Live from the Slate 60 at Clinton Library

For the past ten years, the daily, web-based newsmagazine, Slate,  has published the list of top givers called the Slate 60.  Last night marked the Slate 60 Dinner for the Slate 60 Conference and Philanthropy Series at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum.   Our own Carla Dearing sent this e-mail from the conference where she is in attendance: 

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg personifies multi-sectoralism, the newest trend in philanthropy.  In last night's speech, he wove example after example of how he has used his own and others' private philanthropy and business partnerships to supplement efforts being pursued by local government.   He listed five things that private philanthropy can provide for social change that government cannot:

1.  Innovation -- Innovate more effectively because it has the flexibility to try things that are unproven and government does not. 

2. Public interest over political correctness -- Do things that may be avoided for political reasons by government.

3.  Money - Supplement resources that have been cut or eliminated in government budgets.

4. Outlet for Donor passion - Provide an avenue for individual donor passions, particularly powerful for supporting areas that may be less well known.

5.  Encouragement for "next gen" givers -  teach and  model the tradition of giving and engage the next generation to begin its own efforts

As part of conference coverage, Slate is producing "must-read" perpectives on philanthropy this week including responses from a number of notables (Alan Dershowitz, Jane Smiley, Nora Ephron) to the question: If you had a million dollars to give, who would get it?

Carla E. Dearing