The Difference Between Baby Boomers and Gen X

In this episode of Charity Executive TV, David Hutchinson discusses the difference between Baby Boomers and Gen X in the job market.

Synopsis:
Many of the Baby Boomer generation came into the job market when competition was high. Because of the job market competition, many of these workers stayed in the same corporation or private business for 40 to 45 years. However, Generation X differs with the new emphasis on work and life balance and so job flow has become more passion driven and fluid. With the retirement of the baby boomers, more and more executive opportunities are becoming available and allow for this balance to take place.

4 Ways to Show You’re Ready for Management

You’ve got several years of experience under your belt, you’ve put in your fair share of time, sweat, and tears, and by your calculations, it’s your turn to move up into a leadership position.

But, a job well done in the business world isn’t like a standardized test—your past performance doesn’t necessarily predict a successful future in management. And if your last official leadership role was coaching your intramural softball team, it might be time to start thinking a little more seriously about your plan to move up.

My advice? Start with the person who has the power to actually promote you: your manager. To prove to your boss that you’re management material, it’s all about your attitude and willingness to do more than just fulfill your basic job description.

To make sure you’re putting yourself in the right light, here are a few tips to impress your manager and prove you’re ready to climb that corporate ladder.

1. Be a Problem Solver

Leaders don’t just wait to be told what to do—they think strategically about what needs to be done, and then they do it. So, next time you’re faced with a challenge, don’t just tell your boss about the problem and wait for a solution. Instead, tell him or her how you’re going to fix it.

For example, let’s say your website’s traffic is down. It may be tempting to fall into the same routine of reporting it to your boss and simply waiting for direction—but to prove you’re fit to be a leader, kick your creativity into gear and start thinking of new solutions. Maybe you could develop a strategy to attract new audiences by hosting a contest on your Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn sites to attract more followers and further engage current ones to help you spread your message. When you present the problem along with its possible solutions, your manager will recognize your initiative and dedication to the company’s success.

And look at internal issues, too: If you think there are ways to do your job more efficiently, test those solutions and present them. You won’t only make your life easier—you’ll prove to your boss that you’re ready to improve the entire department’s operations.

2. Take on (Small) Management Opportunities

One of the best ways to show that you’re ready for a leadership role is to find small ways to manage people or projects. You’ll build your management skills, of course—but more importantly, you’ll start being viewed as a team leader.

To snag some of these opportunities, you first have to make it known that you’re ready for more responsibility. So, try asking your boss if there are any managerial tasks you can take off his or her plate, like training new hires, taking on a summer intern, leading meetings, or overseeing small project teams. Is your manager going on vacation before the summer ends? Check in before he or she leaves to see how you can step in during that time.

You can prove your leadership skills through more casual means, too: Offer to help plan the company picnic or volunteer with co-workers at a community event. As you take on more responsibility (and follow through with successful results), you’ll prove that you’re committed to your team and will do what it takes to get things done.

3. Understand the Whole Company—Not Just Your Role

To be an effective manager, you’ll need a 360-degree view of the company. With the right information, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions and develop the right strategies to push your department forward. So, spend some time learning as much as you can about your business as a whole.

First, nail the basics: Act as if you’re an outsider researching the company for an interview and (if you’re not 100% familiar with them already) read up on the business’ current vision and goals. Then, move on to the most recent annual report and press releases to delve into company operations, strategies, and challenges. And don’t forget to research your competitors, too, to see exactly where you rank in your industry.

Then, consider your personal knowledge of the internal workings of your company. If there’s an area you don’t know too much about—like finance, human resources, or supply chain management—introduce yourself to people in that department and ask if you can shadow them for an afternoon to learn a little about what they do on a daily basis. You’ll impress your boss by proving that you’re interested in more than own responsibilities—but you’ll also understand how other departments work together to contribute to the company’s overall success.



4. Be Professional

Finally, as you’re thinking about how to get to the next level, remember to make sure that you’re exemplary in what you do now. Would you want a manager who misses deadlines, forgets to answer emails, and gossips about other employees? Of course not—and even though you’re not a supervisor yet, you shouldn’t be displaying those behaviors, either.

Instead, demonstrate a good work ethic by being on time and courteous to other co-workers. Avoid office gossip, aim to have the reputation of someone who everyone can trust, and approach your everyday tasks with a positive attitude.

I know—it seems simple. But sometimes, it’s all about the basics. At the end of the day, if you’re the go-to person your boss and co-workers can always count on, you’ll be on the right track to move up.
Once you perfect the intangible qualities of a leader—like responsibility, initiative, problem solving, vision, and follow-through—you’ll prove that you can add value to your company in a management position. It might take time, but that’s OK: It’ll put you in the perfect light when the opportunity for a promotion comes up.

Source: The Daily Muse by Heather Schlichting,

How to Ensure Your Resume Gets Read By a Human [INFOGRAPHIC]

This infographic by CyberCoders gives you the top tips to make sure your resume doesn’t get rejected by an ATS [Applicant Tracking Software] and actually read by a human.

 

Source: The Undercover Recruiter

How to Create the Perfect LinkedIn Profile - INFOGRAPHIC

There are over 225 million users on LinkedIn – are you amongst them? Link Humans dreamt up the perfect LinkedIn profile and created this infographic of it – here’s the top tips for creating the perfect LinkedIn profile.

Takeaways:

• Make sure you have a professional photo and a catchy headline.
• Customising the website links and especially your profile URL is crucial for optimising your profile.
• Make sure you speak directly to your target audience and make it relevant to their needs.

Related: Top 5 Reasons Recruiters Won’t Click On Your LinkedIn Profile [INFOGRAPHIC]

Click image below for full view:

Source: The Undercover Recruiter

How To Keep Your Best Employees

By: Kirill Kedrinski

You have a red hot performer, she is excelling at all the key performance indicators, loved by your clients – WOW!

So, what is the problem?

The problem, as often articulated to me is, that you are afraid of losing her. You cannot pay anymore, you are afraid your competitors are buttering her up. So, what do you do?

The reality is we have all been there. We have hired well, the candidate has proven to be successful and has delivered in bucket loads. She is at the maximum earning power and we get terrified that she will start looking elsewhere.

You are desperate to hold on to her. She is everything you want – bright, successful, dynamic and clients love her!

The mistake I have seen many make is to leave her to her own devices – “she is doing great, she doesn’t need any coaching, she is a free spirit (etc)”. That attitude normally has one outcome – she leaves!
 
So, how do you motivate your star performers to stay with you?

Firstly, you don’t avoid the obvious and not address it with her. Spend time with her, let her know how important she is to you. Tell her why you want her to stay and how important she is to the business. And, above all, acknowledge to her that other opportunities with your competitors will arise for her. Don’t be silly and pretend it is not the case – you know it and so does she!

Spend time coaching her to develop new skills, learn new techniques, expand her knowledge, and share the experiences you have had.

However, do not make promises you cannot fulfill. Don’t fall into the trap of promising more money at some time in the future because:
you are making it all come down to money, which is dangerous, but, even worse:
you have made yourself a hostage to fortune and if you cannot deliver, you have left the door wide open as now you are someone who does not keep their promises.

Keep in mind – people don’t leave organizations, they leave managers. That, fellow employers, is not one of those cute one-liners – it is an absolute fact and there is a load of research to back it up.

The managers who do not accept this, I am convinced, do so because to believe otherwise would demand of them to completely fulfill all aspects of their role as managers.
 
Support the development of their career:

Another area to really commit to is supporting her in the development of her own career. You should make it clear that you are not expecting her to sign up to the organization for the rest of her life – after all, have you? Demonstrate that part of your commitment to her is to help her achieve her goals – irrespective of whether those goals include staying where she is or not.

Show her that you care and are interested in her. Demonstrate how valuable you are as a mentor in her career. Work with her to map out the next couple of years – what she needs to do, to learn, to study, to experience, everything she needs to do to achieve her overall career goals.

I have seen managers stand off doing this on the basis of “I’m helping her to leave”. That is nonsense. You are demonstrating real care, fulfilling your duty as a manager and being the mentor that you promised when you took her on. The managers that stand out in all our memories are the ones that you learned most from, and if you fulfill that role, you will be a true mentor. 

Coach your star performers: 

By: Rob Orthen

The other area I mentioned earlier is coaching. Far too often I have seen managers spend an inordinate amount of time on poor performers to the detriment of the top performers – and then rationalize it on the basis that “they are doing fine” - big mistake! So often the high achievers will never, ever say they want coaching, but in reality, they do! They get irritated that the “boss gives all his time to those producing nothing, and ignores me who is producing so much” (maybe not in those words, but the sense of it will be). Don’t get caught out – continuously coach your high performers!
 
Conclusions:

So, the challenge is to all us managers – be outstanding! Be a brilliant and committed manager and spend time dedicated to improving the skills and the growth of your best people. They need you too!

Look for opportunities where she can shine. Coach her to support and help her to map out some long-term career goals and then do everything you can to create the environment that will help her achieve them.

Remember, this is one smart lady and she will recognize she is growing and developing, and she will also recognize that you are committed to her growth.

Will this guarantee that she stays with you forever? No, but you have certainly increased the odds in your favor. I know that I was once in that situation, and because of the manager I had, and how he coached me, I stayed a lot longer than I would have without him!

So, what are you going to do today for your star performer? 

Source: John Murphy on http://theundercoverrecruiter.com

New Hire vs. Retraining - INFOGRAPHIC

How Would You Score Yourself as a Manager of People?

By John Murphy on theundercoverrecruiter.com

So, how would you score yourself as a manager and a leader? Don’t know, or not so sure? Well, if you’re not sure, let me tell you that your people are – they are constantly scoring you! So, if you have not evaluated your own performance in a while, now is a good time to start!

I met recently with the CEO of a large company who wanted to discuss some issues that he was having with his team. He gave me a pretty good briefing about the team – their strengths and weakness, success, disappointments, how they performed individually, how they get on together etc – all great information and really important when working with the team.

However, there was one piece missing – feedback on himself as a manager a leader.

I asked him to rate himself as he would any other member of the team in terms of team management skills and leadership. Rather taken aback at such a question, he began to reflect upon this unexpected query.

Truthfully, he was pretty challenged to do this straightforward exercise – like many others I ask the same of, I have to say.

To give him a helping hand, I put a series of questions to him, which would give a fair indicator, and since he found the questions and the ensuing conversation so helpful I thought I would share the questions with you here so that you can do your own evaluation:
 
Question 1: How open are your people with you?

What I mean by that is, is the information flow from them on a “need to know” basis or is it free flowing? Do they admit mistakes even if the likelihood of you finding out are slim? Are they open, and I mean, without prompting,about any worries and concerns they have? Do you know what their personal, non work related goals are? What are they ambitious about? Do you know what goes on in their personal lives?
 
Question 2: Are they fully supportive, in a real sense, on team goals or are they only concerned about their individual ones?
When you talk to them, do they discuss how they can support other team members goals? Can you see them contributing to other team members, not just in words but in actions? Or are they only ever bothered when it impacts upon their own goals? Do they contribute to the achievement and success of others? 

Question 3: How supportive are they of each other?
Is it “I’m alright, Jack!” or will you see them supporting someone who may be struggling? Do you witness them helping each other out or does it only happen when asked?

At your meetings do you just go around the table to get individual reports about performance or do you spend more time discussing how everyone can leverage what is available to achieve the overall goal? Is everyone protective about their own resources or is there a real willingness to share? 

By: Idaliz Escalante

Question 4: Can you say that open and honest debate happens among your team members, or does the office politics prevail?
Is it safe, as a team, to have “that” discussion about the hot topics that need to be aired? Are the sensitive issues debated openly? ? Or is the atmosphere that an “attack” is happening and the truth does not get aired? Have you clear guidelines agreed for such conversations to take place?

Really take your time to reflect because the answers to those questions will give you a good picture of your team management skills.

I know that my client now has a much better picture of his skills and where he needs to focus to improve his own performance – and, as a consequence, his team’s too!

What would your answers be? Go on, and ask yourself these same questions – and then do something about it!

What to Do When You're Overqualified for A Job

By Jennifer Parris, Mashable.com
You’ve been a dutiful job seeker for a while, and finally, you’ve found a position ... that you could do blindfolded. But after you’re called in for an interview, the hiring manager utters the dreaded “o” word — overqualified. Still, you really want this position. Here’s what you need to do when you’re overqualified for a job.

Be Honest

It will be immediately obvious to your interviewer that you are overqualified for the position, and there’s nothing wrong in saying so. After all, if you don’t bring it up, the hiring manager surely will. So, have a game plan ready for when the question comes up. There are many reasons for someone to take a position that is considered below them. Maybe the job offers you the option to telecommute, which is what you need at this stage of your career. Or maybe it’s a fifteen-minute commute door to door, or a job with a company that you’ve always wanted to work for. Whatever the case, you should be honest about your intentions.
 
Focus On How You Can Help

All your extensive workplace experience can either help you or harm you during an interview. It’s up to you to offer some perspective to your potential boss by showcasing your skills, and then explain how those skills can help the company. Maybe you helped bring your previous company back from the brink of bankruptcy. Or, your business acumen helped seal a merger with a Fortune 500 company. Learn everything you can about the needs of your prospective company, and be ready to show how your expertise can help it accomplish those goals.
 
Modify Your Resume

Most people enhance some part of their resumes to make themselves look more qualified and skilled than they actually are. But when you’re already overqualified for a job, you need to do the exact opposite. Look for areas in which you can trim down some of your previous experience so that you are still qualified for the position, but not overqualified. That way, a hiring manager will most likely call you in for an interview without tossing your resume on the “pass” pile.
 
Offer A Commitment

The biggest fear that a potential boss faces when hiring someone who is overqualified is that he or she will get bored with the job after a while and then quit, leaving the company to start the time-consuming — and expensive — hiring process all over again. Ensure that you have no plans of leaving — sometimes employers may want you to sign a contract to confirm that you will work with the company for at least 12-18 months. But you should only sign an agreement if you’re truly willing to dedicate that time to the organization.
 
Take Salary Off the Table

With your expertise and experience, a hiring manager might assume you’ll want a higher starting salary than another candidates. Make it clear that your previous positions — and earnings — will not inflate your salary requirements. Stress that you are looking for a salary that reflects the job's current market value — and that you also are open to negotiation. That will help smooth the way to getting a second interview, and hopefully a cold hard job offer.

Social Media As An Effective Tool for Charities!

Do You Know Your Why?

Simon Sinek, author and TED talk presenter, knows the secret behind inspiring others. In his book, Start With Why, Simon breaks down the success of innovative companies into a diagram he calls The Golden Circle. By drawing on the examples of great inspirational leaders, such as Martin Luther King and Steve Jobs, Simon explains how adapting the principal of The Golden Circle can greatly impact your success as a leader, and a business executive.

The Golden Circle

Through the use of his Golden Circle, Simon explains that the true way to inspire others and catch their attention - is to harness the power of the why. 

To help explain the circle, let's break each component down:

What: This is what your organization does. Almost all leaders and business executives have a pretty good idea what their organization does. Whether it's raising funds for missionaries across the globe, raising awareness for breast cancer or providing a safe-house for women and children, you know what your organization does. 

How: This is how your organization does what you do. Many (but not all) leaders know how it's done. Do you canvass local communities for donations? Do you offer pro bono services in exchange for support? Do you choose to leverage the assets your organization owns? This is how you achieve what it is that you want to be doing. 

Why: This is why your organization exists. It's your mantra, your personal mission and your drive to make a different in your industry. Unfortunately, very few leaders and business owners take the time to uncover the true answer to why their organization exists. If you're answer is to be financially stable, you're heading up the wrong tree!

The Importance of Why

As human beings, we are hardwired with a desire to connect with others. However, when it comes to leading, selling or motivating, many people forget how to make a sincere connection. It's not something they do intentionally, but it tends to happen when they aren't entirely sure of their why. As Simon explains in his 2009 TED Talk, the why of your mission is your way of connecting with others. By communicating your why before anything else, you are able to capture the attention of those who believe what you believe. When you are passionate about your cause (and not just the results of it), you inspire others to want to be a part of it. 

Hiring Based on Your Why

Your story, your why and your dedication to your cause is what's going to draw like-minded people into your inner circle. This becomes incredibly important when you are expanding your organization and looking for others to join your team. If you are clear about your reasons for doing what you do, you will be better equipped to attract and recognize others with the same values. If your reasons are a little fuzzy, finding the right individuals to assist you in your mission will be a little difficult. 

As Simon discusses later on in the TED Talk, it is crucial to hire those who believe what you believe. Skills can be taught, and experience gained, but a deep routed interest in your cause should be valued above all else. A skilled employee who knows what you're doing will make you money; an inspired employee who knows why you're doing it, will take the torch and run. 

So the next time you are asked what you do for a living, take a moment to consider not only what you do, but why you do it. Are you embracing your why on a daily basis and leading by example? Are you providing others with a reason to follow you and your cause? 

We follow those who lead, not for them, but for ourselves. - Simon Sinek

5 Great Tips for Finding Superstar Employees

While large corporations are lucky enough to have an entire human resources team dedicated to acquiring superstar employees, many charities and non-profit organizations are left to rely on the collective (and sometimes untrained) knowledge of the current board members.

Fortunately there are a number of great resources, both on the internet and at your local library, that assist organizations in launching a great hiring campaign - including Charity Executive! If you find yourself on the search for your next shining star, here are 5 great tips to ensure your best results:

1. Write a great (and accurate) job description
As executives ourselves, we see hundreds of job descriptions and postings that look like they were thrown together in a matter of minutes. While it's true that vague job postings ultimately mean more applications, it also means more wasted time spent weeding out the unsuitable candidates. Pay close attention to the details of the job description and related duties, especially if recycling a job posting that was used a few years prior. Don't be afraid to review the job description with the employee that is leaving, and ask for their insight on how the position might have changed.

2. Get that posting up!
This point is especially important if the position you are filling is a replacement for another employee. Regardless of the reason for the vacancy (extended vacation, maternity leave or just moving on to a better opportunity), executives should aim for at least 1 week of overlap between the current employee, and the one who will be taking their place. The sooner management begins reviewing applications, the sooner a suitable candidate can be chosen (and new hires will appreciate the overlap more than you'll know).

3. Use various media outlets to spread the word
In our social media driven world, it would be silly to just place your job posting ads in the newspaper. With so many ways to connect with potential employees, we encourage executives to reach out using many different media outlets. Twitter & Facebook are great ways to share upcoming job opportunities with an audience that already knows what you are all about. LinkedIn emails prospective candidates to let them know of jobs they may be interested in, and Craigslist & Kijiji are great free ways to list your open positions.

4. Consider hiring a co-op student, intern or recent university graduate
If your looking for a shining star employee for a relatively entry level position, consider contacting your location university or private post secondary institution for  any student recommendations they may have. Individuals that excel within their academic career are often just as dedicated to their post-academic career as well, and will most likely 'hit the ground running' for your organization. You may need to spend a bit more time training on them on certain industry specifics, but their dedication to good work is worth it.

5. Discuss corporate culture during the interview process
We hear countless tales of executives who hired the "perfect" candidate, only to find out months later that they couldn't have been further from the truth. While skills, knowledge and previous experience are crucial to hiring the right employee, so is the mesh between their personality and your corporate culture. If you work within an industry that requires a specific religious belief (such as Christian or Judaism), particular lifestyle choice (such as being vegan because of animal cruelty issues) or health & wellness solutions (such as Chiropractic treatment instead of vaccinations), you must clearly communicate this during the hiring process. Remember, the hiring process is a time for both the employer and the potential employee to determine if they would be a good fit for each other; by taking time to explain your corporate culture and workplace expectations, it allows applicants the opportunity to decide if your workplace is the place for them!

Dan Pallota's TED Talk

Dan Pallota's TED Talk has received a lot of attention lately. The talk, like his books challenge the lens through which we see charity - for the better. He demands we destroy the separate 'rule book' we've given to the sector responsible for solving the worlds biggest problems and commit to the morality of outcomes over a morality of our methods. Overhead ratios, advertising, investment models and risk are recurring themes here, and while he's not without his critics, the video is causing those in the industry and those who care about it to challenge assumptions and hopefully re-think some of the ways the ways the sector operates.

Rethinking is good, doing is better. How we move from ideals to implementation is likely where most will freeze. There's a chasm between the ideals Mr. Pallota is suggesting and the cruel reality that is the day to day experience of those operating non-profits. Penalized by the public paralyzed by their boards, and crippled by a lack of funds, I suspect many non-profit leaders are watching the video, sighing and saying "sure…but I'm barely making payroll, let alone able to invest $50 000 into a venture project that may or may not yield results." Or, there are those trying innovative approaches to substantial change but run up against the same critiques, roadblocks or don't have the cash reserves deep enough to see their ideas through. 

And as viscerally appealing as it sounds, the solution isn't just to "dream big" or "take risks." These may be a part of it, but the reality is, we can't dream our way into a new playbook. Mass social change requires long term, incremental steps towards a seemingly undefined end. It may seem like playing darts in the dark, but if we're willing to make small steps we can hopefully turn on at least a dim light.

I'd suggest that before we can expect the public or government to change perceptions about what we do, the change needs to start with you and the executive leadership at your non profit. I've listed five small commitments I think you can make with your executive leadership team and I think if you took a half hour too you could think of your own set of five ways to challenge the current model, and implement a mode of operating that slowly shifts the conversation. If we do this, we can shift from "wishing" you could operate with the playbook Dan talks about, to picking it up, and starting to turn the pages.

Number One: Evaluate every idea based on the individual merits and strength of that idea and not on the weight of precedent or perceptions. If you don't understand the idea, spend the time necessary to understand its complexities without prejudice. Unpack it and let it stand for itself. 

Number Two: Commit to specialization and education in your sector. The non-profit industry in Canada is 110 Billion dollars. That's larger than automotive, tech, manufacturing and more. And yet, who are the experts? If you work in fundraising - you work in finance. Learn the financial models and tools the rest of the finance world uses (yes, even in the for profit world). Understand risk capital, the banking system and capital markets in and out. Segment by expertise, not by industry.

Number Three: Be honest about the success or lack of success your organization has or has not experienced. Know the metrics you are evaluating your programs on and accept when they just aren't working. This doesn't mean you abandon ship or immediately change course but without an honest inventory of how well you are doing and whether you're meeting the expectations you have for your cause how can you be expected to change it?

Number Four: Blue Sky It. While you can't dream your way into a new playbook, be committed to recently look at the problems your charity is working to solve, set the ideals as if access to capital and resources wasn't an issue and then work back from there. 

Number Five: Know your story. Rigorously investigate the origins of your organization, the failures and successes and the legacy of decisions that have brought you to this point. If we don't understand the past, breaking free from it and setting a new course will be impossible. 

Now it's your turn. Go.

Guest Post By: Jeff Golby
Jeff has expressed his passion for creative problem solving his interest in leadership development and his desire to re-think old problems through new frameworks in his professional, volunteer and personal life. The intersection of business and charity and leveraging the strengths of both to create substantive change are what interests him most at the moment and he gets to express this as the Operations Director of the Charitable Impact Foundation (Chimp.net). He loves a good story, an opportunity to see others take their ideas and knock them out of the park, and the moment the stars align to brew the perfect cup of coffee. He can be (happily) reached @ jeff@chimp.net

Leveraging Philanthropy

It’s the second half of "_ a-thon" Season. The time when Movember, Run for the Cure and others are gearing up for what will be a very successful period of raising a large amount of money.

Following up on the last post, I want to start exploring how we can be ‘better givers’ and ‘better askers.’ Donors have a unique opportunity to give with their head and with their heart – and the "__ a thon" season really highlights this unique challenge.

So to start, I thought it’d be wise to suggest two really simply guidelines to consider when entering, raising money for, or giving to one of these event based fundraisers. I’ll use CIBC’s Run for the Cure as a lead example here. Not because I think it’s good or bad (that’s for you to decide) but because it’ll be coming up real soon….

Know who the money is going to:
Q: Who does CIBC’s Run for the Cure support? A: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. What does the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation do? That’s when it gets interesting. Registered as a Charitable Org and not a Foundation (https://chimp.net/charities/canadian-breast-cancer-foundation) the CBCF seems to act kind of like a Charitable Org (in that 17% of its budget goes towards programs) but also like a Foundation (in that it granted out 34% of its income). I’ve yet to get an answer, so am at a loss to know which is which. The issue isn’t a technical one, a Foundation and a Charitable Org have very different mandates (great ones, just different). Knowing the end charity is important before you represent them in a race. You’d never promote a product you didn’t use, why would you promote a Cause you didn’t know?

Know how they spend their money & what they have to show for it:
I’m not trying to enter a debate about what ‘funding ratios’ (i.e. the amount spent on fundraising to the amount earned) is “good” or “bad” – that’s a red herring here. What’s important (I would say) is what impact they are having with their dollar – whether it’s spent on programs or granted to organizations who run programs. Knowing where the money goes is the first step, knowing what they do with it is second. Again, CBCF – spends 17% on programs, 36% on fundraising, 12% on management and 34% “granting out” to other non profits. Nothing ‘bad’ or ‘good’ in these figures alone. They are what they are. Looking at who they grant money out to – you see some universities (makes sense), some YWCA’s (ok I get it), some Elementary School (a little bit of a stretch), Dragon Boat teams (seems odd but, advertising perhaps). Again nothing inherently wrong with this – if you are OK with the impact made.

Charities are caught. Ending the starvation cycle begins with information and freeing Charity from the tyranny of branding and ‘keeping up’. It begins with donors not giving just on image or sexy fundraiser alone, or even on giving to the ‘idea’ that finding a cure for Breast Cancer is a ‘good idea’, but giving to what organization will be most effective in doing what it says it does. If that’s CBCF – awesome, if it’s not – then, if you’re truly passionate about making a dent, rally your friends and help a cause that doesn’t have the money to throw a massive event. Your money is worth way too much to be thrown at something you don’t believe in. The information is out there and it’s super easy to pick your own standard of efficacy (i.e. how well the organization fulfills its mission) and give to who earns it the most when we do this (give on merit not on ask) we’ll start restocking the pond now.

Guest Post by Jeff Golby @jgolby