We have been entrusted with $10,000/ For most of us, that's a lot of money. However, even more weighty than the magnitude of this sum is the fact that it is money not our own. While we are given the freedom to disperse it with fairly minimal conditions, this money is intended to serve a purpose.
This is actually the case with money in a variety of organizations. Whether we are dealing with government grants, foundations, or private contributions, with restricted funds or open-ended donations, the money is given to a particular organization, mission, or cause.
How can we steward this responsibility well? We can think critically about our mission. How does our framing of the problem guide us in our search for solutions? Who is this a problem for? What is the history of past efforts to accomplish our mission? How can we achieve the greatest benefit for our investment? What values will shape our work?
We can also be mindful that distribution of resources is an intensely political and value-laden process. We are not simply "doing our job," but are making decisions about how wealth and power will be allocated in society. "Public budgeting is not about numbers; it is about making democratic governance work," (Morgan, 2002, p.3). The Criminal Justice Initiative asserts that their method of grant funding "enacts a vision of a world in which people with access to money do not control the destinies of people with limited access to money," but also acknowledges, "It is challenging to create philanthropic structures that deeply enact the values of social justice funding," (A Structure that Reflects, 2007).
While we tend to stress the ethical responsibility involved in handling dedicated money, it is worthwhile to note that this is also an opportunity to participate in economic and political processes we believe in. The Learning by giving Foundation is decentralizing philanthropy and has found a creative way for local nonprofit organizations to be assessed by students. Let us consider this not merely an experiment to prepare for real-world grants, but an opportunity to participate in a way of granting that embodies our democratic values.
References
Morgan, D. (2002). Handbook on public budgeting. Unpublished manuscript.
A Structure that Reflects Our Values. (2017) Indie Philanthropy Initiative. Retrieved from https://indiephilanthropy.org/stories/structure-reflects-values/