I have gotten to know Bill and his work at Philanthropic Ventures Foundation fairly well. In return, for his knowledge, I have tried to help him understand the Chinese community and our immigrant experiences. We have walked the streets of Chinatown and met with local leaders and beneficiaries. As I meet young people interested in philanthropy and how foundations work, I have encouraged them to read Bill's book. My colleague, Cissy DeLuca, is one of those folks. She did a fabulous review of Bill's book, Grassroots Philanthropy, on Give2Asia Forum and I thought I would share it with you.
What is philanthropy? How do foundations work? Are foundations effective to their maximum capability?
Most people don’t know much about the inner workings of a foundation. In this rich, concise and passionate book, Bill Somerville, Executive Director of Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF), shares his sincere opinion on best practices and the shortcomings of the industry. Coined a “maverick grantmaker,” Bill shares his experience and insight on the importance of trusting people, acting fast, eliminating inefficient processes and taking risks.
Invest in people, not projects. Bill stresses the importance of finding passionate and capable people behind a project. A grant proposal doesn’t tell a funder much about the people who will implement the project, which is why a visit to the organization is critical. Many worthy organizations avoid costly and time consuming grant applications, therefore it is important for foundations to know the communities they serve and seek out talented individuals.
Act fast. The abundance of grant proposals that foundation staffers are inundated with limit their ability to act fast, as well as venture out into the community. Bill lays out seven reasonable steps to implement “paperless giving.” Among them, reducing application requirements and requesting a project abstract. These steps eliminate significant time spent on unqualified candidates and free up time to explore potential grantees. Acting fast on a grant can be crucial in maximizing the effectiveness of the funds. As Bill puts it, “speed combines with accuracy to trump size.”
Take risks. Philanthropic Ventures Foundation has found the value in making discretionary grants; committing sums of money to people, such as juvenile court judges and police chiefs, to dispense as they see fit among community members in need. This has proved instrumental in putting small amounts of money to monumental use. This has allowed PVF to intertwine themselves within the communities they work and truly make a difference.
Bill doesn’t just opine his views of how to properly run a foundation, but he supplies valuable examples of how he has successfully implemented his tactics. The book is laden with inspiring examples of how his ability to think outside of the box has paid off in his efforts to improve the quality of life for others. At PVF, staff members spend 30% of their time in the field and are empowered to make grants. This empowers and motivates them to fully involve and commit themselves to their work.
As the field of philanthropy evolves with new ideas and strategies, we hope that these trends will spill over into the international space. Operating at a local level makes it easier to go paperless and act fast. Navigating international barriers, such as laws, languages and customs, make it difficult for grantmakers working overseas to speed things up. After 9/11, laws surrounding international giving stiffened to prevent inadvertent support of terrorists overseas.
These hurdles make it difficult for organizations, such as Give2Asia, to follow Bill’s steps. Give2Asia crosses over 20 borders to carry out its work with grassroots organizations in Asia. Many of the people we work with we have never met face to face, which is why thorough due diligence is necessary. We might not be right behind Bill, but we hope to someday follow!
Comments