Blog

Chet Tchozewski, our friend and President Emeritus of our partner the Global Greengrants Fund directed us to this fantastic article in the New York Times, entitled A Tunisian-Egyptian Link That Shook Arab History.

From Chet: “This is a must read article. This may be the single best piece of reporting ever on how a nonviolent social movement works, including the role of networking, framing, mobilizing structures, political opportunity, and resource mobilization, including a glimpse of the crucial role of a timely $5,100 grant to buy tents and blankets – at the pivot point in the struggle in Tahrir Square in Cairo. Stunning insight into how history is made by nonviolent means.” Check it out on the NYT site here.

On Sunday, February 6, Small Change Fund founders Ruth Richardson and Mary McGrath were interviewed on Talk Radio Unlimited’s social finance radio show So Fine, discussing innovative finance, particularly in Aboriginal communities across the country. Mary and Ruth were featured immediately after the Right Honourable Paul Martin who discussed Aboriginal Leadership and social finance. You can listen to the program here.

On Sunday 6 February, Small Change Fund co-founders Ruth Richardson and Mary McGrath will be discussing innovative finance, particularly in Aboriginal communities across the country, with Tina Crouse, host of So Fine Canada, the country’s only digital format radio program dedicated to social finance in the country. “Only one year old, this award-winning, online promotion and giving tool has helped many small, unknown projects get off the ground in Canada” says Crouse regarding her interest in smallchangefund.org.

Richardson and McGrath will be featured immediately after the Right Honourable Paul Martin who will be discussing Aboriginal Leadership and social finance. Mr. Martin will be giving details on the Cape Fund (Capital for Aboriginal Prosperity and Entrepreneurship) created to put $50 million dollars worth of capital towards First Nations businesses. Created by Mr. Martin and his son David, the Cape Fund is available to help First Nations business owners take their businesses to the next level.

‘There’s an enormous amount of talent amongst Aboriginal Canadians” said Mr.Martin. “We want to see a whole series of Aboriginal role models being created for young Aboriginal Canadians.”

To continue on the theme of Aboriginal Leadership and social finance, Joahnna Berti of Debahjehmujig Storytellers will discuss their participation in this year’s Talking Stick Festival being held in Vancouver, BC on Feb.
1st-13th. In its 10th successful year, the Talking Stick Festival brings Aboriginal art, theater and dance to Vancouver to showcase Aboriginal talent and to connect community.

So Fine Canada airs Sundays at 1 pm (est) and 10 am (pacific). It is the ‘Hear, See, Click’ information portal for social finance in the country. Go online to www.talkradiounlimited.com and listen in by using the onscreen media player. Listeners are encouraged to call in and ask questions.

About So Fine Canada

A new, digital format radio program covering all things to do with social finance in the country, So Fine Canada will be the ‘Hear, See, Click’ information and promotional source for listeners and guests. The program can be accessed by visiting www.talkradiounlimited.com and will air live on Sundays at 10 am Pacific with 2 weekly repeats. It will also be available in downloadable format. The program format will be in 4 segments consisting of 10-15 min of live or taped interviews regarding Investment and Finance, Models and Successes, Non-Profits and Entrepreneurs. The audience will include financial professionals, government and non-profit persons, Aboriginal leaders and business developers, environmental entrepreneurs and charities and all those involved with social impact investing.

One Day on Earth, a global documentary project amassing footage from every country of the world shot during the 24-hour period of October 10, 2010 (10.10.10), launches its online video archive today. In partnership with the United Nations, Vimeo and more than 60 non-profit organizations, One Day on Earth tapped thousands of filmmakers and inspired citizens, representing every country, to share their unique experiences.

Participants, ranging from award-winning cinematographers with HD cameras to teenagers using mobile phones, filmed their perspective as part of a collaborative effort to create a comprehensive picture of life on this planet. The geo-tagged archive will host the unprecedented scope of footage that explores everything from the basic human needs, joys and struggles that unite us, to the unique cultural traditions that shape individual identities. The video archive can be accessed at http://www.OneDayOnEarth.org.

One Day on Earth aims to be not just a single day event, but also a vehicle to spread awareness, empathy and change. By partnering with more than 60 charitable nonprofit organizations including Small Change Fund, One Day on Earth seeks to bring attention to some of the most critical issues impacting the global community.

While the event was the result of two years of planning, One Day on Earth’s 10.10.10 collaboration proved that, with new technology and social media, a project with such an ambitious scope is possible. A feature documentary is slated for fall 2011, and plans for a second worldwide participatory media event on 11.11.11 are already underway.

1. Hybrid organizations will become the norm
We are at a fascinating crossroads in which the traditional business is morphing into something much more interesting. In 2011, we’ll likely see more organizations being born that fuse the worlds of private enterprise, socially responsible business, charitable and non-profit organizations, and social entrepreneurship. As we seek out work lives that reflect not only our financial goals, but also a reflection of our personal values, more hybrids will be born.

2. Time will tell which seeds take root
New organizations – especially in the world of online charitable marketplaces – are popping up all over the world, including Canada where we have been relatively slow to catch on. 2011 will see the birth of dozens of new forms of social investing. Not all of these creative experiments will succeed. And that’s okay – it’s a natural byproduct of innovation. But those that do will be game changers contributing to one of the most significant shifts the charitable world has seen in a very long time.

3. The rise of the free agent
But it won’t just be new organizations that take root. We’ll also see the rise of the free agent. True story: we had coffee the other day with a young Somali woman who wants to raise money from friends and family for scholarships for Somali youth, with a vision to one day connect Somali kids in Canada and her home country in peer:peer learning exchanges. No organization. No infrastructure. Just her – her brains, her brawn, and her connections. The new free charitable agent.

4. We’re only as good as our tools
Charities, political movements, individuals, and businesses alike will continue to explore and expand the ways social networking and other online tools are used. You thought facebook was becoming a bit stale and the world was moving on? Not so quickly folks. Look at Tunisia January 2011. And Egypt. The importance of these tools for organization, influence, disruption, and connection, will continue to increase especially in the hands of new entrepreneurial leaders not interested in business as usual.

5. The continuing rise of video, personal experience and voice (no matter how weird)
What do the ‘Double Rainbow’ guy and Antoine Dodson have in common? They are both fascinating to watch, come from a specific place and time, have unique voices, and tell us all we needed to know in under 5 minutes of watching YouTube. In 2011, we’ll hear more cool stories and meet more interesting people than we ever thought possible. All through video.

6. A rose is still a rose
Shakespeare was right but, all the same, language does matter. We’re still grappling with how we describe the shifts taking place – philanthrocapitalism, microfinance, social finance, philanthroentrepreneur, venture philanthropy, embedded giving, microphilanthropy, grassroots giving, impact investing. Katherine Fulton was on to this in 2007 and we still haven’t quite figured it out but we’re getting there. Maybe in 2011 we’ll get a few steps closer to honing in on a lexicon that makes sense, has more clarity and specificity, and, what’s more, is defined by success stories that we can all touch and feel.

7. Scale will have a networked meaning
We borrowed this one from the amazing Lucy Bernholz because we totally agree. 100%! “Scale is one of the buzzwords of the last decade in philanthropy. By 2020, we’ll have given up our misconception that ‘scale = big’ and instead be focused on ‘scale = networked.’ We will have recognized that problems get solved through ‘small pieces loosely coupled.’” We just hope this happens in 2011. We don’t really want to wait until 2020.

8. Diversi-who?
Whether we’re talking about networked global communities or the city in which we work and play, the web of people we touch is more diverse than ever before. We’re not sure if 2011 will see the development of more effective and culturally sensitive ways to connect to diverse communities and maintain relationships with them but we live in hope. We’ve seen baby steps in this direction, but in a year’s time we’d love to be able to report a giant leap forward.

9. The monkey in the middle: the $25,000 philanthropist
We’ve all heard about Gates and Buffet and The Giving Pledge that invites the wealthiest individuals and families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. And of course on the opposite end of the spectrum we’ve got almost daily headlines on micro-gifts and micro-loans whether related to Haiti or the Grameen Bank. But what about the monkey in the middle? 2011 will see the rise of giving circles and initiatives like Social Venture Partners that target those that aren’t million- or billion-aires but who still have lots to give.

10. The worst may be over
Granted, looking into the crystal ball of the financial future of the charitable sector is tenuous at best. Nevertheless it does seem that the analysts and speculators are predicting an upward swing. How big? When? For how long? No one knows but if they can look at the data and charts with an optimistic eye, then so can we. Onwards and upwards and let’s see what we can do to change the world for the better in 2011.

What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

Congratulations to our partner organization Global Greengrants Fund, on the amazing achievement of your 6,000th grant made.

Like Small Change Fund, Global Greengrants Fund supports small movements making a big impact. From their site: “Among other noteworthy projects, we funded activists’ travel to two U.N. Conferences of the Parties, we supported communities as they worked to rebuild their livelihoods after environmental disasters, we backed movements to demand responsible mining practices in the Kyrgyz Republic, and we sponsored climate change mitigation in Nigeria. Together, these 1,000 grants are part of a much larger trend toward environmental justice.” Keep up the fabulous work, Global Greengrants Fund.

1. Giving goes down
With headlines like “Charities see alarming trends as donors become older, fewer” the conclusion seems to be that people are just giving less money to charity these days. They say that the number of Canadians making charitable donations is falling sharply and the total amount donated has dropped by nearly $1-billion over the last two years. That’s the bad news.

2. Micro-philanthropy goes up
The good news? New forms of philanthropy, especially micro-philanthropy, are on the rise, and in a big way! According to Charity Navigator, from 2004 to 2008 (with slightly different fiscal years), Modest Needs grew from $194,379 to $2.7 million in revenue, GlobalGiving grew from $508,653 to $7.4 million and DonorsChoose.org grew from $2.8 million to $18 million.

3. It’s all about connecting the dots
Creating a personal, direct connection between humans is still the best way to engage an audience, as Malcolm Gladwell said in Small Change: Why the revolution will not be tweeted. However, as Duane Raymond points out in his rebuttal, social media allows people to find each other like never before in history. The popularity of online sites like Kiva and Small Change Fund demonstrate people’s craving for a direct connection and their desire to help other people.

4. Less is more
There are literally thousands of causes out there and the choices can be overwhelming. More on-line philanthropies, like smallchangefund.org and onexone are moving away from clearinghouse-style to boutique-style experiences, offering carefully curated selections of compelling projects, vetted by advisors that donors can trust, enhancing and personalizing the giving experience.

5. Text-to-give campaigns rock the world
In 2010 the charitable sector had their world rocked by the outpouring of support that came to disaster relief through mobile giving campaigns. People gave generously in a responsive and instant way through cell phones; and the organizations set up to process those gifts were able to raise huge support and awareness for their work.

6. But they are not a magic bullet
As a result of the frenzy around this miraculous new way of giving, some charities jumped on board and quickly discovered the limitations of mobile giving, including a slow turnaround to receive donations, unrefined relationships with service providers, and lack of donors. Many charities learned that text-to-give is a fantastic mechanism for situations that need rapid, responsive giving, but is not a magic bullet for all of us.

7. Home is where your phone is
In 2010, more than ever before, we not only used our mobile devices to donate but to connect to the spaces we love. From Foursquare to Facebook Places to the compulsion to post to Twitpic, we no longer have online and offline selves. Now, the internet acts as a layer on top of our lives and helps us connect where we are to those we know.

8. Social finance comes out of the closet
There has been a lot of talk about social finance but what is it? Who benefits? How will it take flight? New, creative ways of “doing good” are coming to the fore, suggesting an end to the days that business is business and philanthropy is philanthropy. These new models and ideas are finally coming out of the closet with things like the newly launched socialfinance.ca and Mobilizing Private Capital for Public Good.

9. Bad rap for charities
From the CBC in September to the National Post in November, charities got a bad rap from Canada’s mainstream media. The media did get the message right that donors should be vigilant in their research but unfortunately, one-sided reporting needlessly leaves Canadians with a bad taste in their mouth. The charitable sector in this country contributes more to our economy than the forestry, fishing and mining industries combined, not to mention that it heals our sick, feeds our homeless, and educates our children.

10. The good news is…
Fortunately, reporters like Paul Waldie from the Globe and Mail are bucking the trend by focusing on the good. And Tides Canada continues with its fabulous Top 10 ratings showcasing Canada’s most innovative and forward-thinking initiatives that inspire people to take action, to think in new ways, and to make the world a better place.

Do you agree with our list? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

We would like to congratulate Small Change Fund advisor Lauren Baker! Lauren is the successful candidate for the Consultant Health Promotion position at the Food Policy Council, Toronto. Lauren is the founding Director of Sustain Ontario – the Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming and brings considerable experience in food policy, research and capacity building. Lauren has worked with a number of provincial ministries and municipalities across the province in promoting a healthy, equitable and sustainable food system.

Over the past 20 years the Toronto Food Policy Council has been instrumental in putting Food Security and Food Policy development squarely on the municipal agenda in Toronto. Congrats Lauren, and best wishes on your new position.

Small Change Fund is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Tides Canada’s Top 10 recipients today. The Tides Canada Top 10 recognizes initiatives that have demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision and real-world impact in addressing important environmental and social problems.

Since 2003, Tides Canada has profiled 10 outstanding initiatives and organizations that inspire people throughout Canada to think in new ways and to make the world a better place.

Small Change Fund was chosen for:
• providing a brilliant online platform, the only one of its kind in Canada, which connects donors with innovative grassroots projects that need just a small amount of money to make real change
• providing critical seed capital to catalyze the efforts of local change agents who are creating solutions for global impact with a wealth of creativity, knowledge, vision, and passion
• the impressive network of expert advisors – scientists, leaders of small networks, teachers, journalists, photographers – who have their fingers on the pulse of local innovation

Says Ruth Richardson, Founder and Chair of Small Change Fund, “This is such an honour. To be recognized as a Tides Canada Top 10 winner when we haven’t even hit our first birthday is amazing. We know that the idea of online- and micro-philanthropy is resonating with Canadians and this kind of recognition from a major charitable force in Canada just reinforces the power of the idea behind Small Change Fund – people can make big change with small change.”

This year’s Top 10 includes initiatives from the Yukon, northern British Columbia, the Canadian Arctic, Nova Scotia, Alberta and Ontario. They focus on food, forests, water and watersheds, climate and energy, urban sustainability and indigenous cultures. The recipients include coalitions of diverse parties working past traditional differences in pursuit of shared goals.

“It’s remarkable to see such diverse groups coming together to find solutions that work for people and the planet. The leaders behind these initiatives are having incredible impact as they promote new ways to solve some of our most pressing social and environmental problems. They all deserve recognition and sustained support for their great work,” said Ross McMillan, President and CEO of Tides Canada.

Small Change Fund board member Kirt Ejesiak speaks about recent changes in the Inuit way of life as a result of climate change at the COP16 Climate Change Talks. Kirt is the Vice President of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada).