INDIE PHILANTHROPY: STORIES FROM THE FIELD OF REIMAGINED FUNDING EPIP Webinar March 30, 2016 EPIP Host: Biz Ghormley Presenters: Arianne Shaffer, Sadaf Cameron, Alissa Hauser

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Speakers Arianne Shaffer, Indie Philanthropy Initiative Sadaf Cameron, The Kindle Project Alissa Hauser, The Pollination Project

Indie Philanthropy: Stories from the Field of Reimagined Funding

EPIP Webinar March 30, 2016 EPIP Host: Biz Ghormley Presenters: Arianne Shaffer, Indie Philanthropy Initiative Alissa Hauser, The Pollination Project Sadaf Cameron, Kindle Project

Webinar Outline

•  What is Indie Philanthropy? •  Why is it Important? •  Mapping the Landscape •  Examples of Indie Philanthropy in action

with Alissa Hauser speaking to Flow Funding and Sadaf Cameron speaking about Funding Start-Ups

•  Q & A

Indie Philanthropy is…

adding diversity and creativity to the field

moving capital creatively for solutions

a creative and positive disruption to the status quo

a common name for a range of alternatives  

What defines Indie Philanthropy?

WHAT gets funded

WHO makes decisions

HOW funding is done

• Innovative and experimental • Takes risks • Welcomes “failure” • Deeply collaborative • Committed to inner work • Directs funding to root causes, not just symptoms • Leverages all resources

Qualities of an Indie Philanthropist  

Local and global challenges – need bold solutions

Why is Indie Philanthropy important?

Traditional philanthropy often falls short – mobilizing only a fraction of world’s creative talent

Need to break open funding space, giving power and voice to wider array of change-makers

Equalizing power

Indie Philanthropy often includes: •  Radical change and uncertainty

•  Innovation and risk

•  Long-range view

•  Holistic approach recognizing interplay of multiple organizations and strategies

Traditional philanthropy often requires: •  A high degree of certainty

•  A low degree of risk

•  Short-term measurables

•  Rigorous metrics to “prove” very specific things

Community-Based Decision-Making Flow Funding Funding Individuals

Funding Start-Ups Giving Circles Micro Granting

Partnerships Spending Down Indie Investing

Indie Philanthropy Methods

Let’s hear from you!

Alissa Hauser Executive Director

The Pollination Project

Flow Funding      

When a funder entrusts money to an individuals or organization to distribute.

           

•  Creates meaning with small amounts of money

•  It is proactive vs. reactive

•  Builds trust, relationship & community

•  Reduces paperwork & administration

•  Democratizes giving

Benefits of Flow Funding

•  Sometimes flow funders make grants you wouldn’t have.

•  Accountability is two steps removed.

•  Requires you know the right people to become flow funders.

•  Letting go of control is hard.

Pitfalls Flow Funding

•  Pilot & Experimentation – start small!

•  Identify creative conditions

•  Give via those you trust most

•  Gather stories

Getting Started with Flow Funding

“If  I  could  wave  a  magic  wand  I  would  ask  that  all  people  on  this  earth  will  one  day  see  themselves  as  philanthropists.  If  we  can  have  more  trust  and  keep  the  money  flowing  and  spreading  out,  then  it  will  find  its  way  to  where  it  is  needed.”                        –  Marion  Weber  

Sadaf Cameron Director

Kindle Project

Funding Start-Ups

Seeds dreams, emergent ideas and new projects and organizations

Dynasty Handbag

Center for Post-Natural History

Skateistan

Dirty Wars

•  Redefine risk as opportunity.

•  Ask grantees to define what success looks like for them.

•  Allow space for work to change and grow.

•  Openness and flexibility around metrics and impact.

Getting Started with Funding Start-Ups

How to get involved?

Visit us indiephilanthropy.org

Share your resources with us and we’ll post them

Get in touch with us with ideas and suggestions!

arianne@indiephilanthropy.org

@IndieFunder     Facebook.com/IndiePhilanthropyIni:a:ve  

www.epip.org www.indiephilanthropy.org

www.kindleproject.org www.thepollinationproject.org

Arianne Shaffer:

arianne@kindleproject.org