The convergence between money and meaning

For the next generation of philanthropists, I don’t think they’re going to ask themselves whether or not they should work in the private, public, or non-profit sector.  They’re simply going to wake up each day and ask themselves what impact am I going to make today.

The traditional model of a successful career and life was divided into three phases: we learn, earn, and then return.  We went to school, got a job (and kept it for decades), and then at the end of our life we gave back from the fruits of labor.

Now, we can pursue both purpose and profit.  There is a convergence between money and meaning throughout one’s life.  For philanthropy this means that donors no longer are passive supporters, but are more engaged in creating the means of change they seek in the world.  Donor circles, social entrepreneurship, impact investing, corporate social responsibility, crowd-sourcing are examples of this convergence.

The continued convergence of sectors will allow the next generation of philanthropists to focus even more on impact and not artificial distinctions between money and meaning.

–Blog excerpt by Omar Brownson, executive director of the LA River Revitalization Corporation

This entry was posted in Philanthropy by Grant Montgomery.