Nancy Jamison of San Diego Grantmakers and James O. Goldsborough addressed "Misfortunes of Wealth" at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice, USD.
Nancy Jamison, Executive Director of San Diego Grantmakers, said the organization has 90 members. She followed with an overview of philanthropy in the current economic downturn: more important than ever to give our time and resources for the public good and to develop an altruistic concern for human welfare and love of man/womankind.
The Neighborhood Unity Foundation in South East San Diego is taking a new look at philanthropy and the new name is "Pooled Philanthropy". For example: 100 people getting together and giving $100 each, equals $1000 for a charity organization.
Jamison outlined giving in the United States:
| Individuals and Bequests | 82% |
| Foundations | 13% (there are 499 Foundations in San Diego) |
| Corporations | 5% |
There are 9,000 non profit organizations in San Diego alone!
Women now control more than 50% of wealth in the USA. Women are more attuned to women who live in poverty. Women are at the forefront of social change.
Women work under the umbrella of "the 6 Cs": Create, Change, Connect, Commit, Collaborate, Celebrate.
In times of recession, donors give to organizations that are:
- Focused,
- Invested in Sustainability,
- Collaborative,
- Communicate their Message, and
- Donors who give more when the need is greatest.
Jamison told us of a book: The Transformative Power of Women's Philanthropy: New Directions for Philanthropic Fundraising by Martha Taylor and Sondra Shaw-Hardy (Paperback).
Jim Goldsborough (author of Misfortunes of Wealth) reminded us of the $1.2 trillion deficit that remains following the Bush Administration. In recessions and depressions, women suffer most. In the 1940s during the war era, 1.5m women were abandoned by their husbands.
Philanthropy is vital in the United States because our government isn't set up to do what other governments do for their population. We need the media to be our watchdogs; to point out where greed and avarice in positions of power take over inappropriately.
