 Welcome to another episode of the nonprofit show. We are so excited. This is what we call a big get in the business. We have Jane Wales talking to us today about the generosity commissions insight report and Jane is is a vice president of the Aspen Institute a woman that is Doing a lot of things for our sector and really exploring information That we need to know and we need to gather and so we're going to be really focusing in on this amazing report and so welcome again to another episode of the nonprofit show I'm Julia Patrick if we haven't met I'm CEO of the American Nonprofit Academy Jared Ransom the nonprofit nerd is off today and she'll be joining us back tomorrow We are here because we have amazing partners and they include Bloomerang American Nonprofit Academy Your part-time controller non-profit thought leader fundraising Academy at National University Staffing boutique non-profit nerd and non-profit tech talk These are the folks that have allowed us to do our work without any editorial pressure or content design for now in our fourth year almost 900 episodes and so we want to make sure that Everybody knows that this large s helps support our work If you've missed any of our episodes and we have episodes that talk about fundraising for development Management grants policy. Oh my gosh. I could go on and on you can find these recordings on podcast format Streaming broadcast and now we have a new I like to call it sexy app that our team at American Nonprofit Academy Created so you can find all of this content. It's free and access it when you need it And we will help join you on the discovery to building a stronger non-profit Okay, Jane Wales you heard my homework or my housekeeping and now we're gonna dig into you and get your wisdom again vice president of the Aspen Institute executive director Programming on philanthropy and social innovation and more and today while you're here is really co-chair of the generosity Commission it's such a fascinating Piece of the pie if you will and so I Recommend everybody to take some time and go to the generosity commission org website. It's a fascinating Look into what this information How it was gathered and sourced and why it was done and it's a very limited thing So Jane talk to me about the generosity commission because this is a very special action I mean thanks. Thanks a lovely introduction. I am struck by how hard you work I Beneficially as lovely late work. So so thank you for that. I think I'm a light on the generosity Commission I say a word about who we are what you know, what and why we are so We're basically a group of 17 leaders from across the social sector It ranges from and I should first say that my co-chair is Mike Giannone Giannone who is CEO of BlackBod So there is a clear private sector perspective And also when you look at it It's a ranges from the leader of a policy link Which is a wonderful advocacy organization on the one hand and the leader of salvation army Which is known for its neutrality on the other or when it comes to fundraising There's there's the leader of lever for change You know on the one hand and AARP on the other and and so it's a good range of individuals It's not just a commission. We also have task forces which we can turn to on the variety of its area And it's most important to reach out and conducts focus groups with everyday givers and volunteers I'd rather to give you the why Why are we there? Why are we not only focused on our day jobs? And the answer is that a few years back the giving institute with sponsors giving us a Report on trends and giving landing on two data points that are really The first is that year over year More money is given by fewer givers You More volunteer hours are given So you can argue okay, this data point on giving That that reflects the concentration of wealth who's is a concern in that itself, right? Concentration of all in the ring That has to say it's near a corresponding But it could be one way is there a corresponding concentration A large part of our society can be that what they do They don't influence events But if that is the case What does that mean for our democracy because our system of government assume and engage citizen Is to better understand that and just there are ways that reverse that Help folks engage in what everyone values or You know, I love that you said that because I think a lot of times in the nonprofit sector We look at something that maybe we see out of our car windows We're driving down the street and we're like that's not right, but we don't often see the tentacles of Import and how it navigates throughout democracy and and I I love love love That you have identified that and and helped us to remember this or babe You know to not just look about wealth and money and where it's going because it is it is very significant And so I really I just wanted to stop you and point that out that this is something that we don't hear enough And so we're talking about your goals We're talking about the world And so we're talking about your goals. We're talking about the work that you do and that it's such an fascinating assortment of people that have come together How easy or hard is it? I've got to ask this question to get these amazing minds and leaders To engage with you in this in this piece We've been so fortunate. I mean, we have a remarkable leaders not only on the commission itself, but on the many task force And we're able to tap folks through their through their testimony. We've received testimonies Of all walks of life and we'll be scheduling more Focus with the everyday givers and I probably should define what an everyday giver is. Yes focus groups and ask them see what motivates you're giving and volunteering and every time I say giving I Will get to your way and is it something that others can do to help remove those those barriers We're thinking about what an everyday volunteer giver is it's it's basically being a It is the person who Volunteers at the Center Volunteers for the volunteer fire brigade joins Divine nine sororities and fraternities are joined the rotary club. These people who are engaged They're how we work is how we as a society get stuff And so the everyday giver and volunteers if it's not somebody who necessarily somebody who's got sort of Access access money in there in there in their banking account. There aren't very many of us who do But Right, I love that you put that I love that you put that forward because I think it is important to redefine What a participant is and who gives and how we give It's it's really powerful. Thank you for for reminding us that I think a lot of times in the nonprofit sector From the board all the way down. We're like if we can just get that one wealthy person All our problems are solved Not the case. It's not sustainable. It doesn't happen About something broader. Yeah, yeah You were just talking about Yeah I 50s and Yeah, that's horrible. I don't I yeah, it's absolutely horrible, you know, Jane It's so fascinating to hear about your work And I I love the the assortment of people that you were able to get into the room and get around the table brilliant People that are on the forefront of this huge discussion talk to us about a Sider and just getting great minds together. What was your process in the methodology for doing this work? So we're there's a Projects of work and the first is to commission research And maybe I'll just focus on three Beats of research that were The first of a look at what would be this we do this very dramatic decline in every day given That is to say 20 million giving households drop out of giving You will be year more more money is given more time is given but by fewer givers and volunteers So what we took a look at first is okay, what sector or subsector is most affected by those strengths? Sadly we found out that we learned that it is the small community-based cluster of nonprofit that has been most dramatic drop-off in That was concerning because we did undercut this research as COVID was beginning Yeah, yeah, of course that situation worsened with they couldn't accept volunteers And earned income if you came for some sort put through that as well So that was very concerning with that's a longitudinal study though. So maybe Temperatures taken over a whole year period The second thing we learned is we asked the question, are we measuring the right things? With the data is rich and that is to say we were focused on For nonprofits So we wanted to capture or still want to capture giving them a direct I go fun to meet it Paying somebody's medical bill Not mediated by a nonprofit, but also What we've seen is a vast expense the number of mutual aid Networks that's And look after their neighbors so in the one case you might be looking after strangers and the other you might Be looking after your neighbors. We asked. What does that look like? And what I can tell you is the living volunteering is quite broad. There's a range of ways Like What we don't What we don't know is whether the decline in giving to nonprofits is Offset It's offset by this Go to because these are traditional meat and go Social media but We've always doing So we don't know we don't know what were the baseline was we don't know how much it's going up Although we know it is going up. How much is going down or whether it's remaining the same, right? Skip ahead just to say one thing one of our number one recommendations is let's do that Yeah We understand generosity much more broadly in our society well, and I think the mechanism of generosity has changed because We do have this digital Component where you can do things super fast on your phone and now it's not it's it's generational So we can have children teens, you know all the way up to you know a digital society They can be like oh my gosh I'm gonna donate to this or that and I can transfer money I can you know do a direct deposit kind of situation It's it's something that we're not talking enough about but you're right. I mean think about the transference of well through those means Yeah, it's so fascinating I love that you've done this work and I love that your your Assortment of knowledge and I would say knowledge points and leaders Have been willing to tend to take a look at what's going around on around them I mean you mentioned, you know that you have People that are from the front lines of social services like the Salvation Army all the way to the CEO of Blackbottom People that are engaged in this atmosphere and in this ecosystem, but in different ways And so they come back to you with you know different Sensibilities of what the inputs are talk to us about kind of what some of the key findings are that you maybe Were you found yourself a little bit more surprised about or not necessarily thinking this is how it was going to go I mean this is the world that you walk in you know this stuff You're a part of this dialogue in your work-a-day world. Were there things that maybe Somewhat surprised you Sorry And that is the most likely people to register to vote for the first time Are people who have either volunteered for the first time or served on a jury for the first time? It's telling us that one form of social social behavior of civic behavior And that the reality is that the client and this is sort of the next wave that we're about to receive our final bit of search on social connectedness that is When you give or volunteer Social protected actually translates into wages vital resilience. So the individual is Wow, okay, I'm gonna So during that amazing Amazing piece of information. We had your sound cut out just a little bit And I just want to read rephrases to make sure that we got this correct You're you're telling us that when we see people who have engaged in another form of Social commitment and we don't often align voting I think in the nonprofit sector we try to stay away from the politics in a lot of ways We're afraid of it frankly But you're seeing people that navigated through some sort of if you will democratic process registering to vote voting it Aligned them towards more volunteerism and even Fundraising or participating That is correct. Let me reverse it and say that what we're finding Social connectedness You know that We all feel that Leads to that personal experience Slates to a society wide experience. Let me get put it differently that Notions that when individuals Connect the society in those ways that they and I give you the specific example the most likely person to register to vote Someone who Volunteered for the first time or served on his day for the first time the point being that that one prosocial behavior one Leads to others and it's not about who you vote for by the way, Julie And so we just find that that fascinating that one act leads to others You know Jane I've been in one form or fashion of this Sector through family through community through my profession, you know, I'm in my early 60s I've never heard that. I've never actually even thought of that But it makes sense. I mean you when you serve on boards, you you know the people that because they're serving on other boards in your Community, I mean you're right. I can see how engagement begets engagement. I mean you Realize that this is important. It becomes a value. It becomes a way of life Fascinating fascinating Wow, I love this. I'm so glad that you shared that with us, you know, I Our time has gone by so quickly and it's I I knew I warned you I'm like this is gonna go by fast And I know this is like a little bit of a crystal ball moment. And so I know you're up for this What do you see? I mean with this knowledge and and this may be a new approach to what's going on What do you see for the future? What's next? it's interesting you say you ask that question because The last thing you want is a report that says on the shelf Yeah, and and so very much our method has been to simulate conversation And We want the document to be a living document Don't see those cells is the last word and we will be disappointed if we are that would not be success But we still see it as a start of a conversation. So I imagine that These recommendations will be Applemented by others Decided not as important for others more important So what's most important to us is to keep it important is this is part of an ongoing conversation And the report is a living document. I Love that and I I think that we are a part of a changing society I mean certainly we've been changed by The global pandemic and and all of the things associated with that or things that have just been occurring around this So I really appreciate Your approach to that because yeah, we have a lot to learn and we are in a changing time And if we don't if we're not thinking about this, we're going to be shocked You know when when something major changes course in the nonprofit sector and we won't be able to now re navigate it So super super interesting talk to us about where we can find this report and How we you know a small nonprofit sitting in the middle of America? Can get this information and what that might look like So the report's not completed. It'll be launched Way to get that but also the way to get some of the findings of our surveys and focus scripts and the conclusions of the Folks who go online to www.vudgenerositycommission.org Right Yeah, I think it's great And I think it's something to bookmark to keep going back to to to get this Amazing information no matter the size of your nonprofit. This is something that is going to ultimately impact you and your community and your sector and you know Nobody in our country could really ever Convene this type of group and pull this together and cost a fortune and in resources And so to be able to get this in front of this group and understand what they're doing It is really important. I think Jane. This is worthy of Boards, you know a board meetings Discussion about what this looks like so that they can understand how to really roadmap their own Organizations again no matter the size of your organization just to understand How our culture is changing and how to be a part of it I think it's it's really really important again the generosity commission org Amazing amazing resource in our country To take a look at and for me Jane the big I'm gonna say here on fire moment was understanding or not understanding maybe Recognizing the link to volunteerism to you know engagement in the process of democracy Serving on a jury voting and how that links people into the process of the nonprofit sector and You know 1.8 million nonprofits in this in this country Going to work every Monday, and there are a lot of people that can be engaged the volunteer that work that invest I mean, it's a it's a really big part of our sector and so Thank you so much for coming to to share your knowledge. I'm gonna definitely Try and get you back on and and hear what your updates are because it's just Fascinating and again, it's such a critical piece to how we understand ourselves in the nonprofit sector Jane Wales vice president of the Aspen Institute If you were joining us in the green room chatter Jane identified, you know the Aspen Institute does programming in Aspen But they're based in DC, so they're not you know, they're not in In Aspen all the time and doing their work but again the generosity commission org check them out and as Jane mentioned they are continuing on this research and so what they're finding right now is still flowing and in 24 of probably April as you mentioned then the the final piece will be released very very interesting work again Everybody, I'm Julia Patrick CEO of the American nonprofit Academy Jared Ransom the nonprofit nerd will be rejoining us tomorrow We have amazing sponsors that allow us to have these conversations and support us They include bloom rang American nonprofit Academy your part-time controller nonprofit thought leader Fundraising Academy at National University staffing boutique nonprofit nerd and nonprofit tech talk These are the folks that join us day in and day out Jane. You really shifted my mind today. Thank you It was a lot of fun and keep up the good work and we will look forward to learning more about Generosity Commission and the Aspen Institute and what you are doing Every day we sign off with this mantra and it goes like this To stay well So you can do well. We'll see you back here tomorrow Jane. Thank you so much