Ensuring an Impact is Made:
It is hard to ignore a world that’s struggling with dire inequality, poverty, and pressing social issues. As a prominent platform for donations, we’ve witnessed philanthropy play an instrumental role in tackling these problems. That said, the traditional approach of simply donating and moving on isn’t as effective as it was once believed to be.
We truly believe that philanthropic mindsets must evolve if one hopes to make an impact that is not only significant but also sustainable. In this article, we want to emphasise how a simple shift in perspective towards philanthropy can become a driving force for lasting change in our society, especially in the era of online fundraising platforms.
Strategic Giving | Investing in Solutions
There was once a village that reported a huge number of deaths from starvation. Everyone – government, individuals and international bodies – all went for the rescue and gave them enough food to last a long time. 10 years later the situation remains the same. Had someone worked on the root cause (education, skill training, placements in income earning avenues etc) and not the symptom, the situation today may have been very different.
This can be considered a defining characteristic of the new philanthropic mindset. Instead of making impulsive donations in a bid to support a cause, it may be more helpful if donors took a step back to deliberate about the root cause of an issue rather than a temporary relief.
This entails identifying reliable organisations, verifying their goal, conducting a thorough research, understanding program evaluation and investing in permanent solutions.
Philanthropists today are far more inclined to support initiatives and organisations that strive to bring systemic change.
Measuring Impact of Philanthropic Aid
Philanthropists today seek assurance that their hard earned contributions are making a difference. Modern philanthropists understand just how important it is to measure impact and also that, unlike a corporate, not all impact in the social sector may be visible in a fixed/ short duration. It may sometimes even take years for the cause to cleanse from within and make a noticeable long lasting upliftment.
Assessing campaign outcomes, impact evaluation measures, tracking key performance indicators, and making decisions based on data – provided by organisations like LET IT COUNT to those donating to projects on their platform, help best understand the impact and utilisation of funds contributed.
The Importance of Collaborative Philanthropy
For charity in India to be successful, collaboration is key. As such, many philanthropists in the country are actively working with NGOs, government, and other donors to multiply the impact of their contributions. This collaborative approach is critical in addressing social issues that are rather complex in nature or those whose magnitude is large.
Through collaboration, philanthropists can leverage networks, resources, and expertise to address complex social issues more efficiently.
Community Empowerment
This is another fundamental shift we are seeing in the modern philanthropic mindset. Instead of implementing solutions top-down, donors are now actively engaging with local communities and people at the ground level. These are people who are most affected by the social issues a philanthropist has set out to solve.
Therefore, it makes sense to understand the ground reality, respect their autonomy and lend an ear to their needs in the pursuit of making a meaningful change. Sometimes the most meaningful ideas come from those actually facing the issue.
Taking Calculated Risks
This is a trend that’s becoming increasingly popular among modern philanthropists. They aren’t afraid of taking risks. As such, they are more open to investing in projects that are rather experimental in nature. Just like investing in start-ups they see no harm in investing in unproven ideas they believe could bring about transformative change.
Continuous Adapting and Learning
A successful philanthropic journey is only possible with continuous learning and adapting. Modern philanthropists understand this. They are open to feedback. They are open to NGOs working as research labs, working on ground to best understand what process will work best. They are also more willing to learn from both their successes and failures and accordingly support further causes. This mindset is essential to ensure philanthropy can respond effectively to evolving challenges, thus benefiting both platforms for donation and NGOs in India.
Inclusivity as the Core of Philanthropy
Inclusivity is a fundamental value of the new philanthropic mindset. Today’s donors are committed to ensuring their contributions are equitable. They are aware of systemic biases that sustain inequality. This type of philanthropy is not just about who receives support but also about who gives it and who is in charge of critical decision-making processes involving charity.
Conclusion
The philanthropic landscape of today is marked by innovation, collaboration, sensitivity and long-term vision. To make a lasting impact in such an environment, philanthropists need to re-evaluate their entire approach to charity.
Needless to say, a new philanthropic mindset is the need of the hour. This shift in perspective is possible by strategic giving, collaborative philanthropy, awareness on how the social sector works, community empowerment, risk-taking ability, inclusivity, and a robust commitment to transparency.
All of the above elements combined conjure a relatively more effective approach to philanthropy that has the potential to produce an actual impact and a long lasting change.