I have been involved for a while now in a local chapter of a national climate organization where the small, national paid staff have a rather light hand in how things run, and the bottom-up leadership and work is inspiring. I have been getting more interested in how our democracy works (or doesn't) and joined seemingly promising organizations started by people I admire in some way, only to find those organizations are top-down fundraising outfits who want my money more than my engagement.
Also, really appreciate you sharing the line "How do we equip people to become the kind of people who do what needs to be done?" As a deep reader of the Tao Te Ching, this resonated with me.
Thanks Alex for reading and sharing your experience. Your feeling of (in the one group) being more someone who is being managed on a fundraising list instead of being a bona fide member joining forces with others has alas become an all too common occurrence in recent decades (one that Theda Skocpol traces in her book "Diminished Democracy" I am glad you found a better situation with the local chapter of the national climate organization.
And I work in the fundraising profession! I appreciate the hustle! But when it feels like your organization only fundraises... well, it begs the question of what is all the fundraising for. I donate a decent amount of money to the climate org I volunteer with because I see the training videos, use the policy one-pagers, interact with the great staff, etc. I know *exactly* what the fundraising is for (and they don't do too much of it).
Thank you, Dan. We may not live to see the results of the kinds of efforts you describe so well here, but we can work for a better world for the generations to come.
Many great things here, thank you for writing!
I have been involved for a while now in a local chapter of a national climate organization where the small, national paid staff have a rather light hand in how things run, and the bottom-up leadership and work is inspiring. I have been getting more interested in how our democracy works (or doesn't) and joined seemingly promising organizations started by people I admire in some way, only to find those organizations are top-down fundraising outfits who want my money more than my engagement.
Also, really appreciate you sharing the line "How do we equip people to become the kind of people who do what needs to be done?" As a deep reader of the Tao Te Ching, this resonated with me.
Thanks Alex for reading and sharing your experience. Your feeling of (in the one group) being more someone who is being managed on a fundraising list instead of being a bona fide member joining forces with others has alas become an all too common occurrence in recent decades (one that Theda Skocpol traces in her book "Diminished Democracy" I am glad you found a better situation with the local chapter of the national climate organization.
And I work in the fundraising profession! I appreciate the hustle! But when it feels like your organization only fundraises... well, it begs the question of what is all the fundraising for. I donate a decent amount of money to the climate org I volunteer with because I see the training videos, use the policy one-pagers, interact with the great staff, etc. I know *exactly* what the fundraising is for (and they don't do too much of it).
Thank you, Dan. We may not live to see the results of the kinds of efforts you describe so well here, but we can work for a better world for the generations to come.