(REVIEW) Lisa Greer and Larissa Kostoff — Philanthropy Revolution (BOOK)
Lisa Greer and Larissa Kostoff’s new book is Philanthropy Revolution: How to Inspire Donors, Build Relationships, and Make a Difference. While the title itself is decidedly neutral and left-brain, the urgency of the book’s atmosphere and tonal qualities certainly is not. Greer and Kostoff never come across themselves as condemning, but the information they provide necessitating an evolution of the modern-day philanthropic model certainly could come across as such.
The sheen of entertainment value in different fundraising events seems to have overtaken the traditionalist modesty that any true advocate of philanthropic endeavors all but is supposed to guarantee appearance-wise. Greer and Kostoff argue that a restructuring being in order isn’t just something needed to actually deliver upon an organization’s specified goals, but in the face of the current societal upheaval courtesy of the pandemic is semi-mandated for the profession at large. “I’m not advocating for the sort of change whose big goal is to make givers happy. This is about the charitable funding of worthy causes. With breakdowns in communication and trust, such as the ones I’ve described, the entire sector is in trouble,” Greer and Kostoff write. They proceed to elaborate on this: “In the process, I hope to convince you that for every disappointing interaction in fundraising, there exists a meaningful alternative that has a bit of a snowball effect: it increases our chances of delivering measurable impact. Not only do I believe this with head and heart, I’ve witnessed it firsthand. And I’ve talked with so many funders and fundraisers whose positive stories are proof.”
There is something of a narrative bait-and-switch sub-tonally in how Greer and Kostoff approach presenting the book’s material. On the one hand, there’s a certain take-no-prisoners matter-of-factness with which they present the statistically-backed information, but on the other hand they’re always willing to counter any especially dark passages with positive footnotes. These never come at the cost of not being statistic and factually-backed themselves, but it’s an effective technique that never makes the reader assume a more passive disposition to feeling engaged.
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Philanthropy-Revolution-Inspire-Relationships-Difference/dp/0008381585
There’s a get up-and-go attitude even when it’s clear Greer and Kostoff are diplomatically bemoaning the more negative attributes of the philanthropic organizational model stubbornly remaining in place for years. “Gratitude is a gift. It’s one of the ‘offerings’ that nonprofits are able to give donors, and that’s why it’s so terribly important,” the duo writes. “As (Larry C. Johnson)…says, ‘Fundraising isn’t really about money. Yes, money’s involved. But it’s really about relationships and fulfilled values and dreams.’ If we embrace this idea — and it’s definitely true for me — then it’s sort of impossible to imagine a scenario in this sector where we either don’t give thanks, or we use our thanks to manipulate donors into giving even more.”
It’s through the introduction of these more altruistic, less data-heavy elements Greer and Kostoff really drive the ultimate nature of their points home. There really is something empowering and fire-inducing about reading an advocacy tome that isn’t interested in wallowing in condemnation or shame. There’s an appropriate humility stirred within the reader’s consciousness when reading the duo’s all-too-deliberate word choices, but you’re never reduced to not being in the driver’s seat. It’s on you, Greer and Kostoff argue, to make that difference in someone else’s life.
Colin Jordan
