After presenting at Philanthropy Day on November 13, many inspired by the speech delivered by Miriam Krehbiel, United Way of Greater Topeka CEO, asked for it to be posted. As requested, here it is... enjoy!
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Thoughts on Philanthropy
National Philanthropy Day 2008
Miriam Krehbiel
What a pleasure and honor it is to be with you today. I had only been back in Topeka for just a few short weeks when I received the call from Joyce Martin to speak with you today. I think in the whirlwind of moving across country I lost a few brain cells because without even thinking I said “Yes!” Now here I am, in front of all of you with the daunting task of preaching to the choir about the importance of philanthropy in helping communities become better.
Well, let me begin by telling you a bit about myself. I am a native Kansan and so very glad to be home again after 25 plus years in Texas and California. I was raised by parents who believed that it was the responsibility of everyone to give back to our communities – whether that meant giving of time or money or even clothes to those who are in need. But to be perfectly honest, the last thing that I EVER wanted to do was ask people for money! Who would have thought that I would end up in a position with the United Way where doing just that is critical to what I do . . . and not just what I do, but what I’m so very passionate about. But, as you may have heard me say during these past 4 months . . . it’s about so much more than just the money. It’s really all about focusing my life on how to Live United.
I am very sure that there are those out there who think that we are nuts for doing what we do . . . especially in times like we are facing right now. It is a very rare occasion these days when the focus on television and radio isn’t about bailouts and a volatile stock market. We are hearing of people losing their jobs, their homes, and unable to pay for the basic necessities of life. And here we are asking our communities to choose us . . . give to us . . . help us. Nearly all of us in the non-profit sector are watching the needs for our services climb. And possibly more powerful than what we see is what we know in our hearts is still to come. Our need for resources is great. But where will these resources come from? Can we possible believe that people will give of their time and/or their money with so much uncertainty? I believe, without hesitation, that they will. All we have to do is connect, listen, and respond.
In “Democracy in America” Alexis de Tocqueville made, what I believe to be, one of his most important observations when he noted the American disposition to organize and join voluntary associations which helped to provide charitable relief to those in need and to discuss and offer solutions to societal problems. He wrote this in 1835! I believe that across the nation and here in our community people continue to be committed to advancing the common good through giving, advocating and volunteering. That is evident here today by the corporate and foundation support we heard about earlier.
These are times of incredible opportunity for all of us, both as individual organizations and as a sector. If we choose to take the challenge, to be courageous in our efforts, we have the ability to present the community with the solutions that will help not just those in need but the community as a whole. I would offer that to be truly successful in times like these we need to search for ways to work more effectively together in order to maximize our efforts. We need to be truly innovative, responsive and flexible in both our resource developments activities as well as our programming. As I heard just the other day from Eric Morgenstern, President and CEO of Morgenstern Communications, we need to define how we are excellent vs. how we are different. Think about the power of that statement for a moment. So many times we spend our time trying to convince those we are soliciting that we are different from the organization down the street – we are more worthy, more cost effective. Now think about the power of your conversation if you were to focus on how you are excellent. Excellent because you are knowledgeable about what is important to them. Excellent because you value your relationship with them and want to help them achieve their goals. Excellent because of the positive results you are achieving in the community with a service that is critical to advancing the common good.
Along with social values, the nature of philanthropy has changed. According to an Environics study, in the 1950s, philanthropy was motivated by guilt, and a religious sense of duty, and was often conspicuous. Today by contrast, donors are driven by personal quests and a desire to make a difference. They are more focused on the root causes of issues rather than just providing relief to problems. They are also looking for opportunities to learn and grow through their involvement with the charities that they support.
In an article written by the Corporation for National Community Service it was said that “Economic downturns also offer special opportunities for truly innovative nonprofits to increase their incomes above normal, prosperous levels by, for example, broadening the client base to embrace people newly distressed, appealing to new groups of contributors, or marketing new types of goods or services that, when prosperity inevitably returns, can be important new sources of significant income for a nonprofit that proved itself innovative in difficult times.” I was on a webinar yesterday with United Ways across the nation, discussing the current giving environment and I listened to how the United Way in Salt Lake is campaigning to raise an additional 5 million in goods and money to assist people with basic needs. I was struck by the words she used. She said that just as they are doing she would encourage each of us to ask people to “Give courageously” . . . to look past our fear and uncertainty and invest in our neighbors . . . invest in our community with perspective that together we can make it through daunting times.
Over the past months I have had the incredible opportunity to participate in and observe our community, through the United Way lens, courageously give. Let me tell you, it has been an awesome and humbling experience. I have seen our community step up time and time again. First through incredible participation in Day of Caring . . . even in the pouring rain people wanted to do their part in helping others. Then through the continuing good news of increasing financial campaign results from companies large and small. And finally the gift from a gentleman during our on-air new business blitz. This gentleman gave us all he could . . . he gave us a precious 5 dollars . . . because at one time he had been helped by a United Way organization and remembered the hope he gained from that assistance – he felt that he had a responsibility to give back. Donors come in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life, and often from unlikely sources.
To quote Elizabeth Barrett Browning:
God answers sharp and sudden on some prayers,And thrusts the thing we have prayed for in our face,A gauntlet with a gift in it.
In what can appear to be difficult times for us, I would challenge you to take up this gauntlet and recognize that in it is the gift of opportunity to be excellent – excellent in addressing the needs of our neighbors and excellent at working together to advance the common good and Live United.
Thank you so much for your time and for welcoming me so warmly into this community.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
We Are Blogging Now
The purpose of this blog is to better connect the community with the Live United Movement and the United Way of Greater Topeka. The UWGT website (http://www.unitedwaytopeka.org/) is a wonderful tool in explaining the nuts and bolts of how the United Way works with the community, allocates funds and coordinates volunteers. It is also a great resource in finding ways to Give, Volunteer and Advocate, and while this blog will not replace the web site, it will most definitely complement it.
More clearly stated, this blog will give a personal voice to the work of the United Way, the people we reach and those who give their time and money.
Please feel free to post comments or ask questions.
More clearly stated, this blog will give a personal voice to the work of the United Way, the people we reach and those who give their time and money.
Please feel free to post comments or ask questions.
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