Reader Panel Poll

— Anne Steuer
executive director,
Children’s Museum of La Crosse

“I think the biggest issue facing fundraisers is the sheer abundance of philanthropic options available and the challenge of not only understanding the impact these options have on one’s own organization, but also of prioritizing. The high-profile and very public dialogue centering on Bill Gates’ recent discussion of ‘creative capitalism’ has put us all in a position of having to rethink what constitutes philanthropy, and this isn’t the only new approach we’re trying to wrap our brains around.
On the other end of the spectrum is the concept of microphilanthropy. We’re also learning the role social networking can play in our development plans; we’re being exposed to wild concepts of venture philanthropy, text-message campaigning and more cause-marketing options than we’ve ever before seen.
It’s great news for the sector. Offering consumers and donors more opportunities to support nonprofits is undoubtedly to our benefit. But, like each of these consumers and donors, we must now all explore our various options and create a plan for dealing with them.”