State University of New York College of Community and Public Affairs Department of Public Administration Binghamton University Scholars Program SCHL280 Philanthropy and Civil Society Spring 2015 David Campbell, Ph.D. Office: University Downtown Center, Room 340 Phone: 777-9181 (though e-mail is the best way to reach me) E-mail: dcamp@binghamton.edu Twitter handle: @davecampbell116 Office Hours: Vestal: Tuesdays, 12:00-1:30, Hinman College, Rockefeller Center* Wednesdays, 1:30-3:00, UDC 340 Or, by appointment Class Meets: Tuesdays, Thursdays 2:50-4:15 Room: Science II, Room 260 *Rockefeller Center is in the process of renovation; and I do not have the exact room number yet. For the first two weeks of the semester, I expect to hold my office hours in the Hinman Dining Hall; after that I will move to Rockefeller Center and provide you with a room number for my office there (it will be the office across from Al Vos, the Hinman Faculty Master). Course Summary From Andrew Carnegie’s commitment to build libraries in the early 20th century to Bill and Melinda Gates’ current efforts to eradicate disease in Africa, philanthropists have played an important role in the development of civil society. In addition, the nonprofit organizations that philanthropists fund represent nearly ten percent of the American economy. Yet, many students are unfamiliar with philanthropy and the role the nonprofit sector plays in community life. Philanthropists are an important source of capital in social movements, encouraging innovation and supporting the nonprofit and grass roots infrastructure that leads to social change. Nonprofit organizations, both formal and informal are the vehicles for philanthropists’ social investments. This course introduces undergraduate students to individual and institutional philanthropy and the role and management of nonprofit organizations in community life through a service-learning grantmaking experience. Students enrolled in the class will identify core values and philanthropic vision; review community needs and use these documents as the basis for evaluating and recommending local nonprofit organizations to receive grants. Class members will decide collectively which organizations they will support. Course content will facilitate student grantmaking decisions. Course topics include: What philanthropy is Motivations for philanthropy Individuals’ giving obligations What constitutes effective philanthropy The size and scope of the nonprofit sector; The role of nonprofit organizations in social change Leadership in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector Defining community needs and philanthropy’s role in addressing them Assessing the performance of nonprofit organizations How leaders in philanthropy and nonprofit organizations collaborate to accomplish shared goals. I have organized the course to accomplish seven goals: 1. To introduce students to way in which nonprofit organizations shape community life and contribute to transformational social change. 2. To provide students with an understanding of the size, scope and role of the nonprofit sector in civic life. 3. To provide students with sources of information about community needs and to analyze how local nonprofit organizations address them. 4. To introduce students to ways in which funders and nonprofit organization leaders work together to accomplish common goals. 5. To introduce students to the process and implications of grantmaking to nonprofit organizations, including what constitutes effective philanthropy. 6. To introduce students to notions of nonprofit effectiveness and to determine for themselves how to define nonprofit effectiveness. 7. To provide students with an opportunity to reflect on the role they can play as future philanthropists or leaders in nonprofit organizations. Gen-Ed Goals This course is designated as a Gen Ed “J,” joint composition and presentation. That means the course includes certain skills goals that I have built into the course assignments: For presentations, course learning outcomes are that students will demonstrate: 1. Proficiency in oral presentations. 2. The ability to improve oral presentations in response to critiques. 3. Skill in listening to and critiquing oral presentations. For composition, course learning outcomes are that students will demonstrate: 1. The ability to write effectively and coherently, in ways appropriate to the discipline and the level of the course. 2. The ability to revise and improve their writing in both form and content. Required Texts: The course requires you to purchase three books. I have listed other readings on the syllabus, all of which are available online or as e-reserves, on BlackBoard. The books are available as ebooks and you can purchase them for a lower cost that way. 1. Kristof, N. & WuDunn, S. (2014). A path appears. New York: Random House 2. Salwen, K. & Salwen, H. (2010). The power of half: One family’s decision to stop taking and to start giving back. Boston: Mariner Books. 3. Singer, P. (2009). The life you can save: Acting now to end world poverty. New York: Random House. Method of Instruction I have organized this class as a seminar. Classes will involve a combination of presentation and discussion. I expect you to read the material assigned for the day andbe prepared to discuss it in class. From time to time I may do pop quizzes if I find that all students are not doing the reading. The quizzes will be calculated as part of your participation grade. Discussion expectations: In pursuit of critical thinking, students are strongly encouraged to adhere to the following principles: 1. Recognize the difference between reason and emotion, thinking and feeling; 2. Build arguments with evidence, not feelings. 3. Realize that reason and critical thought are necessary inside and outside of the classroom. Given these principles, the goal for this class is to emphasize civil discourse, establish fact-based viewpoints, and engage in focused discussions, rather than win arguments or engage in verbal altercations. Determination of Grades I will determine grades based on three components: participation in class, writing and presentations that guide students toward their grant-making decision and dialogue/engagement with course material through the class blog and other social media. I have described each of these elements below. Grades for each component will be by points. The total points you receive during the semester will be the basis for your final grade. Total Points 94-100 90.0-93.9 87.0-89.9 83.0-86.9 80.0-82.9 77.0-79.9 73.0-76.9 70.0-72.9 65.0-69.9 64.9 or Lower Final Grade A AB+ B BC+ C CD F A note on grading: I will give you numerical grades on all assignments. That way it is easier to calculate your final grades. Typically, I will give grade as follows: A: 96 A-: 92 B+ 88 B: 85 B- 81 C+ 78 C 75 C-71 D 67 F depends on effort In some cases I will give grades in between these numbers, if I can’t decide between a B+ and an A-, for example, but that will be the exception rather than the rule. Assignments The class provides you four ways to reflect on philanthropy and how to make the best use of the $10,000 you have to distribute to local nonprofit organizations: 1. 2. 3. 4. Participation in the grantmaking process (in and outside of class). Shared reflection through blog participation and twitter; Individual writing assignments that advance your decision-making process; Teamwork and presentations that facilitate group decision making. I have described the assignments in each of these categories below. I will provide detailed descriptions of individual assignments one to two weeks before they are due. The amount of advance time I give you will depend on the scope of the assignment and practical issues related to the class schedule. 1. Participation and Tweeting: 10 points Participation in the grantmaking process involves two distinct activities. First, it means being an active and engaged member of the class, listening to others and contributing to discussions that move the class to a deeper understanding of philanthropy, nonprofit organizations and a grantmaking decision. Second, participation means contributing outside of class to the essential parts of the grantmaking process, including data gathering about organizations, coordinating and participating in site visits and helping to arrange the awards ceremony on the last day of class. In class participation: Participation in class sessions is essential for the class members to develop a sense of team and common purpose in their grantmaking. Active participation in class discussions contributes to shared understanding of course topics. I expect all students to participate in every class session. I will evaluate class participation by both the content and volume of participation. More participation does not guarantee a higher grade; rather I will look for degree of engagement, insight and the ability to listen, learn from and build on the observations of fellow students. Outside of class, grantmaking process participation: As noted, this aspect of participation refers to your involvement outside of class in the activities required for effective grantmaking. To earn a passing grade, you must participate in at least one site visit for a prospective grantee organization. In awarding points, I will assess your willingness to assist with some element of the process and your follow through on the assignments you accept. Tweeting Twitter is reshaping public debate. People use twitter to contribute to important policy debates and provide feedback on a wide variety of issues. One goal for this course is for you to learn how to use twitter as a mechanism for influencing and participating in important conversations (either about public policy or issues important to groups in which you participate). All students in the class must create a twitter account and follow each other. If you are unfamiliar with twitter, I will give you a demonstration in the first class. You must also follow me on twitter (@davecampbell116). All students must “tweet” about philanthropy at least one time per week. (I recommend you use the hashtag #bulbg2015 so that it is easy to see all tweets.) Each week, we will hold a contest to vote on the “tweet of the week” (or the “retweet of the week”). I will ask students to nominate the tweet they found most compelling (you cannot nominate your own tweet). We will use twitter to engage in our own philanthropy. Each week, I will invite students to donate $1 (completely anonymous and voluntary) to give to the winner of the tweet of the week. I will match the total amount students give and a Binghamton alumnus will match the total of students and my gifts, up to $500. The winner of the tweet of the week must donate the money they receive to a nonprofit organization of their choosing, and then share that decision and the rationale for it on the course blog. I will also give extra credit to the person who is most successful in winning the “tweet of the week” over the course of the semester. I have provided a more detailed description of the tweet of the week contest on a separate document and posted it on Blackboard. 2. Shared reflection through blog participation: 25 points Class blog: http://learningbygivingatbu2015.blogspot.com I have created a course blog, as a mechanism for students to engage with course material. I will also require students to create and participate on twitter as a second means of engagement with course material. The goal of this approach to course reflection is to encourage shared learning about the issues we discuss in class, and to learn practical lessons about how social media shape discourse on important issues facing our world. Blog posts (2 @ 6 points each) The blog is the primary mechanism for student engagement. All students must create two blog posts during the semester (you will select the dates for your blog posts during the first class session). At least four students will make blog posts each week. I have created the blog as a place for you to reflect more deeply on class discussions and course readings. Your blog posts need not be lengthy; I’d try to keep them to approximately three single-spaced paragraphs. I encourage you to explore and incorporate new sources of information (other blogs, podcasts, video, articles) that capture your attention and reshape or contribute to your thinking about the issues the class is addressing this semester. Your blog post should accomplish several goals (not necessarily in this order): a. b. c. d. Identify the relevance of the topic to a class topic or issue Introduce new material (podcast, video, reading, etc.) Engage other students on the topic, such as by being provocative or asking questions Present your ideas clearly and accessibly to the reader I will grade your blog posts based on the extent to which they accomplish these goals. To earn an “A” grade, a post must reflect on key issues about philanthropy or a related topic from class discussions. It must bring in a new perspective on an issue and challenge others in the class to reflect or consider your perspective. Your writing must be clear and accessible. Blog posts are less formal than papers, so they may adopt a more conversational style. However, clarity and precision are still critical in creating a high quality post. Finally, I will look for ideas, perspectives or content that surprise me and offer me a new way of thinking about an issue. All students must register for the blog to participate. I will send you an invitation to participate. You will need an e-mail address other than a bmail address to participate. Important: Your blog post is due the morning before the class session for which you have signed up (by noon). That way, you will provide the others in the class enough time to comment on your post. Blog Comments (13 points, 1 point/week) All students must comment on a blog post each week. The class meets twice a week. You must submit your comment for the week no later than 9:00AM on Thursday (to give all students a chance to look at the blog before class); however, I will be more liberal in my grading of students who post earlier in the week (by Tuesday) if I see that most people way to comment until the end of the week. To earn a grade of “A” on this assignment, you must comment weekly on the blog. Your participation must demonstrate thoughtful engagement with course material. For example, a response of “I agree” as a comment is insufficient. I expect students to build arguments supported by evidence. That means a reasonable blog comment should be at least several sentences for a student to make a case. You may provide lengthy comments, but what matters most is a demonstration of engagement with the issues raised by the blog post and the ability to bring new information (links to other material) or perspective (experiences that provide insight on a particular topic) to the discussion. I will grade your blog comments weekly. To earn an “A” grade you must demonstrate thoughtful engagement with the material and add in a meaningful way to the discussion. You may do this by bringing in personal material or other content relevant to the discussion. 3. Individual writing assignments that advance class decision-making (45 points) Among the most important steps in becoming an effective philanthropist are to: Know what your core values are and how they inform your philanthropy Learn about the local community and the challenges it faces Identify and assess the strategies local organizations are using to address those challenges Evaluate prospective grantees You will be responsible for writing assignments that address several of these four elements of effective philanthropy. I have described these assignments below with tentative due dates. The dates of assignment and the nature of the assignment could change based on the decision-making process the course undertakes during the semester. As noted, I will provide detailed descriptions of each of these assignments before they are due. Please submit all written assignments on Blackboard. a. Vision for Your Philanthropy (10 points). All students must write a brief (3-4 pages) paper that discusses their vision for philanthropy, that is, how they would make a difference through philanthropy. I will ask you to consider what personal values inform your view of philanthropy, the reason for those values and how you think you can make a difference through philanthropy. In many ways, this paper asks you to reflect on the readings in the first quarter of the semester. For those of you who blog on this topic, you may use ideas and revisions from your blog post in this paper. (Due Feb. 26) b. Organizational Assessment (25 points). All students will write an assessment of one organization that is a candidate for funding from the class (5-7 pages). More than one student will write about each organization. The assessment will include an analysis of the organization’s alignment with values, issues and community challenges identified and discussed by the class. The assessment will also include an assessment of the organization’s performance and suitability for funding. (Due April 23rd). c. Course Reflection Paper (10 points). In my experience, students often leave the course with a mix of emotions. The goal of this paper is to provide you with an opportunity to reflect on what your key take-aways about philanthropy and making a difference are from your grantmaking experience. This paper will be relatively short (3 pages), but reflect deep engagement with the course material. 4. Teamwork and presentations that facilitate group decision making (20 points) While the grantmaking decision process starts with individual reflection, ultimately, you will have to make a group decision. The class is relatively large for a group trying to reach consensus on a decision. For that reason, I have organized the class to provide several opportunities for students to meet in small groups to discuss the grantmaking and share their observations as a way to facilitate decision making among all students in the class. You will have four opportunities to work in teams and present your ideas at key points in the decision-making process to the class. a. Community Data Presentation (5 points). Due March 5th. Learning about the community is essential to putting the work of local nonprofit organizations in context, and how you as philanthropists contribute to that work. Students will work in groups to access data and learn about key issues facing the community. b. Identification of Finalists (5 points). Your selection of organizations will involve two primary phases: the winnowing down of initial candidates and final selection. This presentation will involve group recommendations about the initial set of finalists. I will organize the class into five groups. Each group will develop criteria for selecting finalist organizations and make their case to the class. After each group has presented, the class will discuss and decide which organizations to include as finalists. Due March 24th. c. Presentations about Finalist Organizations. (5 points). Due April 23rd. I will ask you to present twice at the end of the semester, first about the finalist organizations and second about your funding recommendations. Since several of you will be studying finalist organizations, I will ask you to present about the strengths and limitations of the organization you study. d. Funding Recommendations (5 points). Due April 28th. I will assign students to work together to synthesize their assessments of finalist organizations. Each group of students will be responsible for a final assessment of the suitability of their organization for funding, including a recommendation whether to fund. If the group recommends funding, the group should indicate the amount they recommend. Assignments Summary Assignment` Blog Posts (2) Blog Comments Vision of Philanthropy Community Data Presentation Presentation on Applicants Presentations about Finalists Organization Assessment Funding Recommendations Presentation Course Reflection Paper Participation Total Due Date Midnight on Saturday before the class for which you have signed up Weekly, by noon on Tuesday or Thursday February 26 March 5 March 24 April 23 April 23 April 28 Points 12 (6 points each) May 7 Weekly 10 10 100 13 10 5 5 5 25 5 Course Schedule Reading Assignments and Timeline Date Topic Learning by Giving Overview January 27 Introduction to course themes What is Philanthropy? Reading Review Learning by Giving Foundation website: www.learningbygivingfoundation.org. Learning by Giving video and interview with Doris Buffett Watch “I am a Philanthropist,” available at: http://youtu.be/sFHPwFCCNiw Watch I am a Philanthropist: Diverse Voices in Giving available at: http://youtu.be/t8LFgpeZV2s Read: College as Philanthropy, available at: http://chronicle.com/article/The-College-as-a-Philanthropy/125176/ Daily Show Segment on Pink Ribbons and Breast Cancer Charity Bill and Melinda Gates TED Talk on Philanthropy, available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/bill_and_melinda_gates_why_giving_away _our_wealth_has_been_the_most_satisfying_thing_we_ve_done?lang uage=en January 29 Why do we give? Listen to NPR Story: What motivates people to give? Available at: http://www.npr.org/2014/12/22/372526891/what-motivates-peopletogive?utm_source=npr_email_a_friend&utm_medium=email&utm_co ntent=20141223&utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_term Kristof & Wu Dunn, A Path Appears, Chapter 15, The Neuroscience of Giving Read Singer, Chapter 4: Why don’t we give more? Date Topic Reading Read Andrew Carnegie’s “Gospel of Wealth,” available at: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5767 Read: Donors Weigh the Ideals of Meaningful Giving Read: Two Paths for Charitable Giving: From the Head or from the Heart, available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/29/yourmoney/charitable-giving-from-head-orheart.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=your-money& February 3 How should we approach philanthropy? Read: The Giving Conundrum, available at: http://www.onbeing.org/blog/the-giving-conundrum/7148 Watch Peter Singer’s TED talk: The Why and How of Effective Altruism, available at: http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_singer_the_why_and_how_of_effecti ve_altruism?language=en Read this blog post as well, about effective altruism, also available from Give Well, at: http://blog.givewell.org/2013/08/13/effectivealtruism/ Salwen, K, & Salwen, H. The Power of Half, Introduction and Chapters 1-3 February 5 One family’s philanthropy journey February 10 This book has two important stories, one about how the members of one family developed their view of philanthropy and their obligations to others in the local and global community, the other about how they approached their giving. In the first class session, we will discuss the Salwen family’s decision to create and implement a family mission through philanthropy. In the second class session, we will discuss how they decided how to give away their money. As you read it reflect on these two themes. Does the Salwen family experience have any resonance for you, either in terms of your obligations or how you think the class should approach its philanthropy? Read: The Power of Half, Chapter 4-Epilogue (see guidance from February 5 class session). Instructor away; session led by philanthropy class alumni. Date Topic February 12 The Ethics of Philanthropy Reading Read: Singer, P. (2010). The life you can save: Acting now to end world poverty, Part 1: The argument (Chapters 1-3) Singer’s book raises questions regarding our philanthropic obligations. As you read the book, reflect on the questions he asks and the arguments he makes. What do you find persuasive about his arguments? What do you find unpersuasive? We will use the class session to discuss Singer’s argument and its implications for you and your grantmaking activities. Date Topic Reading Read: Join Wall Street, Save the World. Available at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/05/31/join -wall-street-save-the-world/ Read The Way to Produce a Person, by David Brooks, column from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/opinion/brooks-the-way-toproduce-a-person.html?ref=opinion&_r=0 Review Giving What We Can website: http://www.givingwhatwecan.org, including all elements in the navigation bar (About us, Get Involved, Top Charities, Research and Blog). February 17 The Ethics of Philanthropy and its Practical Implications Review the website for the organization 80,000 hours: The organization has a particular approach about how to ensure people maximize their ability to make a difference through their careers. Make sure you read the “about” section and browse other sections, particularly top careers available here. Tierney & Fleishman, What are my values and beliefs? (on e-reserve) Review the website for “This I believe” and read five to ten of the brief essays. You may want to select essays based on themes organized here. Read at least several under the heading “charity and service.” Come to class prepared to discuss at least one that you found compelling. An alternative way to review the essays is to listen to the podcasts. Hearing the short essays read by their authors may make them more powerful. The podcasts are provided with each essay. You may also read the remaining chapters in the Singer book, though it is unlikely we will discuss them in class. February 19 Finalize Applicant Information Form Kristof & Wu Dunn, A Path Appears, Chapters 1-10. Date February 24 February 26 March 3 Topic Making a Difference through Philanthropy Making a Difference through Philanthropy Learning about the Binghamton Community Reading Readings on Giving Circles, to be distributed. Kristof & Wu Dunn, A Path Appears, Part II, Chapters 11-14, Part III, Chapters 16-20. A critical aspect of grantmaking is learning about your community and the most effective ways to make a difference. I have provided two sources that address this issue in different ways. The first considers how funders approach learning about what role they can play in making a difference. The second identifies resources available to the class to learn about the Broome County community. Read: Scanning the Landscape: Finding Out What’s Going on in your Field, available at: http://www.grantcraft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&pa geId=1352 (requires registration) Review the data sources on the library guide created for this class (available at: http://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/sch280h). Review again the data sources on the library guide created for this class (available at: http://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/sch280h). March 5 Learning about the Binghamton Community Identify two to three sources of data (or key facts) that you consider important to the way in which the class approaches its grantmaking. Bring the data you consider most important to class and come prepared to discuss them, both in small groups and as part of the class as a whole. Date Topic Reading This week’s readings discuss an alternative approach to philanthropy, giving money directly to people who need it. Here are some reflection questions: What is the power in giving money directly? How is it different from examples of giving money to organizations (intermediaries) that help people? Is one approach better? What are the strengths/limitations of each approach? Listen to Good Deeds in Hard Times Podcast from On Point with Tom Ashbrook program, available at http://onpoint.wbur.org/2010/11/12/good-deeds-charity March 10 Should we give to individuals or Listen to “I was just trying to help,” , Episode 1: Money for Nothing institutions? and your Cows for Free, from This American Life, available at http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/503/i-wasjust-trying-to-help?act=1 Listen to the follow up podcast from Planet Money: “What happens when you just give money to poor people?” available at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/11/08/243967328/episode494-what-happens-when-you-just-give-money-to-poor-people Read: Give Directly? Not so fast? Read: NYT OpEd: Let them Eat Cash Review the ALS Foundation website to learn about how the organization benefited from the ice-bucket challenge. Consider in what ways the challenge advanced the mission of the ALS Foundation. March 12 The Ice-bucket Challenge and Philanthropy Listen to On Point Podcast: Stunt Philanthropy in the Age of Social Media Read: Throwing Cold Water on Ice Bucket Philanthropy Read: The Ice Bucket Racket Date March 17 Topic Reading The three readings address what nonprofit organizations are (their legal forms in the United States) and the role the nonprofit sector plays in community life. As you look at the data in the first three readings consider the following questions: What surprises you? How are the organizations you’re considering supporting different from the nonprofit sector as a whole? What lessons do you draw from these data? What are nonprofit organizations? The deTocqueville reading discusses what makes “associations” (as nonprofit organizations were referred to in the 150 years ago) in the US so special. The Salamon reading addresses this issue in modern terms. Please consider these questions: What makes the nonprofit sector distinct? What role does the nonprofit sector play in the US? How is the nonprofit sector different from government? The role of nonprofit organizations in civil society Salamon, L. (2012). America’s Nonprofit Sector: A Primer, Chapter 2, What is the Nonprofit Sector and Why do we have it? (on ereserve) The Nonprofit Sector in Brief, available at: http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/413277-Nonprofit-Sector-inBrief-2014.pdf (please bring a hard copy or your laptop/tablet to class). deTocqueville “on Associations.” (on e-reserve) Date March 19 Topic Statistics on Giving Reading Giving USA Summary of giving, 2014, available on e-reserve Review the e-book Roeger, K. (2012). The Nonprofit Almanac. It includes detailed information about the nature of the nonprofit sector, giving and volunteering. Skim chapters 1 and 3 and review the Chapter 5 sections that address the types of organizations that interest you (probably human services). Identify at least one table or chart that you find interesting and would be willing to discuss in class. The book is available as a course reserve through the reserves tab on the library website: http://www.binghamton.edu/libraries/services/eres/students.html Review giving in the United States through this interactive feature available at the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Consider giving rates by income level in places familiar to you (Binghamton, your home town, other places you’ve lived, etc.). What do you find interesting? March 24 Institutional Philanthropy: Foundations, Corporate Philanthropy Presentations on Finalists Take the free, online course “Foundations and their Role in Philanthropy” available from The Foundation Center. To access the course you need to register with The Foundation Center and “buy” the course at checkout (it’s free). After you “buy” the class, the Foundation Center will send you a link to the brief online course. You can buy the course as a webinar or as a class you can do on your own. The course is brief, but provides a helpful overview of key concepts about foundations. Review data about foundations from the Foundation Center, focus on the foundations tab more than the grants tab. You may also want to look at the data using the options “all,” “independent,” and “corporate.” Date Topic Reading Review Guidestar FAQs about 990 available here. March 26 March 31 Documenting Review Guidestar information about the Form 990, available here. nonprofit status; the form 990. Register with Guidestar and review the form 990 for one of the organizations that has applied for funding for the class. Selection of Finalists At Guidestar, access and review the Form 990 for the organization Franziska Racker Centers (from Ithaca), where I serve on the board. We will review the Form 990 in class. Please contact me if you cannot access the 990 from the Guidestar website. The readings for this week get at how you know a nonprofit organization does a good job. Forces for Good addresses the most exceptional nonprofit organizations. Give Well and Charity Navigator take a different approach. They provide information about organizations so that donors can make informed decisions about the difference their donations make in an organization. As you read Assessing about Give Well and Charity Navigator consider: Nonprofit How do you know a nonprofit organization is doing a good Organizations job? What is the difference in the approach of Charity Navigator and GiveWell? Do you prefer one over the other? Finalist Visits Are the characteristics identified in Forces for Good useful to Class for you in evaluating your finalist organizations? Crutchfield. L, & Grant, H. (2012)Forces for Good, 2nd ed. Chapter 1, 12, on e-reserve. Available as an e-book through the library reserves: http://www.binghamton.edu/libraries/services/eres/students.html Date Topic Reading Review websites for two charity rating organizations, Give Well and Charity Navigator. For Give Well, make sure to read “A medium-depth overview” available at: http://www.givewell.org/about/givewelloverview#whatdowedo. Please check out the hyperlinks embedded into the overview. April 2 Finalists Visits to Class Review Charity Navigator website. (www.charitynavigator.org) and article “Six Questions to ask Charities Before Donating,” available at: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid= 28 Charity Navigator: Methodology (all navigation bar elements) Available at: http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid= 33 Assessing Organizations April 14 Considerations in Making Giving Decisions Conducting site visits Review Charity Navigator’s assessment of one organization that interests you. It may interest you because of its work, its location or its reputation. Come to class prepared to discuss the organization you selected and what you learned from it. Readings listed are for the week (April 14-16) This week’s readings provide a more in-depth description over what constitutes an effective organization and how to make the best giving decisions. As you read, consider these questions, too: What are the key issues each author raises? Do you find one argument more persuasive than the others? What do you find unpersuasive? Date April 16 Topic Selection Criteria Reading Listen to the TED Radio Hour story about Dan Pallotta, available at: http://www.npr.org/2013/07/05/181693499/do-we-have-the-wrongidea-about-charity ; and listen to Dan Pallotta’s TED talk, available at: http://on.ted.com/Pallotta Read this blog post from Give Well; it provides supplementary information on how the folks at Give Well approach giving money away: http://blog.givewell.org/2013/08/08/passive-vs-rational-vsquantified/ Read: The elitist philanthropy of so-called effective altrusim, from the Stanford Social Innovation Review blog available at: http://www.ssireview.org/blog/entry/the_elitist_philanthropy_of_so_ called_effective_altruism I would recommend reading the comments as well; they reflect the intensity of this debate. April 21 April 23 Student presentations on Read Chronicle of Philanthropy Article: 10 Trade-offs that Donors Organizations Face that Make Philanthropy Tough but Rewarding. Student Read Nonprofit Quarterly Article: What Ails Rural Philanthropy and Presentations on What must be done. Finalist Organizations Read: Nonprofit Quarterly Article: Retaining Donors through and after Recession Most Difficult for Small Nonprofits. Decision-making readings: Reach out to one member from the SCHL 280 class from the past two years and discuss the decision-making process that class went through. Ask their best advice for making good decisions. April 28 Team Presentations on Slate of Jaeger, G. (2014). By Youth for Youth, Stanford Social Innovation Finalists Review, Fall 2013. Ly, Phuong. Mobilizing the Masses, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Summer 2013. Date Topic April 30 DecisionMaking I Reading Read: The Limits of Philanthropy: Time to End the Charitable Tax Deduction. Bill and Melinda Gates: 2015 Annual Letter May 5 DecisionMaking II May 7 Planning the Awards Ceremony May ? Chronicle of Philanthropy: 3 Takeaways from the Gates Annual Letter Read: Nonprofit Quarterly article: Why this Anonymous donor “came out.” Other Readings to be provided Awards Ceremony CLASS POLICIES ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please notify the instructor by the second week of class. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 777-2686. Their office is in LH-B51. The SSD office makes formal recommendations regarding necessary and appropriate accommodations based on specifically diagnosed disabilities. Information regarding disabilities is treated in a confidential manner. DIVERSITY AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: The Faculty and Staff in the College of Community and Public Affairs are committed to serving all enrolled students. The intention is to create an intellectually stimulating, safe, and respectful class atmosphere. In return it is expected that each of you will honor and respect the opinions and feelings of others. ACADEMIC HONESTY: Public service and philanthropy demands the highest ethical standards among its practitioners. I will not tolerate plagiarism, cheating, falsifying information, etc. Such actions will result in a failing grade for the assignment or the course, depending on the severity of the infraction. When registering for classes, all students acknowledge their intent to abide by the University’s Academic Honesty Code. Students are expected to strictly adhere to that Code. I will report every violation of the Code to the Provost’s office and will recommend that the appropriate officials impose the strongest possible penalties against the student(s) committing the violation. If you have any doubts about proper conduct, check with me or err on the side of caution. All members of the university community have the responsibility to maintain and foster a condition and an atmosphere of academic integrity. Specifically, this requires that all classroom, laboratory, and written work for which a person claims credit is in fact that person’s own work. The annual university Student Handbook publication has detailed information on academic integrity. Binghamton University has obtained a license with Turnitin.com to facilitate faculty review for potential plagiarism of papers and projects in their courses, which they are encouraged to do. Students assume responsibility of the content and integrity of the academic work they submit. Students are in violation of academic honesty if they incorporate into their written or oral reports any unacknowledged published or unpublished or oral material from the work of another (plagiarism); or if they use, request, or give unauthorized assistance in any academic work (cheating). SYLLABUS AS A CONTRACT. This syllabus is a contract. You are responsible for reading this syllabus in its entirety. Continued enrollment in the class indicates that you understand and accept the terms contained herein. If you have any questions or concerns about any policies, assignments, grading criteria or any other aspect of the course, please meet with me to resolve those issues prior to the drop deadline. RESPONSIBILITY FOR MATERIAL PRESENTED IN CLASS. You are responsible for material covered in class. Material that is not included in the assigned readings will be presented in class. You are responsible for the course material and for meeting specifications for assignments. COLLABORATIVE WORK. I encourage you to meet with classmates to discuss topics, study and exchange ideas, and complete team activities. Individual assignments must be yours and yours alone. WORKLOAD. This is a 4 credit hour seminar and, as such, you should expect to spend, on average, 8-10 hours per week outside of class on readings and assignments for the course. You are advised to keep up on the work for this class as catching up can be an overwhelming task. All reading assignments and due dates are listed on the syllabus, so there is no excuse for being unprepared. The reading load varies considerably during the semester; occasionally it is relatively heavy (particularly at the beginning of the semester), while at other times it is light (at the end of the semester). Look ahead in the syllabus and plan your schedule accordingly. NO HANDWRITTEN WORK ACCEPTED. All written work completed outside of class must be typed or word-processed. Handwritten work will not be accepted. If you submit a handwritten assignment, you will receive a score of zero (0) points for that assignment. Handwritten work will be accepted only on assignments or exercises completed in class. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS/LATE ASSIGNMENTS. Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date listed. All assignments must be electronically submitted through Blackboard. Late assignments will be penalized one full letter grade for each 24-hour period (or portion thereof) the assignment is late. Penalties begin accruing 10 minutes after the beginning of class. Assignments submitted to Blackboard or my e-mail during class will be considered late and penalized. If you have difficulty with an electronic paper submission, you may turn in a hard copy of the paper within the first 5 minutes of class. Assignments that are more than 4 days late will not be accepted and will be assigned a grade of F (0 points). This penalty applies equally to late assignments due to excused and unexcused absences. Only in the case of an emergency will an assignment be accepted late without a penalty. If you anticipate a problem due to other obligations, complete and submit the assignment early. ABSENCES. Consistent with University policy, students are expected to come on time to every class meeting. As a courtesy, please inform me in advance, whenever possible, if you will be absent from class. Although this does not excuse you from any of the classwork or assignments, or alter the grading of participation, I appreciate notification. INCOMPLETES. No incompletes are given without explicit medical or university certification that you are unable to complete the course. Family “crises” do not constitute sufficient grounds for an incomplete. Incompletes cannot be used to avoid an unsatisfactory grade. RETURN OF GRADED MATERIAL. I will do my best to grade material as quickly as possible. My goal is to return work within one week, though sometimes it may take two weeks. All graded material will be returned to you via e-mail, with comments provided on the text. I will post grades on Blackboard, but never before I e-mail you back your work. PROBLEMS & COMPLAINTS. If you have any problems or complaints about me, the course or classmates, please come and talk with me during my office hours or other appointed time. If you are not satisfied with the resolution of the problem which the instructor provides, you may take your concerns to the Director of the Scholars Program. CELL PHONES: Cell phone conversations, text messaging or other forms of electronic communication are disrespectful of the instructor and fellow classmates; I do not allow them during class time. At times, work or family obligations may require you to keep you phone on. If so, please keep your phones on vibrate and excuse yourself if a call comes in. In the same way, students using laptops in class may only use them for note taking. Answering e-mail, checking out websites unrelated to class material or instant messaging is also not permitted.