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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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