Philadelphia and the work Tracy Gary so elegantly led with Inspired Legacies ,was not just about philanthropy, economics and philanthropic advising, it was also about getting to know each other and having fun. So when team member Jason Franklin said he had something to share ,we sat up and took notice. When he belted out a song in his big voice, on philanthropy and giving, to the tune of Summertime, we cheered him on.
And after his solo, we accompanied him as back up. Now the team may not make it to Carnegie Hall, but Jason might. He sure can sing… judge for yourself. Jason, recently invited to be Bolder Giving’s new Executive Director, had served on the board for two years. Bolder Giving, founded by Anne and Christopher Ellinger, aims to get people across the economic spectrum to think about how to donate a higher percentage of their assets and how to become effective philanthropists who can inspire and collaborate with others.
They recently received a $675,000 challenge grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its reach. According to Jason, “That’s a call every non-profit dreams of.” Quoted in a recent article , by Kristi Hamm, on The Business of Giving, and its economics and social aspects, Jason says, “It creates an opportunity for people of wealth to think about how much to keep and how much to give”… The new Gilded Age points to both “possibility in philanthropy and an indicator of inequality,” he said. “At the same time, society is in a period of great flux where a sense of energy and optimism mixes with heightened concern”….
“We’re in a volatile moment where it seems each time we turn around we’re facing major concerns from the oil spill to the economy,” he said. “It feels like we’re really on the brink of change that could be positive, but we could also be on the brink of things changing negatively.”
In the article, Ms. Hamm goes on to say,” Reaction to the Giving Pledge in some parts of the world, such as Germany, has been critical. Millionaires there said charity by the rich shouldn’t be seen as a replacement for basic functions of government” , according to an article by Der Spiegel.“Forty super wealthy people want to decide what their money will be used for,” said shipping magnate Peter Krämer. “That runs counter to the democratically legitimate state.”
Franklin agrees there is a larger question about the implications for civil society and decision making. “Philanthropy is almost always motivated by the desire to help or give back,” he said, though “it is giving back on an individual basis rather than collectively.”
After meeting Jason and learning more about Bolder Giving and his views ,there is no doubt in my mind that he will take Bolder Giving to the next step to really , in his words, “ mobilize new resources for social change,” We’re with you 100% Jason, there is no doubt that you’ll rise to the challenge.