Execution Counts in a World Enamored with Social Innovation

It’s often simpler to fund a new idea or start a program or organization than invest to make what we already have in place better. We need to pay more attention to ensure that what is in place works well and be less taken by the strong desire to start new organizations and/or replicate emerging ones before they demonstrate the efficacy of their model and its social outcome and impact.

Today, amid a flurry of labels—social entrepreneurship, venture philanthropy, social venture, strategic philanthropy, social enterprise, social investing, high-engagement philanthropy, and more—there is a growing movement that will profoundly change how we view philanthropy, public policy, the nonprofit sector, and corporate social responsibility. More »

Kicking It Headed to Sundance

Filmanthropist and VPP Investor Ted Leonsis is going to Sundance for the second year in a row, this time, for "KICKING IT." The documentary, which will have its World Premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, in January was produced by Leonsis and fellow VPP investors Jack Davies, Raul Fernandez, Nigel Morris, and Mark Ein, among others.This is the second Sundance premiere for Leonsis, whose first film, NANKING, won a major award at last year's festival. More»

Execution Counts in a World Enamored with Social Innovation

It’s often simpler to fund a new idea or start a program or organization than invest to make what we already have in place better. We need to pay more attention to ensure that what is in place works well and be less taken by the strong desire to start new organizations and/or replicate emerging ones before they demonstrate the efficacy of their model and its social outcome and impact.

Today, amid a flurry of labels—social entrepreneurship, venture philanthropy, social venture, strategic philanthropy, social enterprise, social investing, high-engagement philanthropy, and more—there is a growing movement that will profoundly change how we view philanthropy, public policy, the nonprofit sector, and corporate social responsibility. This movement’s potential is highlighted by Joel Fleishman, one of the world’s most highly respected minds in philanthropy and the foundation world, in The Foundation: A Great American Secret; How Private Wealth Is Changing The World. In the book’s conclusion, Joel predicts three actions that will shape philanthropy in the 21st century:

• “America’s giving will increase greatly in this century.”
• “Philanthropy will continue the evolution and diversification we have seen form over the past century.”
• “Venture philanthropy and social entrepreneurship will gradually come to dominate philanthropy in this century.”

Innovation and entrepreneurship fervor may have peaked in the late 1990s as characterized by Alan Greenspan, then Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve Board, when he described the “irrational exuberance” of the markets in December 1996. Yet, as our enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and the angel, venture and private equity investments that fueled it grew, a parallel movement advanced entrepreneurship and venture funding as a way to solve some of our most challenging societal problems—encompassing everything from climate change to hunger to early childhood development.

It is estimated that over 500,000 nonprofits were created from 1993 to 2003, a number which is, no doubt, even higher today. And, as we approach well over 1,000,000 nonprofits and over 75,000 foundations in America, this spotlight on innovation is skewing even more to the magnetism of new endeavors. A steady, diverse, and unpredictable stream of social and civic innovation is essential for a multitude of reasons, and we certainly should have vehicles, policies, and attitudes that nurture and cultivate it. Yet, we can’t forget that building organizations, managing them effectively, and helping them improve is vital as well. This concern is far more relevant to the nonprofit versus the private sector, for the former has few mechanisms or incentives to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The Wisdom of Case, Edison, and Witzel
How can we do more to help some of the established players who have been doing yeoman’s work for our communities and the nation at large, as well as those relative newcomers that built organizations that need to have larger impact? Even more provocative, how can we do more to help organizations with proven models get the talent they need to have far greater impact? How do we better fund operations? Create sources of growth capital? Attract top talent? Reward and cherish management and good execution?

Steve Case's favorite quote, according to his Facebook page, is Thomas Edison’s "Vision without execution is a hallucination." If you look at Steve’s career, you can easily see he’s used the quote as a guiding principle.

This quote brings back memories of an afternoon in the late 1970s. My business partner Bill Witzel and I were driving to LaGuardia airport in New York City. I had just given an all-day seminar on the management of technology to an audience of several dozen Fortune 500 businesses and was ecstatic since the session appeared to have gone really well. Bill punctured my euphoria in his own inimitable way: “You’re really something with all that strategy and visioning, but that won’t get us anywhere. Until you understand that it’s the day-to-day blocking and tackling of good execution, you won’t amount to a hill of beans!” Bill sent a message I’ve never forgotten: It’s execution, dummy!!

Now, after nearly 15 years in and around the nonprofit sector, with the last ten truly immersed in the areas of social entrepreneurship, venture philanthropy, and social enterprise, I find Bill’s lesson still relevant for me, nonprofit executives, their boards, and their funders.

Can we—donors, policy makers, foundation and agency heads, civic and business leaders, and nonprofit execs—come together more to demand solid execution from our public agencies, public schools, and nonprofits, and then back up our requirements with the support and reasonable resources necessary for success? Can we find new ways to encourage—and aggressively support—more of our nation’s remarkable 20- and 30-something talent to make a difference to through involvement with existing public, private, and nonprofit organizations that desperately need their energy and fresh minds? How can we tap the large “baby boomer” pool, now in their 50s and 60s, who are seeking greater life significance? Can we find better ways to channel and support their desire to bring experience, wisdom, and resources to public service, nonprofit, or socially focused enterprise? And, maybe most importantly, what can we do in a radically different way to find and develop the talent that resides within our communities who, given the opportunity and support, can provide critical ties back to the communities to be served and play a more consequential leadership role beyond their communities in the larger society? What can we do to help institutions change their ways to better recruit from these three rich talent pools and integrate them into their operations as leaders and change agents, while encouraging and benefiting from their knowledge, experience and diverse perspectives?

Striking a better balance between our desire to stimulate innovation and our need for effective execution may be one approach. And, inherent in that, comes the need for better compensation, improved support systems, and, most of all, an infrastructure/ecosystem that recognizes and rewards execution as much as innovation. Not an either/or scenario, the combination of innovation and execution is vital.

Without taking an iota of importance away from the value and potential of innovation (whether for social, public, or private advancements), how do we realign our thinking and capabilities to emphasize the impact of execution even more?

Fulfilling Innovation via Execution
Earlier this year, Dan Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans, discussed his “Gilbertisms” of good management. One in particular, much like Edison’s view, drove home the importance of good execution: “Cherish innovation, but treasure execution”

I gave a speech in 1991 that urged individuals in our firm to do what they had to do to fulfill their life potential—even if it meant quitting! This talk was indeed about execution, but with regard to their own lives. It was quite an emotional appeal, not typically heard in a corporate setting. I wanted to push people to think about what they were doing with their lives, find the right course, and then do it well (execution of their life plan). Interestingly, each time I gave the speech, at least one individual resigned (although I never determined if it was my “inspiration” that motivated them or the speech was so bad I drove them out!). I believe some of the quotes I used speak to the significance of execution.

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unregarded genius is almost a proverb. Educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

- Calvin Coolidge

I wish I had a dollar for each person from the 1980s and 1990s who said, “I had the same idea to build the XYZ system.” And, under my breath I’d mutter, “Then, why didn’t you?” Ideas really are a dime a dozen. What counts are the leaders with the know-how, drive, and resourcefulness who not only turn ideas into reality, but then have the managerial judgment and prowess to institutionalize what they’ve created. Innovation and resourcefulness don’t necessarily have to lead to the creation of new entities but can help align or re-invent established institutions to be more effective.

For me, the essence of execution starts with the Peter Drucker quote: "Doing the right thing is more important than doing things right." Execution implies continuous improvement, which in turn, implies continuous innovation.

“Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.”

- William Faulkner

Too many of us judge our organizations, our achievements, and even our lives in a comparative process to those around us. To a degree, this is natural. But, the real test is not simply to compare ourselves and our organizations to others, for all too often that is too easy a pseudonym for success. Instead, a staple of solid execution is to strive, assess, and achieve being better that what you were—raising the bar continuously.

Great leaders and true entrepreneurs get things done, regardless of impediments. We talk of the importance of purpose and being mission-driven, but if we accept the enormous importance of the work of nonprofits and that their service deals with the lives of people, why do we accept anything less than a “no excuses” view of execution and accountability?

No one disagrees that crisp execution is hard work, but the results are worth it. An opportunity to move forward to make the right things happen, despite barriers? Who can ask for more?

”The Right People on the Bus”
Suggestions to consider for bolstering a culture that treasures execution include:

Recruit and retain great people. Jim Collins, the noted author, said it best: “You have to get the right people on the bus.” Too many organizations are “enabled” by their supporters to continue mediocrity, take on incremental change, and not rock the boat when the times and circumstances call for nothing short of transformation. Let’s reward organizations that have the courage to get the right people with the right skills in the right spots for where the organization has to go, not where it has been. This premise applies to the leader, the board, senior management, and right on down through the ranks of the organization. As stakeholders, let’s give them clear direction and then hold them accountable for solid execution.

Direct and alter the flow of talent into existing organizations, those that desperately need managerial talent to stabilize, improve, and grow versus disproportionately encouraging this talent to start new programs or organizations. Focus great attention on vehicles that can change the talent flow into nonprofit, civic and public service sectors. The Civic Ventures Purpose Prize™ and the Partnership for Public Service are two good examples of initiatives that can help improve the flow of talent to nonprofit, civic, and public sectors. Companies can do more to offer mentorship programs for nonprofit leaders and internships in nonprofits for current and future employees. Businesses can also provide incentives for retirees and alums to go to work for nonprofits. Bridgestar has emerged to enhance the flow and effectiveness of passionate and highly skilled leaders into and within the nonprofit sector.

Encourage and support great social entrepreneurial engines like Ashoka, Echoing Green, and others to develop talent beyond the entrepreneurial stage into leaders with solid managerial skills and the understanding of what it takes to build great organizations after the formation and emerging growth phases. Best practices are a wonderful concept, but “best people” make the real difference.

Reward execution and high performance. Leaders and managers need to manage to results—and be recognized and rewarded for doing so. Board and funders need to be more demanding to see that results are achieved. And, for those already rebelling against this focus on results, just remember the results of which I speak are those that are making a lasting difference in the lives of others. The real results are those that manifest themselves in real changes to people’s lives and differences in our communities.

Conclusion
When the next Joel Fleishman writes his or her book on philanthropy in 2107, I hope s/he looks back on this era and sees not just a myriad of social innovation, but a balance of innovation, institution building, and infrastructure development that led to system change. Not just a philanthropy that inspired and fueled innovation and jarred an established world to see things differently, but one that stimulated and enabled bottoms-up change from within established communities and organizations, leading to lasting reform. And, a field that recognized that execution counts.

- Mario Morino

KICKING IT Headed to Sundance

Filmanthropist and VPP Investor Ted Leonsis is going to Sundance for the second year in a row, this time, for "KICKING IT." The documentary, which will have its World Premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, in January was produced by Leonsis and fellow VPP investors Jack Davies, Raul Fernandez, Nigel Morris, and Mark Ein, among others. This is the second Sundance premiere for Leonsis, whose first film, NANKING, won a major award at last year's festival.

KICKING IT chronicles the 4th Annual Homeless World Cup, where 500 homeless soccer players from 48 nations traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, to represent their countries. The players came from such disparate parts of the world as Afghanistan, Russia, Kenya, Ireland, and the US. In the film, the teams are joined by Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu, who declares homelessness the new "apartheid." For seven days of fiercely competitive matches, the teams vie for the championship cups.

In a press release, Director Susan Koch said, "Soccer is the world's most popular sport and played in virtually every country around the globe, while homelessness is one of the world's most pervasive problems. When you bring the two together, lives can be transformed. We found extraordinary people who for the first time were given the chance to stand tall and not be invisible." Added Leonsis, "Films can bring people together, and amplify passion. We are thrilled to help spotlight these compelling individuals—and to show sports' powerful ability to give hope, focus and balance to us all."

See http://kickingitthefilm.com/ for more information on KICKING IT, and http://nankingthefilm.com/ to learn more about NANKING, which goes into theaters in New York City on December 12. The New York Times just featured Leonsis and his filmanthropy efforts in an article.

Case Foundation Launches Professional Development Series

Earlier this month VPP Investor The Case Foundation launched its Professional Development Series for VPP Portfolio Organizations.  This series for VPP portfolio organizations will provide value-added professional development to complement VPP’s strategic assistance and will feature experts on topics such as strategic communications, online fundraising, and development.

Fundraising and organizational expert Beth Grupp facilitated the first session on strategic fundraising.  Her highly interactive session included the big picture challenges of shifting the framework of fundraising, as well as tactical suggestions around increasing donor engagement and sharpening the fundraising message.  Rosetta Lai, Interim Executive Director of Asian American LEAD said, “[Beth’s session] is the best fundraising workshop I have attended and I have been to a few.  It was a very engaging workshop not only because Beth is knowledgeable, but she also encouraged peer learning throughout by adding the experiences of the participants into the mix.  I walked away with a few 'a-ha's' and a list of things I would do or change right away at AALEAD. Your partnership with the Case Foundation to offer this caliber of professional development for nonprofits is very helpful and greatly appreciated.”

Created in 1997 by Steve and Jean Case, the Case Foundation pursues sustainable solutions to complex social problems by investing in collaboration, leadership, and entrepreneurship.  Said Jean Case, “This series has been an incredible opportunity for us to get to know these exceptional leaders and organizations much better, while providing a small service that we hope will help strengthen their operations and connections to each other.” 

Echoed VPP President and CEO Carol Thompson Cole, “We are very grateful to Jean Case and the Case Foundation for their vision and generosity in creating the Case Foundation Professional Development Series for VPP Portfolio Organizations.  This partnership exemplifies the collective potential of leveraged support and provides true value to our investment partners to complement VPP’s strategic assistance.  We are excited to see this partnership evolve.” 

Future sessions will be held on a quarterly basis and will focus on such topics as online fundraising, public relations and media visibility, and cultivating major donors.

Marta Pernas Joins Team

Marta Pernas has joined Venture Philanthropy Partners as Principal, a newly established position in the organization. As a member of the investment team, Pernas will support the VPP investment partnerships to further increase the effectiveness of high-potential nonprofit organizations serving children and families. Her expertise in child welfare, social services and systems reform will greatly benefit the VPP engagements.

Pernas has substantial experience in immigration, child welfare, and juvenile justice policy in the government and nonprofit sectors. As a Program Specialist in the Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services within the US Department of Health and Human Services, she helped develop and implement policies and procedures for the division serving undocumented children. Prior to the federal government, she was a member of the Casey Strategic Consulting Group at the Annie E. Casey Foundation where she advised the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services, Maine Child Welfare Division, and the Louisiana Juvenile Justice Commission on multi-stage system reform. Her areas of expertise included practice reform, financial analysis, and other aspects of organizational change work.

Pernas also has research and survey experience gained during her tenure at The Urban Institute and the Center for Social Services Research, UC Berkeley. Her research areas include adolescent health issues, welfare reform, and child welfare system change.

Pernas holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania; earned an MSW from the University of California, Berkeley; and received her MPP degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Mission & Goals

AALEAD Updates Demographic Data to Guide Growth
Thanks to Rosetta Lai, Interim Executive Director, for this update.

AALEAD has been using its five-year strategic plan, completed in May 2005, to guide its growth and geographic expansion in the Greater DC Region. The organization began offering its after-school academic enrichment, mentoring, and family strengthening programs in four middle schools in Montgomery County, MD, a year ago. Encouraged by the success of the programs, AALEAD plans to expand to elementary and high schools in Montgomery County in the next school year.

Knowledge of where low-income Asian American students live, along with their need profiles, helps customize the programs, develop resources, and map an execution plan. So AALEAD has engaged Pipal Research based in Chicago to refresh the data from 2005. Keeping abreast of demographic shifts and the profiles of children and youth allows for continuous improvement of programs and the delivery of high impact services. Partnering with a firm that specializes in nonprofit research equips AALEAD with the intelligence to make sound decisions. The data will be available by year-end, allowing AALEAD to make strategic decisions about future programs early in 2008.

Board Changes

LAYC Welcomes New Members, Elects Executive Committee
Thanks to Lori Kaplan, Executive Director, for this update.

The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) welcomes seven new members to its Board of Directors: Patricia Arzuaga, Scott Coolidge, Ligia Cruz, Lauren Eyster, Jennifer Macomber, Gregory McCarthy, and David Sutphen.

Arzuaga, who serves as Counsel to the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, first joined the LAYC–Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers Advisory Board and now brings the experience supporting the initiatives at its three Maryland-based satellite sites. Coolidge, Vice President for Human Resources Business Partners and Employee Relations at Freddie Mac, came to LAYC through the DC Cares Board Leadership Program. He will work with the Board on succession planning and other human resource functions.

As a former recipient of child welfare services, LAYC alumni Cruz brings an important perspective on community needs. Eyster, Research Associate II and Macomber, Senior Research Associate, work at the Center on Labor, Human Services and Population at the Urban Institute. They will work with evaluation and learning staff in the launch of LAYC’s new strategic planning efforts.

McCarthy serves as Senior Director, Ballpark District, Washington Nationals Baseball Club. Having served in the DC Mayor Williams’ administration, he brings strategic planning, citizen engagement, and knowledge of children, family, and youth issues. Sutphen, introduced to the LAYC by Venture Philanthropy Partners, serves as Vice President, Government Relations at VIACOM. He has worked on Capitol Hill, at the Recording Industry Association of America, and brings knowledge and connections from media and national political strategy.

Executive Committee members elected at LAYC’s annual meeting in November include Noel Bravo, Chair; Jennifer Macomber, Vice Chair; Brian Gaines, Secretary; and Rick England, Treasurer. Bravo is a senior associate at the Center for the Study of Social Policy; Gaines is Vice President of Site Management for College Summit; and England is Senior Vice President of Madison Financial Advisors.

Awards & Recognition

See Forever/Maya Angelou Alternative Middle School Hosts Leaders, Welcomes Community
Thanks to Ingrid Padgett, Director of Development, for this update.

The See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Public Charter School (SFF/MAPCS) welcomed District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee, DC Public Charter School Board Executive Director Josephine Baker, Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander, and other luminaries on November 15, at a dedication ceremony for its new, alternative middle school. The MAPCS middle school is located in the DCPS Fletcher Johnson Educational Center in Southeast DC, east of the Anacostia River in Ward 7.

Flanked by excited students, Chancellor Rhee and Councilmember Alexander offered remarks to supporters of the SFF/MAPCS community, educational leaders from throughout the District and other dignitaries and friends, including Dr. Maya Angelou’s grandson Colin Johnson; and Stefan Huh, Director of Educational Facilities and Partnerships at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Rhee, Baker, and Alexander stressed the importance of educational initiatives geared toward the middle school population, and the importance of this kind of programming in this neighborhood.

Sixth grade students present DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee (left) a certificate at the MAPCS Middle School Dedication Ceremony. SFF Executive Director Cynthia Robbins welcomed the Chancellor and other guests.

The dedication ceremony also marked the beginning of a collaboration with Leadership Greater Washington, a leadership development organization, which held its “Education Program Day” at the middle school campus.

SFF/MAPCS Executive Director Cynthia Robbins thanked the Leadership Washington participants prior to the official dedication ceremony. “Hosting events geared towards educational initiatives in the District provides the organization with an increased presence which supports our efforts to continue to serve as strong advocates for the unique student population served at our schools,” she said.

Announcements of Note

Mary’s Center Expands Thanksgiving Meal Distribution Thanks to Lyda Vanegas, Advocacy and Communications Officer, for this update.

Mary’s Center’s 2007 Thanksgiving Drive beat all of its previous records by donating complete Thanksgiving meals to 242 needy families. The average number of meals distributed in the past ranged between 50 and 80 meals, but donations received from several organizations— including the DC Fire Department, United Planning Organization (UPO), Hispanic Ministries, Keystone Group, Poor Roberts Charities, Amerigroup, Giant Food, Health Right, and individual donors—allowed Mary’s Center to expand the number of families benefiting from this special celebration.

The meals, distributed on November 19 and 20, included a turkey, rice, beans, stuffing, potatoes, and canned vegetables. “Every year on Thanksgiving, my family and I give thanks for the opportunity that Mary’s Center provides us in celebrating this beautiful tradition that we would otherwise be unable to afford,” Elizabeth Lopez, a Mary’s Center client, said.

Mary’s Center will host its traditional client holiday party on December 15. Contact Priscilla Vasquez at 202-420-7052 for additional information.

Heads Up Tutors Make a Difference in DC
Thanks to Elizabeth Gutting, Development Associate, for this update.

Seventy Heads Up AmeriCorps members participated in Make a Difference Day on October 27, 2007, a national day of service created by USA WEEKEND magazine. Thousands of volunteers participated across the country, and hundreds joined together in Washington, DC, to improve their communities.

AmeriCorps members serving with Heads Up worked alongside other AmeriCorps members and volunteers at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, the volunteer site organized by SERVE DC. Volunteers pitched in by organizing, cleaning, and cataloging books to renovate two large circulation rooms.

Mayor Adrian Fenty joined the group of service learners and leaders for part of the day and congratulated them for their effort and devotion to helping their community.

“Make a Difference Day gives Heads Up’s AmericaCorps members the opportunity to see what a huge difference they can make. Also, they were able to connect with other volunteer groups who are just as excited about having the chance to change the landscape of their communities,” George Gray, Jr., Heads Up’s Director of College Programs, said.

Make a Difference Day is just one way that Heads Up’s tutors enhance their development as effective social change leaders. Heads Up AmeriCorps members participate in at least two service events each year, in addition to their ongoing work as tutors.

Investment Partner Opportunities

See Forever Foundation has an immediate opening for a Director of Finance and Operations (Chief Operating Officer). Reporting to the Executive Director, the incumbent will play a crucial role on the senior management team with responsibility for financial management, analysis, and budget oversight; human resources and payroll; information and data management; facilities acquisition and management; and the assessment of organizational performance. Supervising a professional staff, the incumbent will work in collaboration with See Forever’s Directors of Development and Academics and with principals and other administrators at See Forever’s Maya Angelou Public Charter School and Oak Hill Academy. The ideal candidate will have at least seven years of senior management experience related to the duties of the position and demonstrated ability to build the infrastructure of an organization. A graduate degree in a management-related field is preferred but not required. To apply for this position, please send a detailed cover letter and resume as email attachments to: hr@seeforever.org.

Nonprofit Roundtable Releases BEYOND CHARITY

What difference do nonprofits make in Greater Washington? On November 26, the Nonprofit Roundtable released BEYOND CHARITY: RECOGNIZING RETURN ON INVESTMENT, how the nonprofit community impacts Greater Washington, the result of a yearlong effort to answer this question.

Beyond Charity reveals some of the many ways in which nonprofits raise the quality of life in the Greater Washington Region and are the lifelines to its most vulnerable neighbors. Chuck Bean, the Roundtable’s Executive Director, said, “Programs ranging from early childcare to senior day care demonstrate that they are not only good for the people they serve but make economic sense and are good public policy.”

Through nearly 100 examples, the report documents some of the powerful and far-reaching impacts of nonprofits.

Early childhood education yields a return of $1.45 on every dollar invested. Nobel Laureate in Economics James Heckman said, “On a purely economic basis, it makes sense to invest in our young.” In a Washington Post article, BB Otero, CentroNía’s CEO, said that her organization takes pressure off public school systems by preparing children for school and addressing their developmental and language needs early on.

Mary’s Center provides holistic and culturally responsive health care to nearly 8,000 families. Patients pay what they can for services, and most do not have health insurance. Mary’s Center has saved the community millions of dollars by encouraging families to use the center as their “medical home” rather than relying on emergency rooms for non-emergencies.

On average, 79% of students who complete College Summit workshops enroll in college, compared to a national enrollment rate of less than 50% for low-income students. Census data shows that those with a high school degree earn $26,000 while college graduates earn $45,000.

While return on investment is about more than dollars and cents, when local nonprofits partner with government, business and concerned citizens in pursuit of a common goal—a stronger Washington-area community—everyone profits.

Bean added, “Charity has been defined as ‘generous actions or donations to the poor, ill, or helpless’… We know that nonprofits also provide a return on investment, and I think we are especially seeing that in VPP’s Investment Partners. They have great data! For example, I like Latin American Youth Center’s results page.”

The 32-page report is available for download in PDF format .

Fifth Catalogue For Philanthropy: Greater Washington Available

On November 5, 400 nonprofit leaders, board members, donors, foundation executives, and advocates kicked off the 2007-2008 Giving Season with the launch of the Fifth Anniversary Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. Sidney Harman Hall buzzed with excitement as the new class of Catalogue charities was introduced at a program that featured, among others, the Kennedy Center's President Michael Kaiser, guest essayist for this year¹s catalogue. Kaiser writes, "The freedom to choose what one wants to support is the great joy of being a donor . . . . The Catalogue is a perfect roadmap for our participation."

The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington shines a light on selected nonprofit organizations in Metropolitan Washington. This November, 30,000 catalogues and 100,000 posters were mailed to households throughout the region, offering individuals the invitation to connect with local organizations working below the radar—where individual gifts can really make a difference. In the past four years, the Catalogue has helped featured charities raise more than $4 million from new donors. Organizations also report that they benefit greatly from the “seal of approval” that the Catalogue provides.

The Catalogue features nonprofits in the fields of education, health, the arts, community service, and the environment, all with budgets of $2 million or less. Fifty-five volunteer reviewers from the top regional foundations, family foundations, DC government, corporate giving programs, and larger nonprofit organizations evaluate applications for distinction, merit, cost-effectiveness, and financial transparency, resulting in a carefully vetted list of trustworthy nonprofit organizations.

Charities receive 100 percent of each donation thanks to support from local sponsors: the Harman Family Foundation, Meyer Foundation, Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, CGI, and Chevy Chase Trust, among others.

Busy Washingtonians may be interested in the Catalogue¹s new Donate Now/Decide Later Fund. Donors can send a single check to the Catalogue in December, and inform them in January who the recipients will be. Donate Now/Decide Later allows donors to receive year-end tax deductions and, when the holiday rush has settled down, make thoughtful decisions on supporting the charities that mean the most to them.

Request a copy of the new Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington online. For further information, contact Barbara Harman, Executive Director of the Harman Family Foundation, the lead sponsor of the Catalogue at 202-549-6369 or bharman@harman-foundation.org.

PlayPumps Launches KnowH2O

PlayPumps International, a partner of The Case Foundation, a VPP investor, recently launched KnowH2O, a website designed for schools and community organizations to build student awareness of global water issues and how they can work to help address the world’s water crisis. The organization developed KnowH2O.org in response to interests expressed by the increasing number of schools working with PlayPumps International to bring access to clean water to rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The site offers a variety of ways for students and teachers to learn about and understand how people throughout the world are impacted by a lack of clean drinking water and includes teacher-tested tools and interactive resources such as online videos, water resource maps, web banners, and games that help students understand the impact of the water crisis. The website also features an interactive “Water IQ” quiz and will feature forum tools for educators to share their experiences and lessons learned from teaching water issues. Links to social networking websites such as Facebook and ThinkMTV are also included on the site to enable students to become more active in addressing water issues.

Warm Holiday Wishes from All of Us at VPP!