Читать книгу Delusional Altruism - Kris Putnam-Walkerly - Страница 24

Many funders fear taking a stand on an issue. They worry that there could be negative repercussions to their reputation. They worry people might no longer fund them, hire them, or like them. This happens frequently with community foundations.

Community foundations are grantmaking public charities that raise money from donors in their community and make grants to nonprofits in that same community. Because they serve the entire community, they often feel compelled to meet everyone's needs. For example, they feel they need to support all issues—from healthcare to the arts to education—and appeal to all donors. As a result, they fear that if they take a leadership role on a particular issue, such as racial equity or education reform, they might alienate some of those donors.

Similarly, celebrities fear “coming out” in support of specific causes because it might alienate fans, cause a backlash, and result in fewer starring roles. In today's polarized world, electrified by social media, this fear is not unwarranted. Actor Tom Selleck learned this when he posed for a print advertisement for the National Rifle Association (NRA). The ad depicted him with a rifle over his shoulder accompanied by the slogan “Shooting teaches young people good things.” It came out a month following the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado, where two high school students murdered 13 people and injured 21 students.¹ The unfortunate timing of the ad resulted in a public backlash, starting with a challenging televised appearance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show where, instead of plugging his new film The Love Letter as he had planned, Selleck ended up debating gun control with host O'Donnell for more than seven minutes.

Often families fear they will be deluged by funding requests if they publicly announce the launch of a new foundation or new funding priorities. And in many parts of the world, such as the Netherlands, there is a strong cultural belief that talking about one's philanthropic giving is a form of bragging.

As a result of fear of coming out in support of a cause, or even talking about their charitable giving, many philanthropists inadvertently embrace a scarcity mentality. They hold themselves back. They refrain from fulfilling their philanthropic passion. They give anonymously. Or they don't give at all.