What a Dollar a Day Can Do

Small money for big change! Grassroots philanthropy is possible. Back in 2007, I joined with a small group of passionate people to create NYC Venture Philanthropy Fund (VPF). We came together across job sectors, including not-for-profit, philanthropy and corporate. What brought us together was a desire to do giving differently by funding small/emerging not-for-profits led by social entrepreneurs. Our goal was to provide the three 'C's': cash for general operating support, capacity building, or technical assistance support, and connections , contacts that would be helpful for the organization and its growth.

As a virtual organization, we recruited members through events, personal meetings, Facebook and Twitter, and we pooled our money as a giving circle to create our donor advised fund so people's membership donation would be a charitable tax deduction. Before starting VPF, I had always thought that donor advised funds were for people with lots of money (i.e., not me). But even I, as well as our other members could swing a donation of $365, or $1/day.

Luckily for us, we found that North Star Fund has donor advised funds.  A grassroots philanthropist's dream come true, North Star requires only $1,000 to start the fund and no minimum balance in the fund from year-to-year because North Star's priority is to give away the money to community organizations that can use it. It was a great match for us, because VPF invests in small, grassroots organization with the belief that making investments in smaller and less established organizations is key part of creating social change.

In fact, there was such synergy that our membership this year unanimously chose the Brooklyn Young Mother's Collective--a North Star Fund grantee.  With North Star's quick response to our membership's vote, we were able to present Executive Director Benita Miller with both the symbolic and the actual check at our awards celebration!  Together, we can be changemakers!