By: Jonathan Permetti, 2017
In the midst of the fifth week of our class, we have become fully immersed in the philanthropic process. Having completed roughly half of the 12 calls with various organizations, we now understand the often busy and complex nature of the field. While it is an incredibly rewarding experience, coordinating and managing the different elements of the initial vetting process has proven to be a challenge due to the vast differences in each group, as well as the incredible spirit we have seen in every organization thus far.
What has been most striking about this week is the tremendous passion evident in every representative we’ve had the chance to converse with. While it was obvious for us to assume a certain level of charity in each organization, the actual introduction to true, powerful sincerity towards the serving of others has blown us away. The level of sacrifice and commitment to providing much-needed solutions to pressing issues in the community has been both inspiring and humbling. In one instance, the president of a certain non-profit stated that her organization has garnered 8,000 volunteers over the last year. When asked how many staff she had, she replied with, “It’s just me for now.” As in this example, these individuals have demonstrated enormous effort toward building up the lives of others, and in multiple cases dedicated their careers to the fulfillment of such an objective.
While every organization’s passion has served as a motivator for our class’s endeavor, it also makes it that much more difficult to narrow the list. Many of the different organizations target radically different sectors, all of which need attention. After viewing the strong focus and involvement present in each non-profit, it is a challenge to determine how we measure whether one group is more deserving of a grant than another. To combat such an issue, we have continually referred back to our mission statement and its criteria for guidance. As such, we have focused much of our analysis on the level in which an organization a. provides an innovative solution to a problem of high priority b. whether the founders and leadership are truly invested in the success of the project c. and lastly the mentality of the organization towards the people it serves. Are they immersing themselves in the lives of the people and truly trying to understand their pain? Ultimately, asking these and similar questions has aided us in providing criteria in which to determine what organizations align most highly with the values established in our mission statement.
I believe the greatest aspect of this week has been the experience of applying the philosophy we’ve discussed in class to real-life situations. Although theoretical discussion and study is an essential and formative part of the philanthropic process, the immersion in the day-to-day joys and challenges of charitable giving has begun to cement these principles in our heads. It can be easy to view this type of work from a textbook black and white perspective. After a brief introduction into the realities of this world, we now understand that it is in fact very complex but also incredibly exciting and gratifying. The exposure we have received thus far has brought to the life the values behind our mission, granting us new insight and a clearer perspective.
About the Author: Jonathan Permetti is junior Business Fellow from Friendswood, Texas majoring in Entrepreneurship and Real Estate. Possessing a strong passion for startups, he hopes to pursue a career revolving around the formation of innovative companies that promote the welfare of society. Jonathan is also an active member of the Baylor Student Government and Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity.