Stanford Continuing Studies | Autumn 2012 | PDV 75 Giving Wisely 1 unit Instructor: Christine Sherry Course Schedule: Tuesdays 7-8:50 5 weeks: October 30 - December 4, 2012 Required Text(s): Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results by Thomas J. Tierney and Joel L. Fleishman Do More Than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World by Leslie R. Crutchfield, John V. Kania, and Mark R. Kramer Weekly Outline Week One - Introduction to key concepts, terminology and resources Review of basic terms and players, review of the nonprofit sector, introduction to key resources in the field Week Two - Charity versus philanthropy and an overview of different kinds of philanthropic strategies Using disaster relief as a case study, we will look at different approaches to philanthropic interventions, from basic charitable relief to more complex philanthropic interventions. We will also explore some assumptions underlying why different strategies and approaches might be undertaken and how to assess your own priorities and orientation toward different philanthropic efforts. Week Three - How to develop a strategy in an area of interest This week will explore how to identify areas of need within a given issue area, how to access and use field scans, how to find and use experts to assist in developing a strategy, and how to carve out a niche area for funding where your dollars will have maximum impact. Guest Speaker: Carrie Avery, President of the Durfee Foundation No class November 20 - Thanksgiving break Week Four - Choosing organizations and projects to fund Autumn 2012 | PDV 75 | Christine Sherry This week will involve how to assess groups and programs worth funding. We will review the right questions to ask, how to evaluate different organizations in a given space, and how to separate hype from actual performance. We will look at issues raised by the Three Cups of Tea scandal as well as how to identify high quality organizations and initiatives. Week Five - Evaluating your impact, trends and creating a giving plan Our final week we will explore how to assess the impact of your giving and the organizations that you support. We will use examples from disaster relief and other areas, including microfinance, education, and other fields, to learn what has worked well and what strategies have missed the mark. We will also explore the future of philanthropy and how to develop a plan going forward to maximize your giving. Initial Reading Assignment For the first session, please read Tierney and Fleishman, Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results (Public Affairs, 2011), Chapter 1 as well as Crutchfield, Kania, and Kramer, Do More than Give: The Six Practices of Donors Who Change the World (Jossey-Bass, 2011), Chapter 1. Course Expectations All students are expected to attend each class and do the required reading, which will typically be on average 50 - 60 pages maximum per class. After the first assignment, most of the reading will be short news length or periodical articles of no more than 2-10 pages each. These will be posted on Moodle before the course begins and updated weekly as appropriate. Additional suggested readings will also be available. There are no written assignments other than for those who seek a letter grade. We will have occasional guest speakers. We will have some classroom interactive exercises and discussion is encouraged. Requirements for a Letter Grade and/or Credit For a letter-grade and/or credit or both in this course you are asked to write a three to five page double-spaced paper on a topic agreed upon between you and the instructor. Autumn 2012 | PDV 75 | Christine Sherry