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Money for Nothing
If you think that the classic phrase “How hard can it be?” applies to giving
away money, you really should read this book.
Even if you don’t actually know what you’re doing, can’t you just wing it and be a successful philanthropist ? As long as you’ve got some money that for some reason you wish to dispose of.
Wait a minute, how do you really measure “success” in the philanthropy biz? And why do so many non-profits and NGO’s object to having their efforts (using your money) evaluated?
In this collection of stories, written as letters to his aunt, Bob Hemphill recounts the challenges, the mis-steps, and the accomplishments of his venture into philanthropy. How to find the right causes, how to negotiate with non-profits about measuring and reporting progress, and how to get over the surprise that comes with such modest requests for accountability being routinely resisted are all subjects discussed in detail, frequently in humorous detail.
Hemphill’s style is accessible and clear, frequently self-deprecating and always informative. You will learn a lot about wherever he finds himself and whatever he experiences. That experience will be honestly reported. This is not a “how to give away a million dollars and thus save the world” self-important, look how smart I am kind of semi-biography book, it’s more of a “look how odd and interesting all this is” approach to the vagaries of the charitable life, with a humorous slant.
away money, you really should read this book.
Even if you don’t actually know what you’re doing, can’t you just wing it and be a successful philanthropist ? As long as you’ve got some money that for some reason you wish to dispose of.
Wait a minute, how do you really measure “success” in the philanthropy biz? And why do so many non-profits and NGO’s object to having their efforts (using your money) evaluated?
In this collection of stories, written as letters to his aunt, Bob Hemphill recounts the challenges, the mis-steps, and the accomplishments of his venture into philanthropy. How to find the right causes, how to negotiate with non-profits about measuring and reporting progress, and how to get over the surprise that comes with such modest requests for accountability being routinely resisted are all subjects discussed in detail, frequently in humorous detail.
Hemphill’s style is accessible and clear, frequently self-deprecating and always informative. You will learn a lot about wherever he finds himself and whatever he experiences. That experience will be honestly reported. This is not a “how to give away a million dollars and thus save the world” self-important, look how smart I am kind of semi-biography book, it’s more of a “look how odd and interesting all this is” approach to the vagaries of the charitable life, with a humorous slant.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2024
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September 2, 2024
This is the author's fourth book which is different from his first three (Stories from the Middle Seat: The Four-Million-Mile Journey to Building a Billion Dollar International Business; Goats Ate Our Wires: Stories of Travel for Business and Pleasure; and Dust Tea, Dingoes and Dragons: Adventures in Culture, Cuisine and Commerce from a Globe-Trekking Executive - which detail the consequences of trying to build an international business from the ground up) it retains two qualities which first attracted me to the author - a keen sense of humor coupled with great insights.
Hemphill helped to develop two companies related to energy and as a result retired from them with a nest egg and a desire to engage in charitable giving - not in the range of Bill Gates but still substantial amounts. The book traipses through a series of encounters with charitable entities in his home area of San Diego and beyond. They became interested in habitat preservation and pursued a series of projects to help fund efforts which would make a difference.
But he soon discovers that many charitable institutions are more than willing to accept donations but unwilling to consider how to establish what he refers to at the end of the book as P,T,A -A well defined PURPOSE, TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY. Many of his examples including some with two major universities and some conservancies show the receivers are not prepared to live up to those basic principles.
Along the way the reader gets a good idea about the sloppiness that many charities operate with and the lack of due diligence that major and not so major donors fail to exercise. This book is a rare combination of thoughtful and funny.
Hemphill helped to develop two companies related to energy and as a result retired from them with a nest egg and a desire to engage in charitable giving - not in the range of Bill Gates but still substantial amounts. The book traipses through a series of encounters with charitable entities in his home area of San Diego and beyond. They became interested in habitat preservation and pursued a series of projects to help fund efforts which would make a difference.
But he soon discovers that many charitable institutions are more than willing to accept donations but unwilling to consider how to establish what he refers to at the end of the book as P,T,A -A well defined PURPOSE, TRANSPARENCY and ACCOUNTABILITY. Many of his examples including some with two major universities and some conservancies show the receivers are not prepared to live up to those basic principles.
Along the way the reader gets a good idea about the sloppiness that many charities operate with and the lack of due diligence that major and not so major donors fail to exercise. This book is a rare combination of thoughtful and funny.
Displaying 1 of 1 review