How Has Philanthropy Changed Over the Years?

carl-turnley-charity2During the last decade we have witnessed the beginning of a financial crisis occurring around the world as well as a recession that seems to be impending. This has started to cause a major drop in resources that could be available for both grant makers and grant seekers. Within these ten years we saw the first-ever smartphone appear and changed the way we seek information, communicate, and how we would eventually use it to give to others in need.

Ever since, it seems like technology has grown past what was originally thought of it, causing many impacts on charities and their administration, as well as their ability to fundraise one day and then create grants another day. With many natural disasters occurring and not to mention the economic, political, and social turmoil, there have also been big changes in communities and the way they organize and how donors now respond to the many needs. This is giving new light on the way giving and support occurs.

An Impactful Focus

Many grant makers have turned their focus toward an approach that is more strategic for their giving causes and guided by the effect that their impact will have on the support they give. With a high desire to have grant seekers set goals to achieve and present various programs but to also dedicate any resources to have programs evaluated so that results can be justified for continual investments.

Grant seekers have now begun to grow worried because of this and have expressed that they are no longer able to report on just the amount served but also what life changes occur because of it. This requires an increase in staff, resources, time, support, and expertise.

Relationships Changing

Generally speaking, the atmosphere between grant seekers and grant makers seem collaborative. This made it seem like the relationship was more personal and less formal which the grant makers and grant seekers appreciated more. This type of communication is welcomed by grant makers and they hope that it causes other relationships to be open so that a common goal can be easily achieved.

How Technology Has Played a Role

Both information sharing and education have a high ranking among issues that grant seekers and grant makers wish that will be improved by technology. Besides these, many online applications for grants, management systems, and grant reports and forms have minimal errors, have been time-saving, made communication easier, and have ensured that relationship quality is enriched.

 

Millennial Impact on Philanthropy

carl-turnley-charityStereotypes about millennials paint an entire generation as entitled and afraid of hard work, which may cause organizations to shy away from campaigning for donations from these young adults. However, it would be a mistake for companies to ignore this untapped market.

Despite the argument that the world left to millennials by previous generations is one that is economically unfair, millennials are still a generous generation. Millennials, born from approximately 1980 to 2000, will soon make the largest part of the American workforce, which will expand their buying power, and their philanthropic efforts don’t fall far behind. One survey found that 84% of this group has donated financially while 70% of millennials had given at least an hour to a charitable cause in 2014.

Baby Boomers and Generation X still donate more money per year than millennials donate, $732 and $1,212, respectively, compared to $481; however, the younger generation still manages to donate an impressive amount of money compared to their college debt and when considering the fact that fewer members of this group have achieved enough financial security to own a home and car. This fact stands in opposition to the idea that millennials are an entitled lot. Organizations that rely on donations, whether monetary or voluntary, would be remiss to overlook the time and money that millennials are so willing to offer despite the obstacles in their way.

However, companies must understand what motivates millennials to be generous. For starters, they prefer to hear a story rather than just the facts. Where millennials may not be able to donate money, they can offer their time, and organizations can take advantage of this by pressing the urgency of moving now. Finally, it’s important that messaging is simple. Millennials receive thousands of messages every day, and overcomplicating things will cause information to become lost in the fray.

As mobile banking and technology has changed the face of philanthropy, millennials have increased their donations. And as Baby Boomers leave the workforce and millennials find more stability and increased wages, their ability to continue to donate their time and money will only increase. Organizations that understand this potential can take advantage of it now and continue to build loyalty with philanthropists in the future.

Charity Trends: 2019

Charity is one of the transformative movements in our society today that helps make a huge impact people who are less advantaged. Philanthropists contribute heavily to facilitating the success of charity organizations and projects in general. Over the years, there has been a significant transformation in the manner in which charity organizations operate. This transformation is highly likely to shape the future of the entire charity industry in various ways henceforth. Here are certain trends that are highly expected to dominate the charity industry this year.

Increased giving

As the number of social causes for charity increase, so are the numbers of people willing to freely give to charity. The increased advocacy and appeal for help to eradicate social-economic challenges in the society are highly likely going to cause a major boost in the flow of funds towards charity. Statistics indicate, for instance, that there has been a 56% increase in charity donations between the year 2014 and 2017. In 2019, the increase is expected to be exponential.

Digitization of charity operations

With the digital age taking over most processes to facilitate efficiency in organizational processes in many workplaces, the charity institution at large is expected to be no exception. To say the least, operations in charity organizations are going to be digitized by the introduction of computers and the internet of things to enable the sharing of information.

The digitization of charity will enable virtually all charity operations to be conducted in a digital platform to enhance data sharing between the organizations and the well-wishers. The digital impact is also highly likely to impact the way people give. The introduction of fintech through mobile wallets is expected to cause more people to give more towards charity.

Boosted transparency

Charity organizations are anticipated to become more transparent, especially when it comes to investment and utilization. The transparency will become a key determinant in helping attract more philanthropists to channel their contributions to the organizations. In addition, donors will also increase their voice towards calling for transparency and accountability, especially when it comes to visualizing how their funds are being utilized. In that regard, a major trend is arising where charity organizations establish networks with their donors where any project undertaken gains support from donors.

Five Telecommunications Trends to Watch For

carl-turnley-telecom

With the rapid emergence of cloud technology taking the technology sector by storm in recent years, the telecommunications sector has adapted to this revolutionary way of storing, processing, and utilizing data. As a result, the biggest telecommunications trends of the year use cloud applications in a myriad of ways. Here a few of the most promising trends to come out of the telecommunications industry in the year 2018 and what consumers should expect to see more of in 2019:

5G NETWORKS: Although this upgraded network is not expected to be in wide use until the year 2020, telecommunications developers are already working hard to stimulate its growth. With lab testing and field work underway, the technology promises to deliver faster speeds as providers work to stay competitive in the crowded industry. A faster and more powerful internet infrastructure is a boon for everyone.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS: As the demand for unique content continues to escalate, telecommunications providers are recognizing the need to partner with media companies in a joint effort to work together to better serve customers. By merging with existing media industries, the telecommunication companies can expand their reach without having to add to their existing workforce.

INCREASING SECURITY: Because of the host of services that need protection, the use of more advanced security applications in the telecommunications industry has powered a surge of new innovation. As consumers demand more reliable security measures, more and more smartphones are becoming outfitted with biometric fingerprint readers. Rapidly emerging technology will also make the use of facial and retinal recognition more mainstream.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: As the latest buzzword to hit the technology industry, Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to deliver the latest in unique capabilities to smartphones across the globe. By harnessing this innovative AI technology, telecommunication providers can give smartphone users the ability to use voice recognition, augmented reality applications, indoor navigation services, and much more.

INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT): This revolutionary technology will continue to provide telecommunication providers with more opportunities to harness the power of the internet to propel their business forward into the future. Although it brings about a host of challenges, the IoT technology can be used to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency while also enabling greater security.