Maximising the Philanthropic Dollar

1
Maximising the Philanthropic Dollar

• Lessons from research into innovative country
  towns

2

• People have mobility choices to move towards
  something that is relatively attractive to stay
  somewhere that is relatively attractive or to
  move away from somewhere relatively unattractive.
• The question is Who moves, who doesnt, and why?
• Mobility choices are not random. It is the more
  creative and innovative who move.

3

• Almost no towns existed in Australia 200 years
  ago.
• Towns were created in response to a particular
  social and economic need, populated by people who
  made a mobility choice.
• Nobody cried when those towns were created
  (except perhaps the indigenous people).
• The reason for the establishment of most towns no
  longer exists.
• Towns that thrive reinvent themselves.

4
Language differences

• People in non-innovative towns say Why dont
  they .? or When are they going to .?
• People in innovative towns say How can we .?

5
Beware of the Leaders

• Research respondents were asked to describe
  themselves as (a) a community leader, (b)
  somebody with knowledge and expertise that could
  be called upon, or (c) a support person.
• The least innovative towns reported the highest
  numbers of leaders.
• The most innovative town reported almost none.

6

• Leadership is a two-edged sword. It is an act of
  civic responsibility. It is also an act of
  denying someone the opportunity to gain civic
  experience. The more that leadership
  responsibility can be experienced and shared, the
  more innovative is the town.

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Where should we invest the philanthropic dollar?

• Do not invest in the towns that ask for it.
• Invest in fostering mobility choices.
• Invest in newcomers to a town.
• Invest in young people.
• Invest in continuing education for all.
• Invest in diversity.
• Invest in capacity building.
• Invest in the arts and creative endeavour.
• Invest in celebration.

8
Invest in the arts and creative endeavour

• The most innovative towns nurtured their creative
  spirit and publicly celebrated it.
• Creativity is the well-spring of innovation.

9
Do not invest in the towns that ask for it.

• The least innovative towns pursued funding but
  did not have the passion or capacity to use it.
• The most innovative towns pursued projects with
  vision and passion. Money was not the object.
  Project achievement was.

10
Invest in fostering mobility choices.

• Creative people are the most mobile.
• Mobility puts the best talent where it can
  thrive.
• Inhibiting mobility benefits no-one.

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Invest in newcomers to a town.

• Creating a welcoming atmosphere, an atmosphere of
  acceptance, encourages people to come and to
  stay.
• New people into a town are the biggest investors
  into its social and economic fabric.

12
Invest in young people.

• Youth represents renewal and vitality.
• The voices of youth are seldom honoured in rural
  settings.
• Young families are often the crucible through
  which civic responsibility develops.

13
Invest in continuing education for all.

• Innovation thrives on life-long learning.
• Immigrants expect a level of service comparable
  to that received in the larger centre they came
  from.

14
Invest in diversity

• A catalyst for creativity of diversity.
• Diversity requires the prerequisite of tolerance.
• The creative talent that many towns crave, they
  already have. The town just chases it away
  through lack of tolerance of diversity.

15
Invest in capacity building

• In the most innovative towns, people will say
  We did it ourselves.
• The critical skills needed to grow an inclusive,
  diverse and tolerant society are not taught in
  mainstream education.

16
Invest in creativity

• Creativity is the well spring of innovation.
• The creative talent that rural towns crave, they
  already have. They just chase it away.
• Worship the weirdoes.

17
Invest in celebration

• People want to live in happy, positive, and
  accepting places.
• Create opportunities for public celebration of
  affirmation We like living here We like
  each other, We have a sense of unity and
  identity.