Newspapers / Philanthropy Journal of North … / Sept. 1, 1998, edition 1 / Page 11
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September 1998 Philanthropy Journal of North Carolina 11 Editorial CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 ness world in embracing technology — and in understanding that integrating technology into an organization is neither a one-time expense nor simply a matter buying a com puter. Funders, however, have failed to come to terms with technology and the enormous opportunity it represents for nonprofits. And because funders control the dollars, instead of developing solid technology plans and grant proposals, nonprofits cook up funding requests that feed funders’ current grant making tastes. A more business-like and practical approach would be for nonprofits to assert ourselves, preparing grant proposals that meet our needs — and, in turn, those of the people we serve. And by being honest about what we really need, we can help educate fun ders about what they should be supporting. Our problems in America are too serious for us to waste time dancing to pipers who don’t get it. The business of the nonprofit world is to heal and repair our communities. To get that big job done, the nonprofit world needs to think and act like we mean business. Change CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 support and work in the nonprofit world. Technology and the pressures that all non profits face to survive in an increasingly com petitive world have helped drive our change. We’ve looked for ways to put technology to work to better fulfill our mission. And we’ve looked for partners with whom we can work to meet the needs of nonprofits. By its nature, change can be unsettling and at times frightening. But in the nonprofit world, it’s simply part of doing business. Managing change is one of the tou^est chal lenges nonprofits face. Fortunately, people working in the nonprofit sector have remark able resources to draw on as we struggle to heal and repair our communities and make them better places to live and work. The Philanthropy News Network aims to serve and help connect people working in the nonprofit world. Please let us know how we can do a better job. Todd Cohen O'Toole CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 Carnegie thought it idiotic to give money directly to the poor, and 1 woiild guess that the vast majority of Americans still share his view (Who would work? is the first of many good questions that come to mind.) And yet money is the thing the poor need most. So what’s a con cerned, humane philanthropist to do? Whatever causes a philanthropist chooses to fund, 1 think that everyone with money and influence should become a passionate advocate of the living wage. Employers are fond of saying that they pay competitive wages, but competitive wages are not always hving wages. A few cities — Oakland, Calif., and St. Paul, Minn., among them — have passed hving-wage measures requiring employ ers who receive municipal lax breaks to pay their employees enou^ so that they can afford decent housing and the other basics of civilized life in that particular community. Paying living wages is only a matter of enU^tened self-interest: these workers are in a position to contribute more to the economy through their consumer spending, saving, investment in education, and the increased like lihood that they will be able to weather econom ic setbacks. 1 also believe there is a serious need for a recommitment to the fight against discrimina tion in employment. Affirmative action seems to have come and ggmm, 1 he reason our economic arrangements have worked so well for so long is that the American dream of working hard and getting ahead has come true for so many." gone, but discrimination has not. All the numbers show that women and minorities still make up a disproportionate share of the people at the bot tom. (My 7 percent of white men and 10 percent of white women are poor, but the poverty rate among African-Americans and Latinos is about 30 percent. Women who work M-time earn only 80 percent as much as their male counterparts. Closing the wage gap between men and women, ending job discrimination, and paying all workers a living wage would go a long way toward reducing poverty. If we look the other way and allow the gap between top and bottom to continue to widen, 1 think we’re in serious danger of becoming a society rigidly divided into rich and poor, with less and less opportuni ty for upward mobility. The reason our economic arrangements have worked so well tor so long is that the American dream of working hard and getting ahead has come true for so many Diminish the chances for realizing the dream, and we stran gle the goose that lays our golden egg. You ten(d to look at the world differently when your investments are serving a hi^er purpose. That’s why we established the Foundation and Endowment Management group at BB&T To furnish nonprofit organizations with an investment team dedi cated solely to understanding and meeting their goals. We appreciate the dynamics of this extraordinary sector. And the need to work closely with 6ur clients to devise strategies that balance the requirement for sufficient operating income with the vital, realtworld aim of generating funds for future growth. s It’s an approach that has served us well. Since 1907 BB&T has been entrusted with the funds of institutions, foundations, and charities of all types and sizes. To learn how we can bring our view of investment management to your organization, call 1-800-86*6-2288. BB&T }bu can tell we want your business. wiviv.bbandt.com Member FDIC. i mg BB&T
Philanthropy Journal of North Carolina (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Sept. 1, 1998, edition 1
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