Diana R. Sieger is the president of the Grand Rapids Commmunity Foundation. For more information, visit Diana's President's pages or view her biography.

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President's Point of View: Wisdom should be elevated!

July 16, 2006

As I write this entry, so many significant events are occurring around the world and right here in GR that should take center stage!

* Bombing in Lebanon and Israel
* Escalating concerns about Iran
* North Korea and its testing of missiles defying all governments around the world
* Fierce debate about the role United States in world events
* Continued shootings in S.E. Grand Rapids
* Declining U.S. auto industry
* Primary election coming up for state legislators and key positions

What do I choose to write about on this hot Sunday morning? I am returning to Warren Buffett and his unprecedented gift to the Gates Foundation as the context for my opinion. In the Sunday edition of The Grand Rapids Press is an article that was originally published by The Washington Post. There was no accompanying article on the insights or opinions of those involved in the work of local foundations with the exception of a listing of local philanthropic organizations and their assets which we helped to compile. What a missed opportunity.

So I will offer my insights. In reading a slew of articles and opinions from leaders in my field and beyond, I know that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will hire many good people and continue to build the expert infrastructure to address the issues they feel are the most critical across the globe. Now just because someone is expert does not make them always correct! Heaven knows I personally know that!

I do not believe the right question is can the Gates Foundation spend the billions in a wise manner. What does that really mean anyway? It may be that the question is do they have the experience, knowledge and wisdom to know that they are on the right track or not. They are being touted as providing a new business model or approach and that model is to fund many projects and that some of these may see some promise. Hmmmm.

Does anyone really know how to address social and human issues? Is there a silver bullet, a brass ring, the one right answer? Of course not. Just because the Gates Foundation and other mega billion independent foundations (and some mega billion community foundations!) have the financial means to experiment may provide some hope on intractable problems. I sure hope so as it is a model of operation worth watching.

On a smaller scale, the Grand Rapids Community Foundation has embraced the fact that there is constant change meaning that when something does not work then we will try again with another approach. There is no such thing as status quo. This has led us to create, after years of testing, tolling, debating, and research, a new way to tackle funding and addressing issues in our local area.

It is one that will not bend to community politics and the none too subtle pressure I hear from time to time which goes something like this, you do not get it Diana because everyone else has funded this program/project/capital effort why not the community foundation? Because our donors and our community deserve much better than doing what everyone else is doing or funding what may be the hot project now! Should we fund the attractive projects that everyone else is lining up to fund and leave the key issues left hanging out to dry as a problem that someone else will solve?

That is why we are investing a lot of money and staff time on the Grand Rapids Education Reform Initiative which has come under fire from many sectors as not making things happen fast enough. Just wait as we are making things happen with our other funding and community partners. That is why we are investing a lot of money and staff time in the Creating Community For a Lifetime program focusing on building the metro Grand Rapids area as being ready for the influx of older adults as we boomers age.

That is why we are doing what we are doing coupled with knowledge, experience, wisdom and leadership!

A recent experience that our VP for Program Marcia Rapp had underscores the need for the Foundation to continue down the path of key community leadership. Not an uncommon experience for Marcia is hearing pretty nasty comments from people seeking foundation financial support if they are turned down. Surprising given the fact that she and I have fairly long memories and a great deal of forgiveness lest you think we hold grudges!

Recently, a local nonprofit Executive Director contacted Marcia and wanted to know if a new program they are starting could have a chance to receive funding. It is a program that has a large price tag with no plan for sustainability and measurement for results.

The letter of inquiry was sent in and staff conducted a thorough review which then may or may not lead to an organization receiving the okay to submit a full proposal. In this case, we choose to respectfully not waste the time of this organization and did not ask for a proposal. The bottom line is that the new program does not fit our priorities.

After one particular phone conversation, the usually unflappable Marcia conveyed to me the retort from the Executive Director upon hearing that funding was not in the cards. “Apparently the Grand Rapids Community Foundation is not on the cutting edge.” She stated this along with a litany of other criticisms.

Being rejected is not pleasant and as a person who has had more rejection that you can even imagine, I understand. What I do not understand though is the fact that we will now be tagged as not cutting edge and this director may characterize the Foundation in a negative fashion to many volunteers and board members which may impact future funding of this Foundation.

Therein lies the different dilemma that this Foundation has that the Gates Foundation does not face. They can experiment and do what they want to do of course within the law. We live in this community and will always face the critical voices who think we should fund this and fund that just to be on the safe side or popular.

We are community leaders and we will continue to face positive and negative commentary. And we are going to do it all well!