Thoughtful Giving for Civic Groups

Jane Addams and Andrew Carnegie espoused starkly contrasting views on philanthropy, yet their legacies are still easily visible in the non-profit sector today. The stories of Carnegie and Addams are just two possibilities out of dozens of potential readings from which Thoughtful Giving programs may choose.

An emerging body of research and practice has shown that civic groups, such as nonprofit boards, service clubs or others engaged in shared public service, can benefit from coming together to reflect on the nature of their common work. Our experience has shown that these shared readings and discussions, a practice known as Civic Reflection, has value in strengthening the organizations that take the time to do them. Participants report developing a new and deeper understanding of one another and, in many cases, a new sense of shared purpose in their civic work.

As a board member of a nonprofit organization, you are a leader in a central facet of American civic life: the diffused, vital web of associations, community projects and voluntarism that underlies our communities. On the board you have contributed your time -- and likely, money -- to a cause that you care about.

Yet for all we give to our civic activities -- our effort, our wealth, our hope -- we can sometimes find it difficult to give thoughtful attention. Seldom do we stop to reflect on what we are trying to do, or why. We concentrate on administrative efficiency, program design and planning, but we are never very successful at discussing with one another the good work we came to do in the first place.

That's where a program from the Maine Humanities Council can help. Thoughtful Giving offers boards of nonprofit organizations and other groups a chance to reflect on their work in the nonprofit sector using facilitated discussions of works of literature, history, and philosophy.

Questions of giving and serving are central to all of us in the world of charitable organizations, and their answers have broad implications for the groups with which we're involved, as well as our personal civic lives. The Council has observed that groups who explore these questions in light of the larger world of ideas begin to think, talk, and work with each other in more imaginative, effective and satisfying ways.

Many of the readings come from the anthology The Perfect Gift: The Philanthropic Imagination in Poetry and Prose (Indiana University Press, 2002) by Amy A. Kass, who teaches humanities at the University of Chicago. Her selections range from Homer and the Bible to Andrew Carnegie and Eudora Welty. They are linked by a common thread: if we are continually faced with choices about whether and what to give, which factors shape our decision?

The Maine Humanities Council is delighted to work with your group to arrange a series of readings, a format (a single session, multiple sessions over several weeks or months) and to hire a scholar-facilitator to lead the discussions.

HOW IT WORKS:

• Recruiting participants and working with MHC to determine a mutually workable schedule;
• Finding a location.

• Arrange for a facilitator and work with your group in determining the reading list;
• Provide texts for participants;
• Provide additional program support, as needed.

Cost: At this time, there is no cost to the sponsoring organization for facilitator, texts, and program support services. We have found that the program works especially well when paired with meals. While we are happy to help arrange for these, the cost of the catering cannot normally be borne by MHC.