Gaming: What can fundraisers learn?

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Abby Rolland

How can gaming contribute to philanthropy, and why is digital fundraising so important?

We previously featured a blog post from undergraduate student Tori Hawkins about how gaming livestreams can benefit charities, but what are other ways that gamers can help raise funds for charity, and what can fundraisers learn?

Deanna Kerns, associate director of corporate partnerships at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois appeared on a podcast episode with Women’s Philanthropy Institute director Jeannie Sager. Kerns shared how she became involved with philanthropy as a student participating in the University of Iowa’s Dance Marathon, and how dance marathons have engaged students in the power of philanthropy and giving back early in their careers.

As part of her current position, Kerns works with the dance marathons that support Lurie Children’s Hospital. She and her team partner with the gaming community through a program called Extra Life, which unites thousands of gamers worldwide to play video games in support of their respective local hospitals.

As background, Kerns shared the story of Victoria, a young girl with leukemia. During one of her stays in Texas Children’s Hospital, she formed a strong connection with a local radio host named Doc. During an extended hospital stay, Victoria shared with Doc that she loved playing video games, and people from all over the country sent video games for her to play. She then donated many of them to other children in the hospital. After Victoria passed, Doc created Extra Life so that gamers who loved what they do could participate in fundraising opportunities.

Since becoming a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital program, Extra Life has raised over $70 million. The money raised by gamers stays in the communities where they live and work.

Kerns explained that Extra Life has helped Lurie Children’s Hospital connect digitally with donors.

“Gamers have taught us a great deal about the digital world, and who is out there and willing to help,” she said. “It’s an amazing community that is so willing to come together to celebrate the work that we do at the hospital.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, knowledge from Extra Life and the gaming community influenced how Kerns and her team tackled digital fundraising in place of normally large and prevalent spring dance marathons.

“We were able to come together and host two very successful university college Zoom dance marathon events,” Kerns said. “And so students, who normally pour their passion into the in-person event operated in creative contexts that allowed them to connect with others online. So they did Instagram Lives, Tik-Tok videos, Zoom sessions, and more.

“They shared the story of Lurie Children’s Hospital in a beautiful way to create digital connections that they would normally do in-person. They made us feel like we were celebrating together.”

Kerns hopes to take these digital tools and use them in combination with in-person events in the future.

“For example, if someone can’t attend in-person, but they could be with us virtually, what would that look like?” she wondered.

Moving forward, Kerns and her team will continue to look into digital fundraising and how they can increase engagement surrounding the ease of giving.

“We need to continue to help our donors make a quick, impactful gift. Donors in general, and gamers and students in particular, have taken our message and led with technology,” Kerns said. “They continue to ask questions and share resources that we haven’t explored yet. So, we can learn from them about ways to encourage, ask for, collect, and steward the digital donations that we receive.

“Now, we’re just skimming the surface of what digital fundraising can look like. Other organizations and fundraisers can continue to listen to the resources that they have, think about the power of donors and the feedback that they give, and allow your organization to make those decisions strategically moving forward.”

Listen to the full podcast

Finding a home in philanthropy

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Abby Rolland

David Johnson presents during the student competition in Fall 2019.

When undergraduate student David Johnson saw the Joseph and Matthew Payton Philanthropic Studies Library at IUPUI, he knew that philanthropy was the field he wanted to study.

The nontraditional student returned to school after working for the post office for several years, knowing that he wanted to make a difference. He knew that shifting from working long hours to taking classes and doing homework would be an adjustment, but he also knew that it could lead to “something greater.”

Johnson was introduced to philanthropy at a young age. He remembers being involved in community-building activities with his family, including fundraising and canvassing the streets when Hurricane Katrina hit the southeastern United States in 2005.

He learned then that helping in small ways was philanthropic.

As he grew up, Johnson originally wanted to work in politics, but realized over time that he wanted to be involved with organizations making immediate impact. He found nonprofit work the best way to do so.

Before he even began at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Johnson started a nonprofit organization to address issues he saw in the community. Spring Oath maps community and neighborhood resources so that individuals and families can find easily-accessible resources and help if they need it.

“I want to help build neighborhood relationships and strengthen communities,” Johnson said. “We can do that by connecting people to their neighbors, who know how and where to access needed resources.”

At the school, Johnson is learning about the tactics, research, and knowledge to help build his organization.

“By going to school here, I’m able to apply what I’ve learned directly to my nonprofit, in order to grow and expand it to be responsive to people and communities,” he said.

That knowledge accumulation has been assisted through his interactions with multiple faculty members, including Patricia Snell Herzog, Ph.D.

“She has a great deal of knowledge about many different areas about philanthropy,” Johnson explained. “She’s also given me practical information and advice about philanthropy, and has answered a number of questions I have. I’ve really enjoyed learning from her.”

Johnson has also jumped at extra opportunities to participate at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. He competed in the David Nathan Meyerson Prize for Leadership and Giving Competition last fall, and won the opportunity to visit a nonprofit of his choice in order to learn about “client perspective,” a tool used to see if nonprofits are committed, foster a culture, and provide quality service that responds properly to an individual’s needs.

Johnson also participated virtually in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s study away course this past spring with The Patterson Foundation.

“There are a lot of foundations that work with the school, so I want to understand better how they work and how they add value to the sector,” he said. “How do they think about their partners? I want to see how that industry operates within the other ones. That’s something I’m interested in seeing because once you know the players, it’s better for you to maneuver in the field.”

He also looks forward to taking advantage of other opportunities at the school.

“When I returned to school, I made a commitment to make school my work,” Johnson said. “I attend as many events and programs as I can, because I want to learn and grow as much as I can.”

Long term, Johnson hopes to continue to grow personally and professionally, and eventually earn a Ph.D.

“At the school, I’m in an environment that’s conducive to growth and is helping me bridge my leadership,” he said. “I can continue to build the nonprofit that I have, meet new people who can help me, and give back.”

He encourages students to make the most of their time:

“Ask questions while you’re in class. Participate in extra opportunities. Earn what you want out of your education. It helps you enjoy school more. You’re learning what you want to learn and will become a better person and member of society as a result.”

Advancing philanthropy’s next generation of innovative leaders

Posted on September 18, 2020 by Andy Ware

By Debra Jacobs

For all of the challenges we face in today’s world, there are an equal number of opportunities to work toward the greater good and create lasting change.

The givers among us are keenly aware of this potential, whether it stems from an unforeseen humanitarian crisis following a natural disaster or from a long-standing issue affecting people across multiple generations.

Regardless of the nature of the challenge, there are those ready to respond with the resources necessary to meet it while capitalizing on our aspirations for a better future—and the philanthropic sector is uniquely positioned to harness their generosity toward stronger impact for us all.

Investing in wise, dedicated, and innovative philanthropic leaders is one of our best opportunities to strengthen their potential to be the driving force behind that impact. Creating a dedicated space for that growth is at the heart of The Patterson Foundation’s Fellows Program, which aspires to equip the next generation of philanthropic leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to chart a strong course forward in the organizations they will one day helm.

In the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy—the world’s first school dedicated solely to the study and teaching of philanthropy—The Patterson Foundation found a partner who shares our aspiration for imaginatively impactful philanthropy, giving rise to the Fellows Program and collaborations beyond through the Advancing Philanthropic Leadership initiative.

Since 2018, The Patterson Foundation has had the privilege of offering the school’s best and brightest a year-long career-building experience in Sarasota, Florida to learn innovative philanthropic principles and share their expertise through engaging initiatives.

In that time, three TPF Fellows—inaugural Fellow Hannah Saeger Karnei, along with our 2020-2021 cohort of John Ferguson and Abby Rolland—have led efforts across The Patterson’s Foundation’s diverse initiatives. They have managed efforts to promote the importance of the 2020 Census among undercounted populations, to explorations into the barriers many face toward acquiring access to our crucial digital landscape and programs underway to overcome them nationally, to community-wide partnerships helping children succeed in school and life through early literacy, and a myriad other ever-evolving initiatives.

Throughout their experience, these Fellows have worked alongside established philanthropic leaders to make a tangible impact on people, organizations, and communities near and far. Amid those efforts, they have had the chance to learn from The Patterson Foundation’s unique approach to philanthropy while sharing their own expertise to inform that approach going forward.

They, along with future cohorts of Fellows, form the backbone of a network of next-generation philanthropic leaders aligned in their belief in the possibilities inherent in any great challenge—and the knowledge necessary to turn them into reality.

The Patterson Foundation is proud to extend this opportunity to a new group of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s talented graduates once more, and we look forward to inviting a new cohort of Fellows to collaborate with us from June 2021 to June 2022. Please visit our Fellows Program page to learn more about this excellent opportunity to strengthen and evolve philanthropy’s impact on our world.

Debra Jacobs is the president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation, a fully endowed charitable foundation based in Sarasota, Florida that strengthens the efforts of people, organizations, and communities. The Patterson Foundation focuses on issues that address common aspirations and foster wide participation, along with ways organizations learn and share as they evolve. For more information, please visit thepattersonfoundation.org and connect with @ThePattersonFdn on Twitter.

A life of service and giving back

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Abby Rolland

For undergraduate student Lamin Conteh, service defines how he gives back.

The ROTC cadet knew early on that he enjoyed caring for and helping people, but he didn’t discover his passion until he started volunteering with the United Services Organization (USO) in its veteran’s affairs department.

After enrolling at IUPUI, Conteh discovered the philanthropic studies department through a friend. After taking one class, he knew that the program perfectly combined his commitment of service to the country with service to others, and he enrolled in the following semester.

The junior has enjoyed many of his classes, particularly his fall 2019 psychology of giving course with Dr. Sara Konrath.

“I’m interested in psychology because of how the mind works and why we are the way we are,” Conteh said. “I enjoyed learning how and why we give because of those factors or motivations.”

Outside of his studies, Conteh serves in the National Guard and ROTC. Being involved in ROTC at IUPUI requires him to take extra courses on leadership, while also participating in other training activities. The additional time commitment requires extra dedication and commitment to service. Combined with his coursework in philanthropic studies, Conteh is developing leadership skills with problem serving abilities while learning how to serve in multiple ways.

Conteh is also involved with the Philanthropy Ambassadors Club and volunteers with USO. He also gives to the Army Emergency Relief Fund, which helps soldiers with finances during difficult times.

“Lamin exemplifies the successful students who are attracted to the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy,” said assistant dean for external relations, Bill Stanczykiewicz, who also served as Conteh’s professor in the course, Introduction to Philanthropic Fundraising. “Lamin is combining his many passions–psychology, mental health, the military, and philanthropy–in an impressive manner that will strengthen his abilities for professional success and philanthropic impact.”

After he graduates, Conteh hopes to go active duty for six years and then return to work for the USO. He could also stay in the Guard, where he would serve one weekend a month, and start immediately working in fundraising or in other nonprofit work.

Regardless of his career path, Conteh knows that he wants to give back in multiple ways.

“When you’re in a position to give back, you want to serve people all the time,” he said. “For me, I’ve wanted to serve and have always wanted to help. So military can serve as a way to better myself and set myself up for a better life, while also serving my country and helping people in the community and within the veteran community.”

A release of fear; an intake of hope

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Anne Brock

Over the summer Meredith McNabb hosted weekly “office hours” for the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving audience. During these calls, topics of conversation centered around different issues of faith and giving each week.

By Emilie Boggis

My family has noticed that I sigh a lot.

Since mid-March, my office is in our home’s main living space. It means that my husband and teenage daughters don’t hesitate to share their observations about my work. (Sometimes even joining in Zoom meeting discussions to offer their opinion.)

“You sigh a lot,” my middle schooler observes while eating lunch.

I counter that I am not sighing. Instead, I am breathing out the tension, loss, and fear inherent in this time. I am also intentionally breathing in courage, possibility, and hope.

That was certainly my experience of Lake Institute on Faith & Giving’s summer office hours: a release of fear; an intake of hope.

When COVID-19 hit the Metro New York area with brutal force, our leaders were placing the finishing touches on our 2020-21 fiscal year budget. We were now afraid for the lives of our families and communities, and we still had the surreal task of budgeting all over again; now for a year unlike any we had ever known.

We named our task force “budgeting in the fog.” Furthermore, we had planned to launch our public capital campaign on the 40+ year dream of a new sanctuary on March 22. Suddenly, everything had a huge question mark on it. What to do? How to proceed?

I arrived at Lake Institute’s office hours holding my breath and praying that they would give us the answers.

Each session had topics (virtual giving, leadership transitions, buildings, gratitude, etc.) along with a guide for each topic. That said, neither Meredith McNabb nor the guide were there to give us the answers. Instead, they gathered the community of people “out there doing the work” to garner our collective wisdom and to center us in the practices of faithful philanthropy.

Let me be real. At first, I was disappointed. (I probably did have an exasperated sigh.)

Through the collective voices of my colleagues, however, I began breathing again. It started with one brave voice who shared a personal struggle. How do we ask people to lean into generosity when they are losing jobs, getting sick, risking their lives? Then, other voices joined in. How do we teach a congregation of elders to text to give? How do we ensure staff members’ jobs, even our own, when there’s a budget crisis?

On and on and on. In hearing our own struggles in another’s voice, my sighs turned to intentional breaths of release. Then, we shifted into sharing ideas, experiments, and lessons, transforming our circle into a Zoom Think Tank. I’ll never forget a colleague who went door to door in Chicago placing signs at church members’ homes proclaiming each home a site of their church. (It brought tears to my eyes.) My notes are filled with ideas like this one!

Our conversations altered my stance. My mind was no longer colonized by scarcity: What if we fail? It was now rooted in innovation and possibility. What if we succeed?! And we have! Our congregation has re-centered itself in embodying our theology of abundance.

As we journey through the next seasons of 21st century pandemics, we’ll continue to need one another and these important conversations. When that happens, I hope Lake Institute can also ensure that faith leaders outside of Christianity and leaders of BIPOC faith communities feel invited, and their voices are centered at the table. Not to mention offering opportunities for these leaders to come together to center their particular needs.

I have learned through my own community of communities’ interfaith and antiracism work how critical it is to understand who “we” are, how our needs are aligned, and when we must concentrate on the specific needs of those of us who have been historically and continue to be systemically marginalized and disempowered.

Lake Institute reminded the leaders gathered to breathe, not to sigh. A powerful, life-giving metaphor in this time. Not by offering answers but by gathering the people, by inviting our collective wisdom to illuminate the path on the journey. For that, I give thanks.

Emilie Boggis serves as co-minister at Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Summit, NJ. Her theology is grounded in the Universalist tradition of abundant and liberating love, anchored by the power of breath, collective sacrifice and salvation, and practiced through daily centering prayer. She lives in Chatham, NJ with her husband and two daughters.