Category: Part 3: Philanthropy

1. What are some things you feel that all charities would need to spend money on?
2. Why do you think some charities have issues when it comes to managing funding?
3. Why can’t charities just spend all their money on their services or causes?
4. What would you look for when considering a donation to a charity or cause?
5. What do you think makes a charity a good steward?
6. What are some different types of charities that you’ve had contact with before?

To understand more about how charities utilize donations, research and define the following term: Stewardship.

The website, “Charity Intelligence” is a good starting point when you are looking at the background operations of local non-profits and charities.  For this activity, have each group member choose and research one charity using Charity Intelligence as a resource.

Using the Charity Intelligence website, fill out the form on the following page in order to compare and contrast a variety of Canadian charities and non-profits.  Download the form here: Charity Compare

What is Philanthropy?   What is Altruism?  

So what is socialpreneurship?

“Socialpreneurs are folks who pay attention to the world around them.  They recognize a need in their community or in society as a whole and then seek out ways to feed this need while still being able to turn a profit. -Entrepreneurship.com

Give an example of a business or person(s) who are raising awareness or funds for a cause but also making a profit:

Name?
What do they sell/do?
How do they raise awareness/support for a community or global issue?
Have you ever purchased from or contributed to a socialpreneurial business?

Here is an example:

Toms Shoes was founded in 2006, and what began as a “One for One” shoe company, where one pair of shoes purchases translated into a pair given to impoverished children world-wide, they now also sell sunglasses (part of the profit goes to eye care to those in need) and now they sell coffee (clean drinking water is provided with the purchase). 

Charities and non-profit organizations are key elements of our society.  They give help in ways that government agencies are not always able.  They provide services, create learning opportunities, and generally are focussed on making our community a better place to live.

Not every charity is creating equal; however.  Depending on the size and scope of each charity or non-profit, funds received from donors are spent differently.