Giving.

Big news in the Bay Area today!  The headlines are abuzz about the $120 million dollar commitment to education in our area by a local philanthropist.  Even though I work in this world, I'm quite surprised by the negative commentary all over the internet, ripe with judgement about where and how the money is intended to be spent and critical of how money on a past project was spent.  I, myself, have been quite excited about this announcement, especially given that I live in the middle of the area we're talking about.  Do I have professional concerns about what that kind of money can do to a community?  Yes.  But do I think it's not worth trying to make a difference?  No!

I have an awesome job.  I think of my work like being a financial advisor – only I get to help people give money away to charities.  It really is the best kind of job, but often people ask me (somewhat jokingly) how they can get on my list!  The truth is, I often have zero say over where a client decides to give.  As long as the law allows it, I can seldom stand in the way of a contribution.  Sometimes I do have doubts.  Maybe I feel there is a more qualified charity doing better work, or maybe the organization has a mission I don’t personally believe in.  Worse yet, maybe it’s an organization I feel is promoting what I view as oppression or bigotry.  Or maybe I have concerns about the style of funding or potential outcomes.

This got me thinking about a class I took in college.  It was your basic sociology 101 but we spent a good amount of time talking about cultural norms in various communities.  The professor posed a question to the class about whether or not we thought it acceptable for a person on welfare to use the money (in part or in whole) to purchase an Escalade.  Most people felt, and my initial reaction, was that it was absolutely not OK!  “How dare they,” we all said!  But the professor persevered until he had swayed at least me that it’s not my place to judge.  You either buy into the concept of welfare or not, he said, and then you must trust the recipient to use the money as they see fit.

I share that story because it’s quite similar to how I feel about my clients.  It’s their choice to give money to charity, and it’s not my place to judge how or to whom they give.  Recently, a client asked me to help with a grant to an international organization that gives cash grants in extremely poor countries.  The organization has no reasonable way of tracking the cash once it’s been distributed, but they fall back on studies that say that people – poor or not – will generally always use money to sustain themselves.  Some of my colleagues had very strong opinions about the legitimacy of this organization and at first I did, too.  But then I thought of the Escalade and my reaction softened.  In a sense, I feel the same way about this announcement. The community isn't due this money - not under our current social contract where money equals power.  It's a gift from the philanthropist, and I hope he'll heed the advice of seasoned professionals and experts, but either way it's his to give.

Is it really my place to judge?  Or is it simply my calling to facilitate?