UnCharitable - It's time...

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to see the new documentary based on Dan Pallotta's book and talks, #UnCharitable. I have to say, I am still lit up about the "state of the nation" as it relates to #philanthropy and the #nonprofit sector, but not just about what the film shares, but what it also misses, too.

First, let me say that it is by far the strongest case that has been made to start looking at the sector differently. He talks about the 5 Challenges that the sector faces that the private sector does not, from the idea professionals should not be properly compensated to the notion that overhead is evil, that marketing is a no-no or that playing the long game is akin to gross misconduct.

But it must be said - the book was released more than a decade ago, and in the grand scheme of things, NOTHING has changed.

Nonprofit professionals are still working insane hours for salaries that actually make of them potential beneficiaries of the sector, either now or down the road.

The % of each dollar that goes direct to programs and beneficiaries is still a, if not THE, primary benchmark that donors and ratings organizations use to measure "success". And most donors want exactly $0 of their donation to go to salaries, or office space, or any kind of admin.

Robust marketing dollars to spread the word about the challenges a nonprofit spends are slammed by donors, while at the same time "recycling" old ads to save on spending is viewed as exploitive of the campaign (literally saw this multiple times while working on refugee issues).

And on and on...

But the film also falls short. Time and again, you can sense an opportunity to take a real swing at those who would oppose freeing the nonprofit sector to affect real change, only to have it fall flat.

No big corporation is directly challenged.

No high-net-worth-individual, or their foundation, is called out (Elon Musk, I am looking at you and your reneged commitment to end hunger).

No "alternative" approach to impact (read: corporate social responsibility) is criticized.

And while the organizations who faced versions of the 5 challenges with serious consequences were all eventually "exonerated" at end of the film to show they had been found to do nothing wrong, there is no clear celebration or even example of what it means to take the system on, fallout be damned. A few, we sense, are close, but... do none actually exist? If there are none, take us through a fantasy world of what one would look like!

It also completes avoids the notion that the "nonprofit" sector has a terrible PR firm, that the very name of the sector makes many think "lost cause", or "unsuccessful" or "utopia"... I know I have always longed for a better name...

Not only that, but the film is playing in theatres as a first go, and while this was a wonderful experience, the room was also filled with people who make up the proverbial "choir" - meaning, nonprofit professionals who, if they do not already know much of what is being shared, are living the consequences.

No random private corp executive or policymaker is going to find himself "streaming" through the street and just walk in to watch it, but if it was streaming on a major platform, well...

This film needs to be shown in corporate offices. Government buildings. WEF summits, DAVOS, and more.

It needs to mandatory watching in schools.

Look, I love the work that Dan and his team are doing. I want more and more people to get exposed to it.

But the time for complacency is passed. He has built a huge following, people will listen. But the time for strong yet gentle language is behind us. We simply do not have time on so many of these challenges.

AND, he cannot do it alone.

I am not sure, yet, how this will be expressed through me and my work.

But if you know me at all, you know I will spend plenty of time ruminating, and when the moment is right.. I am not one to pull punches or be gentle...

If you're a CEO, one who seeks to make a REAL difference, don't wait till people like me come knocking.

Start working on REAL impact today.

Not sure how? Reach out, we have plenty of ideas!