What's it for? (why did Robin give?)

I’ve been sitting with, mulling over, and can’t get the empathy exercise out of my mind.

This week I focussed on Robin. A donor who did give last year. An incredible amount - took me by total surprise. Why? What was the role Acts was playing for her? She donated $10, 000. A huge amount for a young person (for any person, let us be clear). That money could have gone to anyone, for anything (or stayed with her). What was the gift for?

This past week, I’ve been obsessing on that topic (shout out to some great coaches, peers and books). For anything we do, any project we undertake, I need to get better at starting with: what is it for?

Acts for Water could be for a lot of things. Depending on whose asking and how deep you want to go.

What about you? What are the charities you give to for? For you. What role do they play? There are a billion causes out there, but you’ve chosen them. Why? (or why none of them?)

I began thinking it was a fairly simple part of the larger exercise. Initially I was disappointed with the assignment. I was wrong.

I started brain writing. Just get ideas out on paper - good bad or indifferent. At first they were fairly surface; Acts for Water is for providing clean, fresh water to those who desperately need it. Right champ, I can read your (slick new) website. 

I glossed over Simon Sinek’s Why video at the start of the assignment. Why? because it’s been over referenced and under implemented. Like the Brene Brown of 10 years ago, just a bit lower tech. But a classmate challenged me so I rewatched it. At minute 11:03 it got more interesting. I’d seen it before but something became fresh. The law of the diffusion of innovation. I connect with a few “naturally” but why not more? 

What is it for? What is Acts for Water for? Who are we designing it for? 

Another classmate from Tokyo just last night after seeing something else I posted challenged me to consider the empathy I had shown towards those donors, and to “make a bet” as to which ones I could design something for that would connect in a bigger way - with me - and with them. To grow the circle by one more ripple. There’s a thought. Shoot. There's such power in putting this stuff out there. All of us are smarter than any of us eh.

In the interest of vulnerability and transparency I’ll post my brain writing below. I'm curious if it sparks something in you? I asked Robin (name changed) why she gave and she offered a few answers. I hypothesized about the rest so don't take this as literal. It’s a work in progress, unedited, unfiltered. I hope if anything it just inspires you to deeply consider what is the work you are doing for. 

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It’s to remind Robin that while there are many complicated big (and worthy) problems out there, providing clean, fresh water is one she believes we can solve: together. Acts for Water is for giving people the opportunity to choose to help girls like Monica walk to school for the first time in her life today. It stands as a symbol, an important symbol that there is more to life than earning money and spending it on ourselves and our family (both of which are good things!) - it’s almost the ultimate anti capitalism. Robin gets no direct benefit. She does however get a feeling. A feeling of having done something truly great. A feeling of mattering to someone of making a difference, of reminding her that her money, her time and her treasure can have a profound impact on someone’s life - half way around the world. It's for looking outside of her neighbourhood. It's for trusting a friend who she believes will spend it with integrity.

What it’s for is to give Robin a moment when she feels like their $2 in Vancouver literally cannot buy her a sh___ cup of coffee can factually buy a child clean, fresh water for a year - it’s for the sense of empowerment. What it’s for is the chance to connect with others who also believe like she does that the choices she makes (or doesn’t make) here matter. That she can give out of a place of abundance and that generosity can have a real impact. 

For me (Jeff), it’s a shot at something that matters that’s just a bit uncomfortable, a bit unwieldy, a bit bigger than I know what to do with. It’s the chance to build the sandbox. To be a part of setting up something for the next 50 years. To do a bit of on earth as it is in heaven. To get a bit more specific: what it’s for is to stand in the face of amateur charity: of charities who don’t see themselves as professionals. Who do not have monitoring & evaluation programs for their work overseas (or here), who do not invest in staff development. Who think they can do all things (and have massive program creep), start all programs. Who think that taps turning on and anecdotal updates are enough. Who don’t see governance as a core part of their mandate. Back home, to help try shift the power dynamic a bit (just a bit baby, just a bit) from donors as wallets and charities as buckets with holes in them, to partners - walking together No bullshit, no games. No false urgency. To do fundraising in a way that is relational, truthful, and community centred. What it’s for is to serve as a model. To help change the sector from inside out. To step into the game rather than to comment on it from the outside. What it’s for is to band together with other smart, strategic leaders and work together in a way that is holistic, generous and wise. What it’s for is to bring people: anyone who wants to run with us, alongside for a ride so that together, entire communities may be transformed because of something so simple but so profound as clean, fresh water. That is what it’s for. 

Big shoutout to the altMBA coaches, peers and Seth Godin for the support!