What If Grants Were Given for Social Change Ideas?

The time has come. The Jeff Skolls, Larry Brilliants and Melinda and Bill Gates of the social entrepreneur movement feel they’ve reached the tipping point. Sidestepping traditional charity, business or government “models” they’ve crafted systems for doing good that are data-driven and replicable – so they can scale, to use the geek term for “keep growing.” Now they are determined to re-write Uncle Sam’s role and think Americans are ready for change. They formed an alliance, dubbed it America Forward and went to Washington, to ask for fresh, more accountable social and education programs.As New York Times columnist, David Brooks describes it, “to expand national service (to produce more social entrepreneurs) and to create a network of semipublic social investment funds. These funds would be administered locally to invest in community-run programs that produce proven results. The government would not operate these social welfare programs, but it would, in essence, create a network of semipublic Gates Foundations that would pick winners based on stiff competition.” As Bill Drayton famously said, “Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish, or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry. By now we know that money alone doesn’t lead to fundamental social change. I especially like their underlying approach of offering incentives for proposing new approaches and for meeting goals. For example, former advisor to Reagan and Clinton, David Gergen suggested a grant system for social change ideas. What do you think? Is this a SmartPartnership for the federal government, local not-for-profits, social entrepreneurial agencies and American citizens who may to start or work in such organizations? Is it a smarter way to invest our government and “charity” funds? Or will such an alliance get bogged down by government bureaucracy? Brooks seems more hopeful than not.Americans have been creating fresh ways to do good, without government involvement.Like to repair a vandalized public garden in your neighborhood? Want to reduce trans fats from Doritos? Yes, you are a caring citizen, an ardent backer of certain causes. But you are tired of wasting your time and donations on campaigns that die for lack of sufficient backing. They don’t reach the tipping point to succeed. That’s literally “The Point” of a website that officially launched yesterday. On this social media site, you can pledge to take a specific action (donate, boycott, volunteer, etc) for a particular cause, project or campaign. The twist? You take that action only when you are notified that enough people have offered to do the same thing. The founders hope that The Point becomes, “a community where people can come together to solve the problems that are too big or time-consuming to solve alone.” As such, you can create a campaign for which you seek others’ support too. As you attract a crowd to your cause, you’ll draw more interest and momentum may build – and reach the critical mass for those who’ve pledge to take action. Now this could get heated (and educational) because you can launch a counter-campaign on the site too. Also, this approach can help overcome the phenomena called “Prisoner’s Dilemma. That’s where, for example, football players would not wear safety helmets for fear of appearing cowardly until helmets were mandated. Then all players were safer as they were all required to wear helmets. Similarly, The Point enables individuals to act anonymously on behalf of the greater interest of the group by making their support anonymous until the tipping point (the pre-set “target”) of like-minded people is reached on the cause. Only then are the names of anonymous supporters announced. A side benefit of The Point may be in finding the collective wisdom to turn to one another and becoming more connected Here in California the recent rash of fires provided a fresh window in ways people connect quickly online to help out. See more here:<a href="http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2008/03/21/what-if-grants-were-given-for-social-change-ideas/#more-561">http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2008/03/21/what-if-grants-were-given-for-social-change-ideas/#more-561</a><a href="http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2007/11/13/fresh-way-to-attract-support-for-a-cause-or-project/">http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2007/11/13/fresh-way-to-attract-support-for-a-cause-or-project/</a> 2008-03-22T01:46:08Z