In one of my previous blogs I suggested that web 2.0 technology is an effective way to engage the next generation in philanthropy. To prove this point, TweepML posted a list of 50 Young Nonprofit Influencers You Should Be Following on Twitter. Philanthropy is catching on for the next generation as young people are coming into the workforce and accumulating capital. The following are examples of how young people are engaging in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector.
Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) was established in 1997. One of the main goals of the organization is to create future nonprofit leaders by providing professional development and networking opportunities. There are currently 29 chapters in the United States including one right here in the Bay Area.
The Council on Foundations (COF) is also interested in nurturing the next generation of philanthropists. By constructing the COF Next Generation Task Force, COF aims to support the next generation of philanthropists to meet their philanthropic goals.
The Tipping Point Community was formed here in the Bay Area in 2005. It is a grantmaking organization focused on ending poverty. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, "Tipping Point gives young donors a place to make their first foray into the charity world by taking on issues of poverty and class."
Similar to The Tipping Point Community, the One Percent Foundation is a group of young professionals. Members pledge to give at least 1% of their yearly earnings to charity. One Percent Foundation recently began a San Francisco chapter. Empowering young people to become fully engaged, lifelong philanthropists is part of their mission.
A recent article in the Economist reports that children are highly impressionable when it comes to helping others. The article features the Big Give, an organization in the UK that links people with causes in order to foster philanthropic giving. Through the Big Give's Philanthropy in Schools program, the organization hopes to inspire the next generation to give.
Philanthropy is driven by the urge to help others and that urge can manifest at any age. For instance, Zachary Bonner founded the Little Red Wagon Foundation at age 6. His most recent philanthropic effort, walking across the US to raise money for homeless children, is discussed in a recent Tonic article. Bonner's philanthropic efforts are currently being turned into a Hollywood biopic.
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