Deserted After Dark

The Boy Who Cried Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:30:00 +0000

I have plenty of ideas. Tons of 'em.

I also have a propensity to share them with friends, family, and anybody who happens to be within shouting distance. And I'm torn on whether or not that's a good thing.

On one hand, there is something to be said about throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks. On the other hand, there are five fingers. Seriously, though, the flip side to this is that "idea people" have the tendency to be seen as flaky or lacking follow through.

It's not that I lack follow through, it's that I never intended to move forward on that idea. I am an external processor and need some verbal space to work out my ideas, thoughts, and crazy plans.

Anybody relate? Anybody disagree?

Weird, I Wrote Something

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:33:00 +0000

I know, I know. It's been awhile. Leave me alone - I've been working on transitioning over to samuelrichard.org.

In the meantime, check out a piece I wrote for the Downtown Phoenix Journal. Excerpt below, full post here. Enjoy:

If I Go, There Will Be Trouble

Things happen in threes, right?

Veni, Vidi, and Vici. Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, then Michael Jackson. You get the point.

I often say that we are experiencing something special in Phoenix. A tipping point. That when we look back on the turn of the 21st Century we will see a time of unbridled innovation and leading edge creativity coupled with disciplined growth in infrastructure and sound policy-making. My friend thinks I’m crazy. He says that Phoenix has always been, and will always be, at that tipping point.

I disagreed, until this week.

In three different conversations this week, three different people said they were going to be leaving Phoenix in the near future. Things happen in threes, so I guess it’s time to write about it. One was going to Austin, Texas. Another to Seattle, Washington. And another to Denver, Colorado. All had different reasons for where they were landing, but everyone had the same reason for leaving:

“There’s nothing for me in Phoenix.”

Go here to read the rest. And be on the look out for a feed reader and address change in the near future.

Cheers,
Sam
"What may be done at any time will be done at no time."
Scottish Proverb

NCVS Blog - Wednesday 10AM

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:00:00 +0000

GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME ACNE CREAM

I'm marinating in all the ideas, conversations, and thoughts flowing around here at NCVS - and I want to take a moment to share one with you that emerged yesterday.

I attended a workshop focusing on encouraging youth to engage in service learning and other leadership opportunities. There was an awesome panel of rockstars who admitted that they were rockstars largely because they were offered leadership roles and service opportunities at a young age. It reminded me of my time with Ann and Laura of Youth Resources - young people who could outshine myself and many of my peers any day of the week.

After hearing from the youth, and going over a little process, the attendees of the session had a chance to respond through small group discussions and report-outs. As a part of the Policy Small Group, we dreamed of ways to empower the voice of youth across the nation and provide opportunities young people to have their voices heard.

We lamented the fact that most people start working (and paying taxes) well before they are 18, yet they have no voice in how their tax dollars are spent. We discussed the injustice of being tried as an adult, but not being able to sit on a jury. All over the board, young people are affected by laws, rules, and taxes that they have no voice in changing or supporting.

So, we are proposing something crazy. Except that it makes so much sense.

We are advocating for lowering the voting age to 14

I would love to hear your thoughts, there's a long road ahead to make this happen and we need your help to make our case the strongest possible. Looking forward to instilling civic behavior at an earlier point in an adult's development!

Cheers,
Sam
"Republicans are accused of abandoning the poor. It's the other way around - they never vote for us."
Dan Quayle

NCVS Blog - Tuesday 7PM

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Just leaving a "listening session" hosted by the leadership of the Corporation of National & Community Service. It has been a long and full day of great workshops and really good networking. I even got my copy of The Charismatic Organization signed by the authors. Over all, it's been a pretty banner day. However, something has been nagging at me and I'm hoping that I can better explain it as the week goes on...

All of this focus on service and volunteerism is fantastic, but it seems as though there is a lack of understanding regarding the systems needed to support a volunteer program and the myriad other back office details related to the pursuit of service delivery.

I was in workshops with titles like, "Service as a Solution: Service and the Road to Recovery," "The New Volunteer Workforce," and "Developing the Next Generation of Leaders," but conversations surrounding the actual support of volunteers from an organizational standpoint seems to be lacking.

Maybe it's because everyone has it figured out, but I doubt that. I fear that it is because people, even those with years of experience in the sector, desperately want consequence-free help with fulfilling their mission. That probably sounds really harsh, but I believe that in large part it's true. Volunteers take time, energy, and resources to recruit, train, manage, and retain - yet, so far the focus these last two days have been on the individual volunteer...

I would love to hear your thoughts - and be sure that mine will become more coherent as the conference unfolds.

Cheers,
Sam
"It is wiser to find out than to suppose."
Mark Twain

NCVS Blog - Monday 5PM

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

So, a big part of my new job is to raise the celebrity of service.

Good thing I came to the National Conference on Volunteering and Service - check out the lineup for the opening ceremony:

Jon Bon Jovi
Matthew McConaughey
Arrianna Huffington
Maria Shriver
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Michelle Obama

In addition, there were appearances by the Glide Memorial Church Choir and the leadership of the HandsOn Network and the Corporation of National & Community Service. Said differently, it was three nonstop hours of celebrity - with a little substance thrown, to boot.

And the night wasn't over. The title sponsor of the conference, Target, threw a huge party for the attendees at Fort Mason with food, drinks, sunsets over the Golden Gate Bridge - and a live performance by Chaka Khan.

Hoping to take a few notes from the experience as we develop the Spirit of Service Scholars Program. Maybe U2 will rock out for our kickoff event - pro bono (jokes for music nerds).

Cheers,
Sam
"As a rockstar, I have two instincts. I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both."
Bono

NCVS Blog - Monday 9AM

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

I'm headed towards San Francisco, one of my favorite cities to visit. Especially in the summer. I love Mark Twain's quote:

"The coldest winter I've ever had was a summer in San Francisco."

And those that live there or have been there know exactly what Mr. Clemens was talking about. Looking forward to saying goodbye to triple digits for a few days while I hang out with hundreds of people invested in the nonprofit sector.

I got me a fancy laptop now so it makes it a bit easier to do this blogging thing. Stay tuned throughout the conference - I'll be taking some notes on Michelle Obama's keynote and the plethora of workshops that I'll be attending.

Also, any suggestions on what to do about local coffee shops, taverns, and other cool spots are more than welcome...

Cheers,
Sam
"I've never seen so many well-dressed, well-fed, business-looking Bohemians in my life."
Oscar Wilde - in reference to the San Francisco Bohemian Club

COAR Hosts Movie Night

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Have you seen Kite Runner?

If you haven't, clear your schedule on Wednesday. Even if you have, it's worth watching the movie again. And hey, this time the money goes to a great organization.

COAR (Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees) is hosting a movie night at the Valley Arts Theater on Mill. Harkins has donated the theater and the licensing for the evening, in part to celebrate World Refugee Day on June 20th. COAR will receive all of the proceeds of the evening; tickets are only $8 and my friend Kelli has 240 seats to fill. Can you help her?

To RSVP or for questions, shoot a quick email to kdonley [at] coarweb [dot] org. See you Wednesday night!

Cheers,
Sam
"For you, a thousand times over."
Hassan

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade Day

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

From Kris Nowotny, Phoenix Coordinator for Lemonade Day, a project of Prepared 4 Life.

Hi, my name is Kris and I am working with Prepared 4 Life to bring Lemonade Day to the Greater Phoenix area in 2010. Prepared 4 Life’s foremost objective is empowering youth to take ownership of their own lives and become healthy, productive members of society—the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow. Held on the first Sunday of May every year since 2007, Lemonade Day offers young people the opportunity to savor the sweet taste of success that comes with setting up, owning and operating their very own lemonade business.

The program has seen phenomenal growth, growing from 2,600 stands in Houston its first year to over 27,000 with 75,000 kids participating in 2009! This past May 3rd, the combined youth of the Greater Houston community sold over two million cups of lemonade and, with their profits; they contributed more than $500,000 to local charities.

Lemonade Day’s success hasn’t been limited to just Houston alone. The program recently launched in Austin, Bryan/College Station, Richmond, and Minneapolis. Lemonade Day is coming to Phoenix and ten other cities across the United States in 2010.

It is my goal to see Lemonade Day be a smashing success in the Phoenix metro area.

We offer the program free of cost to the kids and schools who wish to integrate the Lemonade Day Program into their curriculum. To achieve this we seek the involvement of the entire community through sponsorship, donations, and most preferably, active involvement in the program itself. I’ve been hard at work researching local area businesses, foundations, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and any and everyone who would want to participate in or contribute to Lemonade Day.

I’m hoping to get my finger on the pulse of Phoenix, and ask for your help to achieve this. If you are interested or know anyone who you think will be interested in Lemonade Day, I encourage you to e-mail me, and check out the Lemonade Day website. We are going to launch the Phoenix specific site soon so I encourage everyone interested to check frequently as updates will hopefully come quickly. You can follow me on Twitter as well to receive updates.

Thanks to Sam for letting me borrow his soap box and thank you all for reading and hopefully I’ll see all of you May 02, 2010 for Phoenix’s very first Lemonade Day.

Looking Forward to Phoenix,
Kris

Embodying The Spirit of Service

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Today, I begin a new adventure.

The day that Senator Barack Obama became President Barack Obama, he called on Americans to, "embody a spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves." I was there in Washington, shivering in 15 degree weather with to my brand new fiancee when I heard those words. But thankfully I wasn't the only one listening. At that same moment, everyone in the nation heard the president's clarion call to service. Intuitively, every American knew that something had to be done, there needed to be some way to inspire public service to be cool again.

About 2000 miles away, the Dean of the College of Public Programs heard the same call and just so happens to have the sphere of influence necessary to answer the president's challenge in a meaningful way.

Before the week was out, Dean Friedman gathered the leadership of the College and set out to lay the conceptual groundwork for a scholarship program - called The Spirit of Service - where a small group of students, both undergraduate and graduate, would be competitively selected to participate in an interdisciplinary academic symposium geared toward a career in public service.

Enter Sam.

Providing access to higher education? Check. Developing the next generation of leadership? Check. Empowering people, both young and old, to engage in national and community service? Check.

So here I am, on the day of John F. Kennedy's birthday, in a role largely made possible by a bill signed into law bearing his brother's name, starting a journey that will bring life to a scholarship program that raises the celebrity of public service and creates pathways to careers for anyone invested in the work of making our communities better places to live, work, and play. I'm a little bit excited.

Cheers,
Sam
"The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Public Perception Or Public Deception

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Regular Sam + Pursing an Accurate Public Awareness of the Nonprofit Sector = Happy Sam

Now, let's move on. From PhilanthroMedia yesterday:

Last Wednesday, the FTC and 48 states announced a nationwide sweep targeting scam artists who claimed to be raising money for military veterans, firefighters, and police officers. In reality, almost all of the money went to the fundraisers themselves. How can you, as a donor, guard against such scams, and discriminate between an honest, and a bogus charity?

Don't get me wrong, I love quality transparency and accountability as much as the next guy - but it is these "task forces" and "nationwide sweeps" that scare the average donor away from giving to nonprofits altogether.

Here in Phoenix, a 5-day series ran in our daily paper detailing the conquests of a 22-organization network that embezzled, laundered, and otherwise stole millions of dollars. No mention about the fact that those 22 organizations represent less than one-tenth of one percent of the nonprofit agencies in Arizona alone. Or that the sector is the third largest source for employment in the state. But that didn't stop the Pulitzer-hungry reporter from painting with the proverbial broad brush:

An Arizona Republic investigation found that charities can use a kind of title transfer of gifts in kind that inflate their finances, making their operations appear larger than they are. That improves the financial profile they present to donors in the federal charity drive and may attract more cash donations. The charities then spend most of the cash on salaries and expenses and pass the cash to other charities operated by relatives, co-workers or associates.

And again:

Donors to charities often have little say in how their cash contributions will be spent — and almost no way to find out. Despite rules that require non-profits to disclose their finances, their operators and their missions, federal tax forms give only a limited picture of a charity's operation. At the same time, the Internal Revenue Service doesn't have the staff to investigate more than a fraction of the nation's 1.2 million charities. An Arizona Republic investigation shows charities can use their donated cash and goods in ways that can be misleading and controversial, and in ways donors may never know.

I feel like creepy music from a horror movie should start playing through your speakers now. Yes, there are going to be bad apples. Always. But there are responsible ways to react, and setting up a website through the Federal Trade Commission entitled, "Avoid Charity Fraud" seems a little dramatic to me.

Maybe I'm alone in this thought. What say you out there, Nonprofit Community? And you, Mr. or Ms. Donor?

Cheers,
Sam
"The world and life have been mighty good to me. I want to put something back."
Ted Turner

Summer Reading List

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Nonprofit Management is a relatively young field of study. Because of that, there plenty of people out there theorizing on the subject. Plenty.

They are asking questions like, "What financial impact does the sector have on communities?" "Where does it end, and the business or government sector begin?" "What role should the federal government play in the oversight of the sector?" and "Who the heck is Alexis de Tocqueville?"

Point is, we haven't really gotten to a place where the intellectual chaff has been separated from the wheat and left an agreed upon body of knowledge. For instance, take our name. Instead of the Nonprofit Sector, some prefer Social Sector, some say Citizen Sector, while others go with Independent Sector or Civil Society.

Side bar - if you hyphenate "non-profit" or use the phrase "not-for-profit," please stop. Thanks.

No doubt, there are well-respected academic luminaries in the field that the rest of us look to for guidance on the big issues of the day. But what Galileo was to astronomy the Nonprofit Sector is still searching for.

All of this academic adolescence boils down to one thing - studying the sector means that I have to read a ton (literally, I'm certain, if I printed all of it out) for class. Books, articles, journals, blog posts, context, subtext, and pretext. It also means that I don't get to read what I want during the school year. Case in point, check out this post about the book, Team of Rivals. Notice anything odd? Yep, I wrote it in August.

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to a good 10 or 12 weeks to dig into the few books that have nothing to do with the nonprofit/citizen/social/independent sector on my nightstand at the moment:

Team of Rivals | Doris Kearns Goodwin
Survivor | Chuck Palahniuk
Brave New World | Aldous Huxley
The Rise of the Creative Class | Richard Florida

Despite the fact that these titles don't have much to do with what I'm learning about in class (save for the last one) - be sure that you'll read a few attempts to stretch the content into something blog worthy. In the meantime, I would love to hear what you're reading over the summer.

Cheers,
Sam
"In a revolution, as in a novel, the most difficult part to invent is the end."
Alexis de Tocqueville

Hungry

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

From Osocio:

Commercials aren’t always about the visuals, with the beauty being sometimes just the sound. The latest Oxfam America ad is just that, with a kynetic type treatment and the wonderful soundtrack of “Með suð í eyrum” by Sigur Rós, the Icelandic band, whose symphonic rock is always inspiring.

The video is great, and the campaign is up and running. Enjoy:

Cheers,
Sam
"It's really simple, Governor. When people are hungry they die. So spare me your politics and tell me what you need and how you're going to get it to these people."
Bob Geldof

I Am (Maybe) ASU MPA

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Today, I take my last final exam for the Spring 2009 semester - which means I only have one full semester (plus a summer) left of classes before I get to own a little piece of paper that certifies me smart.

After that, there are plenty of possibilities - but chief among them are sticking around the Land of Maroon & Gold to pursue a Masters of Public Administration.

Who knows? Maybe in a few years, I'll get to put some nifty letters after my name: Samuel Richard, MPA.

Cheers,
Sam
"A lot of fellows nowadays have a B. A., M. D., or Ph. D. Unfortunately, they don't have a J. O. B."

Fats Domino

Not Dead

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Hi, friends.

I'm not dead, just not writing lately. At least here. I wrote a sweet research paper on the demise of nonprofit organizations, wrote another about a program that a group and I planned, implemented, then evaluated - and oh yeah, I've been writing here every once in awhile.

Long story short, I've neglected the fan base of Deserted After Dark (read: my mom) - but not because I've given up. Come summer I'll be back in full swing. Unlike my sorry excuse for a home team...

Cheers,
Sam
"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."
Norman Cousins

PS - Thanks to Rosetta Thurman for the great profile on her blog.

I'm Just A Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Sunlight Foundation is at it again.

By 'it,' of course, I mean completely rethinking out our government interacts with its citizens. it's no secret that I'm a big fan of the Sunlight's work, and this project is no different. Read The Bill is a campaign asking Congress to post bills online at least 72 hours prior to floor debate. Sounds pretty commonsense to me. Whatever political persuasion you subscribe to, it's a pretty universal belief that lawmakers should read the bill that they are signing into law. And since we're part of the Digital Age, why can't us regular folk get a chance to look the legislation over, too?

In an email I received yesterday, Sunlight's Executive Director explains why this campaign is so important:

Dear Sunlighter,

Here's something terrifying: Congress passed the $787 billion Stimulus Bill and we're pretty sure the people who voted on that legislation didn't actually read it. And for sure you didn't have a chance to look at it, either. That's not the first time important legislation has rushed through Congress in a matter of hours. By hurrying to vote on these bills, members of Congress might miss an earmark or tax break that could have a lasting impact on you and your community.

Congress just passed the largest piece of spending legislation in history and no one Read The Bill. Let's make sure this doesn't happen again. Demand that they Read The Bill and sign our petition now:

http://www.ReadTheBill.org/petition

Read The Bill is a commonsense solution -- we want Congress to post all bills online for 72 hours before they are debated. That gives members of Congress - and you - three days to read legislation and consider how it could potentially affect each of us in our daily lives. A 72-hour rule would also give you a chance to let your representative in Congress know what you like, or don't like, about a bill before he or she votes.

Here are some examples of bills that were passed when members of Congress only had a few hours to read each one.

-TARP bailout bill (2008): rushed through Congress with few provisions for accountability

-Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008: Congress' Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailout

-PATRIOT Act (2001): rushed through Congress and, consequently, expanded the federal government's ability to gather intelligence, engage in domestic surveillance and secret searches and detain immigrants with little restraint

Just yesterday, the House of Representatives approved a $410 billion omnibus spending bill. Unlike the Stimulus Bill, it was posted online for two days, which allowed members of Congress - and citizens, alike - to read and discuss the bill for a short period of time before it was considered in Congress. But even that is not enough. Let's remove the disparity and uncertainty that makes some bills available while others are cloaked in secrecy. Let's continue to allow everyone to Read The Bill for at least 72 hours before it is considered in Congress.

Help us urge Congress to take some time to Read the Bill-- sign our petition today.

Thank you for your time on this important matter.

Sincerely,
Ellen Miller
Executive Director, Sunlight Foundation

P.S. For real time news and updates, you can follow Read The Bill on Twitter.

This issue has a simple solution. The Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader traditionally set the voting schedule, so all Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Reid have to do is delay floor introduction 72 hours after the bill passes committee. Pretty easy, right? Pelosi could even make the call from her private jet (ZING!).

Please join me by signing the petition to post bills online 72 hours in advance of debate.

Cheers,
Sam
"The who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."
Mark Twain

I'm Just One Person

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Last year Phoenix was one of a handful of cities that turned off their lights for one hour to stand in solidarity with those pursuing a more sustainable planet. The campaign - called Earth Hour - started in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and has since gained much media attention and international support.

Funded in large part by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour asks participants to go dark by turning off the lights (and all electricity, for that matter) from 8:30PM to 9:30PM local time on March 28. In the past, restaurants hosted candlelit dinners, downtown office buildings turned off their large marquees, and people were generally forced to enjoy each others' company without technologically sophisticated stimulants. It doesn't necessarily need to be an event, either. Each individual gesture adds to the chorus of voices united in the fight against harmful global climate change.

As of yet Phoenix has not announced its participation in Earth Hour 2009, but I'm confident that the good people of God's Country will step up to the plate once again. Plus, Shepard Fairey designed the poster. I heard any project that guy touches turns out to be a pretty big deal...

Cheers,
Sam
"Character is what you are in the dark."
Dwight L. Moody

Guest Post: Just A Regular Guy (Noir)

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Stiner) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Hello all! My name is Aaron Stiner. I have the pleasure of serving as a Deserted After Dark guest blogger and I am very excited that Sam has allowed me this honor. Sam and I know each other through a couple of different nonprofit circles. We are both board members for YNPN Phoenix and are both connected to Arizona State University; Sam as a student and employee and me as a Master of Nonprofit Studies (MNpS) Fall 2008 graduate and a new employee at the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation.

In January, I began work as the Program Manager for the brand new Advancing Philanthropy initiative at ASU's Lodestar Center, which means I am charged with connecting individuals and families to the knowledge, tools and resources which empower and inspire them to unleash their philanthropic investments. I am just beginning to figure out exactly what that means!

Right now, I am in the process of developing the business plan. Thankfully, ASU's Lodestar Center is full of very smart people who are helping me get started because, as with any new endeavor, I find myself with a lot more questions than answers.

I wonder, for example, what exactly are these services going to be and what kind of "support" do philanthropists need or want? I ask myself, once we develop the programs, how do we talk about what we do in a way that is easily understood and garners support? And, how will we work with other nonprofits and foundations in delivering our services? And, how do we measure our success? The questions just keep on coming...

I'm beginning to feel a little like Guy Noir, from A Prairie Home Companion. Always trying to find the answers to life's persistent questions, and rarely satisfied - but never because I give up searching. There is lots of stuff that needs figuring out. On top of the endless complexities wrapped up in the field of philanthropy, I am dealing with the ambiguity of a new initiative and the shifting sands of rapidly changing economic times.

Adding to the uncertainty is that I am only four weeks into working at the Lodestar Center and am still learning the ropes. Prior to joining ASU, I worked for six years at Valley of the Sun United Way (VSUW) – first as a workplace campaigner, then running fundraising trainings and finally as a major gift officer. After six years, you feel pretty solid in a place. You know why you are there and can easily explain the impact of the organization. So, as you might imagine, I am still settling into my new digs. It’s a little strange being in a place where I can’t whip off my elevator speech in three minutes flat!

Despite being at VSUW for what seemed an eternity in Gen X years (and loving every minute!), I still remember a lesson instilled in me from day one: a nonprofit is only successful because of the relationships the staff builds with the organization’s stakeholders – volunteers, recipients, businesses and nonprofit partners – and only with their support can we really make a difference. As such, it was a big part of my job to foster relationships with donors – obviously important stakeholders – on behalf of our organization.

There are some key points from that lesson that I find myself returning to in my new position. One, people want others to be successful and are willing to help when asked – either by providing time, money, talent or advice – and the number one reason people don’t help is because they aren’t asked (so you better ask). Two, it’s not about me (and this is important) it’s about the organization. People support an organization because they support the mission and because supporting the mission helps fulfill their own personal motives. Maybe they want help with advancing their own cause, maybe they want recognition, or maybe the mission touches their heart. It could be a number of things, but it’s usually not just because I ask.

It’s about the mission, not about me…hmm, if I were Guy Noir I would be reminding myself that the hot dame just showed up at my door because she needs help, not because she thinks I’m handsome…you get the point.

So, in that gumshoe spirit I am out pounding the pavement, meeting with the philanthropic thought leaders I know and working to connect with those I don’t. In each meeting I hope to twist my uncertainty to advantage by putting all my questions out on the table and asking these leaders what they think would be the best way to support philanthropists in our community. Everyone I meet with has been incredibly generous with their time and ideas, not because of me, but because they believe the mission is worthy.

I hope that by keeping the mission always at the front and center of my conversations I can gain ideas and assistance and achieve our goals: supporting individuals and families in unleashing their philanthropy and making our community healthier and more vibrant. Only with the support of the community can our new initiatives be successful.

Of course, if any of you have ideas, please send them my way at aaron.stiner@asu.edu or via the comments. I hope to see you all again here with occasional updates on our work.

Thanks so much!

Aaron Stiner

"Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."
Garrison Keillor

Alphabet Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0000

It is well documented that I'm a fairly big nerd. But Kim loves me despite it,so I don't worry too much.

Anyway, I added to my geekyness yesterday when I snagged a poster of the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities - Core Codes (NTEE-CC) classification system. Yup.

The NTEE helps researchers, granters, and individual philanthropists by classifying and categorizing organizations into one or multiple codes describing the work an organization does. For instance, the DC Central Kitchen fits under three codes:

K30 - Food Service, Free Food Distribution Programs
J20 - Employment Procurment Assisstant
P85 - Homeless Services / Centers

There are twenty-six main categories (signified by different letters) and each main category has a series of sub-categories. If you want to see it in action, check out your favorite organization on GuideStar to see how they are classified. You can also search by NTEE. Pretty cool, huh? Man, I'm sure glad Kim doesn't read this everyday...

Cheers,
Sam
"I'm not kissing a nerd."
Betty Childs, Revenge of the Nerds

Happy Birthday, Arizona

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:00:00 +0000

From Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion:

February 14th is, among other things, Statehood Day in Arizona. This means that someone, somewhere, will publish the inevitable “greatest Arizonans who ever lived” or “people/events that changed Arizona” lists in newspapers or blogs. The results of these lists are predictable. They nearly always, for instance, include Barry Goldwater. I have nothing against Goldwater’s inclusion, but the late Senator is a little like the Beatles; yeah they were great; yes, things are different because of what they did, but that does not mean that they are not over-rated.

So I am making my own list. This list will not include easy choices like Goldwater, Kino and Poston, names which should already be familiar to most readers. Instead, I take this opportunity to highlight some of the individuals whose names should be familiar, but have instead slipped into relative obscurity despite their role in shaping the Arizona we all know and love.

My standards in making this list are fairly simple. First, the named individual must no longer be alive and must have no institutions, streets, towns, parks, or substantial monuments named for them. Naturally, the individual must have made a lasting, positive contribution to Arizona during their lifetime regardless of the length of their residency in the state. This last one is, of course, highly subjective, and I will have to admit not only to my geographic bias as a Tucsonan but also my political bias as a Democrat. Anyone who has an issue with one of my choices, or someone I did not choose, should feel free to make these views known.

You'll have to check out his blog for the descriptions of each person, but here is the list:

Antonio Siraumea
General José Cosme Urrea
The Great Western
Manuelito
Colonel Edward Ephraim Cross
Elizabeth Josephine Brawley Hughes
Governor Louis Cameron Hughes
Wenceslao “Three-Fingered Jack” Loustaunau
Father Bonaventure Oblasser, O.F.M.
Governor Samuel Pearson “Sam” Goddard Jr.

Happy Birthday, Arizona!

Cheers,
Sam
"You know you're an Arizonan when a rainy day puts you in a good mood."
Marshall Trimble, Official State Historian

Article Two, Section Two (Part Two)

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Dear President Obama:

There was a period of time before India's independence that only 3,000 Englishmen ruled a country of 350 million. Before Gandhi, India was a country fractured by a lack of unified vision. Before the great Salt March, Indians wandered through history without a coherent identity. Before they were represented at the highest governmental levels, Indians did not have a voice.

My friend, Robert, shared this fact with a group of future nonprofit leaders at a conference last month, and I still have not been able to get the thought of such a splintered society - and how much it relates to the nonprofit sector here in America - out of my head. I thank you for your bold leadership amidst a tough economic and political climate thus far, and ask for two minutes so that I may indulge in my own audacious hope:

On Sunday night, Grammy Foundation president Neil Portnow called on your Administration to create an Cabinet-Level Arts Czar.

And Mr. Portnow wasn't the first make such a request; Quincy Jones has repeatedly suggested that having a Secretary of Culture is the right next step for America, saying that arts and culture are "just as important as military defense."

Lest you think otherwise, let me boldly stand in solidarity with these men in saying that arts and culture are pillars of any great society - and that any government worth its weight in rhetoric should work hard to foster the advancement of these endeavors. However, it would be shortsighted not to recognize the deep impact of the National Endowment for the Arts or the myriad other government programs designed to promote arts and culture.

Furthermore, exclusively highlighting a focused sub-group at such a high level completely ignores the holistic significance of the rich tapestry woven together by the golden thread of the Social Sector in its entirety. Said differently: we have many missions, but we wish to speak and be heard as one voice.

We are a group in adolescence, finding our identity. We represent over one million organizations with missions ranging from health-care to earth-care, from animal rights to human rights. Yet we have more that unites us than divides us. Whether our organization is providing shelter for an abused woman and her children or providing future generations with the promise of cleaner energy, the core of our mission is the pursuit of a more dynamic community. As significant employers in every American city, we represent nearly 15 million paid employees and another 80 million volunteers annually. We work diligently, responsibly, and with integrity - returning every invested philanthropic dollar to the community nine times over (and that's a conservative estimate). In other words, we are the economic stimulus you have been looking for.

We are a group faced with the fierce urgency of now, looking to usher in a bold new era of social innovation. Both you and the First Lady held jobs in nonprofit organizations, so you know firsthand how essential it is to have nimble, grassroots organizations able to respond to a rapidly changing economic environment. Now is the time to move beyond the limited constructs of charity and fully explore the powerful potential of the United States Nonprofit Sector.

The well-intentioned requests of Mr. Portnow and Mr. Jones are noble, yes. But we represent much more than musicians, artists, and writers. Every young woman who has hammered a nail into a home for Habitat for Humanity, every young man who has ladled soup into bowl after bowl at a local shelter, every grieving mother who has written letters of support to men and women in service overseas, and every person who has run a race to support breast cancer research or fight Alzheimer's disease - is ours.

Mr. President, we humbly implore you to create the Department of the Nonprofit Sector in order that Social Change and Community Development have a Cabinet-Level voice in your Administration. Thank you for your time, energy, and continued service to the nation that de Tocqueville called great, "because she does good."

Sincerely,

Samuel I. Richard
Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, Phoenix

Article Two, Section Two (Part One)

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The President shall

nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

If by chance you skimmed over the enthralling Hawthorne-esque prose of our Founding Fathers above, this section of the Constitution charges the President with the task of appointing high-level advisors, officers, and adjudicators to be confirmed (or rejected) by the Senate.

Historically, much ado has been of "Cabinet-Level Positions" because these are the people with the ear of the president. And because of the (purposefully) vague language concerning the specifics, many changes have been made to what departments are Cabinet-Level and which are not. For instance, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency used to be a Cabinet-Level post. When the Department of Homeland Security was formed in 2003, FEMA became a sub-department - along with the Transportation Security Administration, the US Secret Service, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the US Coast Guard.

The point is: things change. When Washington (and his hot wife) took office, George appointed only four people to his Cabinet: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; Secretary of War Henry Knox; and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. Over the years, new departments have formed while others stay in existence but no longer enjoy Cabinet status.

Take, for example, what we now call the United States Postal Service. The Post Office was created in 1792 by order of President Washington, but didn't reach Cabinet Level status until President Andrew Jackson invited Postmaster General William T. Barry to sit as a member of the Cabinet in 1829. The Post Office Department had the ear of the President until 1971, when Richard Nixon outsourced the operation as part of the Postal Reorganization Act, creating the quasi-governmental entity known today as the United States Postal Service.

Ok, enough nerd talk - but just a little more contextual background. There has been much ebb and flow over the previous 43 presidential administrations, but below is a list of current high-level advisors. There are Cabinet Members - all Secretaries with the exception of the Attorney General - and there are Cabinet-Level Officers. Confusing, but there is a distinction - namely, Cabinet Members need to be confirmed by the Senate whereas Cabinet-Level Officers do not necessarily need to be. Fun side fact - the Departments of State, Treasury, Defense, and Justice are known as the "Big Four" because they commonly have the most interaction with the President. During meetings of the Cabinet, these four people sit in closest proximity to the President and Vice President. Alright, enough preamble (historic document humor):

Cabinet

Department of State - Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
Department of the Treasury - Sectretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner
Department of Defense - Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates
Department of Justice - Attorney General, Eric Holder
Department of Homeland Security - Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano
Department of Labor - Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis (pending confirmation)
Department of Commerce - Secretary of Commerce, Judd Gregg (pending confirmation)
Department of Health & Human Services - Secretary of Health & Human Services (to be named)
Department of the Interior - Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar
Department of Agriculture - Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack
Department of Transportation - Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood
Department of Energy - Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu
Department of Education - Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan
Department of Housing & Urban Development - Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, Shaun Donovan
Department of Veterans' Affairs - Eric Shinseki

Cabinet-Level Officers

Office of the Vice President of the United States - Vice President, Joe Biden
Executive Office of the President - White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel
Office of Management and Budget - Director, Peter Orszag
Environment Protection Agency - Administrator, Lisa P. Jackson
Ambassador to the United Nations - Ambassador, Susan Rice
Office of National Drug Control Policy - Director, (to be determined)
Office of the US Trade Representative - Representative, Ron Kirk
Executive Office of the President - Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, Christina Romer

Tracking so far? Good. Because this is where it really gets good. But you're going to have to wait. I have a big policy suggestion that I'm going to lay out - but this post is already pretty long and I want to keep your attention. So check back tomorrow. It'll be good.

Cheers,
Sam
"Bureaucracy is not an obstacle to democracy but an inevitable complement to it."
Joseph A. Schumpeter

What School Is For Or: Why Arizona Needs Seth Godin

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Seth Godin, author of Tribes, The Dip, and Purple Cow writes a fantastic blog that everyone should read daily - including the Arizona State Legislature. A couple of days ago, he outlined what he thought school is for. In his mind, the purpose of school is to (my favorites are bolded):

Become an informed citizen
Be able to read for pleasure
Be trained in the rudimentary skills necessary for employment
Do well on standardized tests
Homogenize society, at least a bit
Pasteurize out the dangerous ideas
Give kids something to do while parents work
Teach future citizens how to conform
Teach future consumers how to desire
Build a social fabric
Create leaders who help us compete on a world stage
Generate future scientists who will advance medicine and technology
Learn for the sake of learning
Help people become interesting and productive
Defang the proletariat
Establish a floor below which a typical person is unlikely to fall
Find and celebrate prodigies, geniuses and the gifted
Make sure kids learn to exercise, eat right and avoid common health problems
Teach future citizens to obey authority
Teach future employees to do the same
Increase appreciation for art and culture
Teach creativity and problem solving
Minimize public spelling mistakes
Increase emotional intelligence
Decrease crime by teaching civics and ethics
Increase understanding of a life well lived

This list was strikingly relevant to my life last week, because Arizona just approved a $275 million cut to its public schools - making much of the above list nearly impossible to achieve. Maybe we can bring Seth in to teach our lawmakers how to be a little more creative in their spending cuts so we don't completely throw away the future...

Remember when I got all bummed about the state of our state a few months ago? I was thinking about telling you, "I told you so," or writing an equally dreary follow-up, but Brian was kind enough to beat me to it. Here's a snippet from his Open Letter Governor Brewer and the Arizona State Legislature:

You believe that any tax is a bad tax and you laud your ability to cut, slash and refuse to pass any taxation. You tell us you are putting money back in our pockets. But the truth is you are simply stripping us of the services we want from our government. You tell us that we can choose private schools, home school or find the best education alternative for us and our children. What you do not tell us is that you are relegating our children to demonstrably inferior educational alternatives unless we are wealthy. We can not afford to live in a state which educates the children of the wealthy and relegates the rest to menial labor.

I’m not a socialist, or a liberal. I’m a businessman. I know what you do not and can not seem to understand. Prosperity is a result of investment. If you will not invest, you will not prosper. If you will not invest I will no longer invest in AZ either.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are things worth paying for. There are things worth sacrifice and, yes, even higher taxation. If our children, and our future are not worth that sacrifice what, I ask you, is?

That pretty much sums up what I would have said. Except for the "not a liberal" part.

Cheers,
Sam
"At the very time our nation is calling its universities to action... Arizona has gone in the opposite direction."
Dr. Micheal Crow (President, Arizona State University)

[Source: Seth Godin's Blog]
[Source: Brian Roy's Blog]

Human Rescue Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:45:00 +0000

While I put the finishing touches on a couple of substantial, I-actually-wrote-them posts, here's something cool from Sean Penn and the World Food Programme:

Congratulations to the Cardinals for making it to the Super Bowl, Kurt Warner for winning the Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award, and to Cash4Gold for (in my book) the best commercial. Happy February!

Cheers,
Sam
"I wake up every day, right here, right in Punxsutawney, and it's always February 2nd, and there's nothing I can do about it."
Phil Connors

[Source: Osocio]

The Character Approved Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Sweet. I love it when for-profit companies out there begin think a little bit like a nonprofit. Maybe making money for making-money's sake isn't the real bottom line? Just throwing it out there. Kudos to the the USA Network for recognizing a few social innovators. Maybe I'll start watching Monk again. You can find the whole list here, but these are my favorites:

Charles Best, Founder of DonorsChoose.org (Check out that sweet 'stache!)

Shepard Fairey, Street Artist

Jimmy Wales, Founder of Wikipedia

Lupe Fiasco, Rapper

Have a great weekend! See you on the other side of a Cardinals Super Bowl victory...

Cheers,
Sam
"The enemy of art is indifference."
Shepard Fairey

Strike That, Reverse It

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Isaac Richard) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:00 +0000

In between flower consultations and guest list-trimming, I'm finding little time to write. I try to send out one or two cool (in my opinion, anyway) links a day via my Twitter account. But, alas, not everybody is on Twitter, so I'm forced to find other ways to waste people's time. If you are one of the plenty out there who are a little hesitant about Twitter, check out this rad article.

Ok, on to the good stuff:

The above video was inspired by the below video, which won the silver lion in the Cannes Lions Contest. Marc from Osocio said it pretty well, "So simple and yet so brilliant."

Cheers,
Sam
"All great things are simple."
Winston Churchill

[Source: Osocio]