Why I Give Local

A few years ago, as the holidays approached and me and my fellow nonprofit-based family members all got on our Giving Tuesday bandwagons, a conversation started to emerge about how we each share our money. A generational divide began to show - a bit of the old guard versus the young radicals (note: the “youngest” here is 30). The older generation gave to known, trusted institutions - the World Wildlife Fund, the ACLU, WNYC. My generation gave to grassroots organizations. And on this Giving Tuesday 2019, I encourage you to get on my level.

Marisa FalconDecember 3, 2019Giving Tuesday, philanthropy, nonprofits, end of the year giving

Why Now Is Not The Time For Strategic Planning

As some of you may know, I am trying to launch a new organization - a sort of nonprofit/consultancy hybrid to help independent abortion clinics. In trying to get off the ground I keep on running into a common refrain from both funders and fiscal sponsors: “We’re in strategic planning right now so we are not taking any new applicants.”

I understand the impulse, truly I do. I love a vision & a plan. There are a lot of competing priorities right now and everyone wants to be stewarding funds and programs as best as they possibly can. We want alignment and maximization of impact and all of it. Funders want to know where their money is going and why.

But here’s the thing: there’s no time. What there is: money in reserve.

Marisa FalconOctober 1, 2019philanthropy, strategic planning, nonprofits, foundations

My Own Private Stockholm Syndrome

A couple of things have happened in the last few weeks: I started working for a startup (which accounts for the delay in this post, apologies); someone suggested that a nonprofit I was considering launching be run as a for-profit consultancy.

Both of these things have thrown me through a loop. (Though? For? Who’s to say.) Both have pushed me to rethink the last six months of my life and what it is that I find valuable in work. That’s been difficult for a number of reasons, but there’s one that underlays much of it: Nonprofit Stockholm Syndrome.

Marisa FalconJune 7, 2019Stockholm Syndrome, burnout, nonprofits, consulting

Misogyny & How It Affects Nonprofit Salaries

I’ve been reading Winners Take All, the thought-provoking, occasionally maddening book by Anand Giridharadas about how the solutions to income inequality/racism/sexism/all the other -isms, have become dictated by wealthy people who earned their inordinate amount of money by building businesses that are deeply entrenched in all the systems that subvert the people that the wealthy people have now decided to help. I have a lot of thoughts about this book but for now I’m going to focus on one throwaway line about how, instead of fighting to change systems that reduce systemic oppression of people, people argue that people in the nonprofit world should be paid better to retain/attract well educated and/or experienced leaders.

Marisa FalconMay 28, 2019nonprofits, nonprofit management, philanthropy, fundraising, wealth gap, sexism, racism

It's My Birthday So I'm Going To Talk About One of My Favorite Things: Women Leaders

If there is one thing the nonprofit world is good at (besides, you know, providing the services the government will not) it’s amassing amazing women. As with everything else, this is in part because the patriarchy and the fact that the caring for the sick, elderly, impoverished and underserved is generally seen as “women’s work” and we can also go into a rant about why that’s part of the reason that the work is underpaid but we’re going to put that all aside for now because, again, it’s my birthday and I just want to talk about things I love.

Marisa FalconApril 16, 2019birthday, female leadership, women in power, nonprofits, philadelphia, women's way

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