Dan Pallotta says in his Ted Talk, “…our generation doesn’t wants its epitaph to be ‘We kept charity overhead low.'” I think much of what he shares is helpful to advancing how we can all have a greater impact in society.
I have been asked, “What is your overhead?” for nearly 30 years. Pallotta’s talk made me think about what questions I wish got asked more often. I have listed below the five questions I think every donor ought to ask the charity they care deeply about:
- What is the Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) of your organization?
- What does your organization uniquely provide that the world needs?
- What impact has your organization made and how do you know?
- Other than money, what matters most to you in advancing your mission?
- How might I help?
You might have thoughts on other questions, but those five begin a conversation that leads to a real exchange of ideas, values and purpose. From there, I think we have a better chance at changing the world.
michael j. brennan 