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| | A Message from Atul Tandon |
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Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Atul Tandon exit interview |
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Q: What brought you to United Way Worldwide?
Atul: I am a builder. Over the last thirty years, I have had the opportunity to help build some of the world's finest, most effective and durable organizations - both in the East and the West and in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. The challenge of building the world's largest community impact non-profit is what brought me to United Way. United Way is unique in what it does. United Way's local model -- locally run, with local volunteers and local resources to tackle local challenges - complemented with global best practices and standards holds tremendous promise to improve local communities, and hence the world, for the better. My prayer is that you will build United Way from "good to great" as fast as you can. The world needs United Way!
Q: Why are you choosing to leave United Way?
Atul: Sometimes in our lives, a still, small voice reminds us of our primary calling. I grew up with very little in India and feel called to do all I can to see impoverished men and women experience a full life. For me, the best way to achieve that is to strive to rapidly improve the enterprises that serve them.
I am leaving United Way to launch a Seattle-based advisory Institute that will seek to maximize the impact of institutions working with the poor worldwide. My plan is to focus on a select group of global faith-based and mainstream non-profits and help them dramatically scale their beneficiary impact, donor engagement, revenues, network capacity and public trust. I also want to make investing in the poor attractive to social investors -- both Corporate and Individual - by maximizing returns on their current investments and developing new ideas. Lastly, after thirty years of building some of the world's finest organizations - Citibank, World Vision and United Way - in 100+ countries, it seems wise to contribute to thought leadership in this area and do some teaching, writing and speaking.
Q: What do you think is the one thing needed to transform the system?
Atul: An unrelenting focus on meeting the needs of our external 'customers' - the communities, the corporations, the individuals.
Q: Is there anything you would do differently?
Atul: I would take up golf to beat Tracy Nilles at her game, skiing to hang out more with Ed John, power walking to keep up with Ann Fox, write a Smartphone app that keeps track of James VanderKlok and, finally, go to bed early so I can wake up at unearthly hours for Aaron Myers's conference calls!
Q: Please give us a ten-word quote or less to describe your time with United Way Worldwide?
Atul: United Way is a movement that captures hearts and minds. In the words of the Eagles' song Hotel California, "you can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave."
Read entire interview.
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Can You Picture a Trillion Dollars in Bequests?
by Quina Page
A few times a month, I search the internet looking for articles on planned giving just to see if something interesting pops out. I came across an article about where non-profits get most of their planned giving money. It mentioned some of the statistics that you probably already know, like:
o Over three fourths of wealth in the US belongs to people over 55
o A fourth of the population holds two thirds of the wealth in the US
o One third of the wealth in the US is in the hands of 1% of the population (this angers me)
o The next third is in the hands of 9% of the population (still upset)
o The remainder are in the 90% with an average estate of about $140k (this is not cool either)
As interesting as these stats are, this really isn't what made me say, "hmmm." The article began talking about the wealth transfer and its enormity...$41 trillion plus over the next forty years. And according to a Boston College study, $6-$25 trillion might come to non-profits in the form of bequests. Yes planned giving colleagues that's a lot of cash! So I ask, can you even fathom how much a trillion dollars is? This article did a good job of putting this into perspective for me.
The author used to work in the DC area and would pass the Washington Monument each morning on the way to work and here's how she explained it.
First, start will a million dollars. A stack of $1000 bills 6 inches high is a million dollars. A stack of $1000 bills the size of the Washington Monument or about 500 feet tall is a billion dollars. A billion is a thousand million, so 1000 stacks of $1000 bills 6 inches high is a billion. Now, a trillion is one thousand billion, so 1000 stacks of $1000 bills 500 feet high or about the height of the Washington Monument.
Ok, so the Washington Monument is actually about 550 feet high but now I can actually picture what a trillion dollars looks like. Don't you like the way this author made you visualize it? I do.
With that said, what are you doing to ensure your United Way will get at least a small portion from one of these stacks?
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Ann Fox Quoted in
The Chronicle of Philanthropy | |
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RD Meet-up at the SLC
by Louise Kenny | |
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Are you going to the SLC? If so, join your Resource Development colleagues from across the country at a special RD gathering on Thursday, May 5th, 5:30- 6:30 pm at the Emerald Bay Plaza  at the Gaylord Hotel. It is located at the center of the hotel atrium straight ahead as you leave the convention center. There will be a cash bar. Please call or email me if you have questions.
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Trainings/Conferences | |
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(May 5-7, 2011) Orlando, FL
(May 17-June 28, 2011) Virtual Trainer
(May 17-19, 2011) Toledo, OH
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National Day of Action | |
June 21, 2011 |
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Click here for more info.
Register here. | |
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Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.
--Harold Kushner | |
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