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Boston University Philanthropic Capstone Project

Boston University -- School of Management, Boston, MA

Boston University shares the vision of the Inspiring Philanthropy's Future project in partnership with Campus Compact and the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund to educate today's students on the role of philanthropy in society. Boston University's School of Management is eager to create an alliance with Campus Compact and the Fidelity Gift Fund to establish a $15,000 donor-advised fund program which would serve as a basis for students to gain real world experience in the philanthropic process. In addition, we respectfully request $2,500 to cover the administrative costs of running this program.

The Philanthropy Capstone Project will provide 24 undergraduate students from across the University with the opportunity to gain knowledge of both the grant-making and fundraising dimensions of philanthropy. An additional 50 undergraduate students involved through the BU Community Service Center will have the opportunity to sustain the Fund on an ongoing basis through the establishment of a "giving circle."

The Philanthropy Capstone Project incorporates the goals of Inspiring Philanthropy's Future into a spring 2008 undergraduate course offering within the BU School of Management. This activity is coupled with the resources of the BU Community Service Center and the Boston University Public and Nonprofit Management Program which together will provide a strong framework for educating our next generation of future philanthropists.

The mission of the BU School of Management is to encourage students to develop new ideas and insights through fusing the art, science, and technology of business in our teaching. The Public & Nonprofit Management Program (PNP) at the Boston University School of Management is dedicated to preparing students with the financial, management, leadership, and entrepreneurial skills necessary to address society's most challenging humanitarian and social problems worldwide.

Educational Framework and Supporting Students Throughout the Process

The Philanthropy Capstone Project will serve as the central focus of the Management of Nonprofit Organizations course within the School of Management. This class is open to all undergraduate students at the University; typically one-half of the students are enrolled at the School of Management with the remaining students coming from the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Communications and School of Law. The 24 enrolled students will meet twice a week for 90-minutes during the spring semester of 2008. The educational framework for the Philanthropy Capstone Project will combine:

• Classroom-based lectures, readings, exercises and assignments
• Field based research and potential grantee site visits
• Guest speakers from Boston-area nonprofit organizations and foundations who will share perspectives on local philanthropic initiatives and topics
• Activities based at the Community Service Center at Boston University

The course, developed and taught by veteran nonprofit leader, foundation trustee and Faculty Director of the Public and Nonprofit Management Program, Kristen McCormack, will kickoff with an intensive "Philanthropy Boot Camp," intended to jumpstart student learning regarding nonprofits and the philanthropic process. A high-level schematic of the "Philanthropy Boot Camp" modules, occurring during the first three weeks of class, follows:

• Module 1: Introduction to nonprofit organizations including foundations; mission and vision in nonprofit organizations; determining community needs; program design and management; governance; budgeting and reporting requirements; fundraising and outcomes measurement
• Module 2: Introduction to philanthropy in the U.S.; history of philanthropy; different types of foundations and giving vehicles; models of philanthropy including venture philanthropy and high engagement philanthropy; current topics and trends; role of philanthropy
• Module 3: Effective grantmaking; determining community need; program evaluation and outcomes; determining community impact; methods of grantmaking; developing grantmaking guidelines; researching nonprofit organizations; evaluating your grantmaking efforts

This initial foundation of knowledge of the philanthropic process will give students the tools they need as they develop their own mission, grantmaking guidelines and process for managing and making recommendations for the use of the Charitable Giving Fund. Site visits to potential grantees will be an important part of the process. Components of the site visit will include a focus on the mission and programs of the nonprofit organization, a review of the financial information (including Guidestar research), and other elements as determined by the students

A summary schedule of activity for the full semester follows:

• January: Classroom instruction including philanthropy bootcamp; student teams research community needs, determine mission and funding guidelines; begin Community Service Center contact
• February: Classroom instruction; students research nonprofits; solicit proposals; begin site visits; meet with Community Service Center
• March: Classroom instruction; complete site visits; students make final funding recommendations; determine sustainability model for Fund
• April: Classroom instruction; begin process of implementing sustainability model (i.e. philanthropy giving circle or other idea in conjunction with students at the Community Service Center)
• May: Classroom instruction completed; reflection, assessment and evaluation

Educational Goals and Assessment

The goal of the Philanthropy Capstone Project is to inspire students to engage in philanthropy now and throughout their lifetime. A second goal of the project is to continue to build the network of people, programs and schools at BU dedicated to strengthening the nonprofit sector. The objectives of the PCP are to:

• Provide 24 students with an intensive education in nonprofit management and philanthropy, learning about the grantmaking process and understanding the impact of their choices (Philanthropy Capstone Project/Nonprofit Management course)
• Provide an opportunity for 24 students to manage the philanthropic process and to learn to manage charitable funds to achieve philanthropic goals (PCP/Nonprofit Management course)
• Provide an additional 50 students with an opportunity to become involved in sustaining the Charitable Giving Fund through a Giving Circle model or other student determined model (Community Service Center partnership)
• Develop a partnership with the BU Community Service Center to ensure the long-term educational use of the Charitable Giving Fund and to continue to develop the campus infrastructure focused on educating students about the nonprofit sector and the resources that sustain it.

Assessment of the project will be determined primarily by a formal course evaluation completed by the students at the end of the semester. The success of the project will also be determined by whether or not the Charitable Gift Fund is sustained over time.

Ongoing Financial Support

Students participating in the Philanthropy Capstone Project will be charged with developing a plan for the ongoing sustainability of the Charitable Gift Fund. It is expected that the students will work in conjunction with the BU Community Service Center to achieve this goal. One possible model for sustainability is for the students to create a Philanthropy Giving Circle managed on an ongoing basis by students involved with the Community Service Center. In the past, many of the students enrolled in this course have also been involved with the BU Community Service Center so the partnership is a natural one.

This collaboration between Campus Compact and the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund will assist Boston University in achieving its goal of promoting the importance of philanthropic activities and supporting local community-based initiatives. The $15,000 Charitable Gift Fund, as well as the supporting program costs of $2,500, will help to build a sustainable culture of giving throughout our student community. We hope you will consider partnering with us to help educate and encourage the next generation of philanthropists. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of our proposal.