Whitworth University, Spokane, WA

The goal of Whitworth University’s project entitled Engaging Community, Inspiring Philanthropy is to develop in tomorrow’s leaders the capacity and desire to carry on the philanthropic tradition that began early in 20th century America. As a pilot project, the university will utilize an existing program as the academic aspect of the project. The Bonner Leaders Program (funded by the Bonner Foundation) is a service-based, leadership development program designed to facilitate and increase civic engagement among students. In order to develop and implement the university’s student-run philanthropy, students who have been selected as Bonner Leaders will participate in a course entitled Introduction to Community Engagement during January 2008. The course will continue Spring term and will be linked with a Communications Studies course entitled Organizational Communication.

The Bonner Leaders, through the activities in their Jan term course, will establish a philanthropic foundation based on their needs assessment in the West Central neighborhood one of the poorest in the state of Washington. They will determine critical issues of the neighborhood as well as assets that foster neighborhood empowerment and leadership. This assessment will help the students determine the focus of their philanthropy. They will develop funding criteria and an RFP process. RFPs will be sent to community organizations identified as non-profits operating in the area of need selected by the students as the focus of the foundation.

Spring term, the applications received in response to the RFP will be evaluated and ten finalists selected. At this point the Organizational Communications class in Communications Studies will conduct organizational audits of the 10 finalists based on models of organizational success to determine capacity for effective project implementation. Students in Organizational Communications will make funding recommendations to the Bonner Leaders. Bonner Leaders will review the applications and the recommendations and select the organizations to be funded, forwarding that information to the Giving Account in March 2008.

The groundwork for sustainability of the Giving Account also will be developed in the Spring Introduction to Community Engagement course. The program intends to give out approximately 75% of the funds and use the remaining funds toward the next year’s grants. Following selection of the grantees, the Bonner students will focus on developing project sustainability through a fundraising and investment management plan. Students in the course will consider appropriate fundraising tools such as grants, major donor giving and special event fundraising. They will develop a fundraising plan to include activities that will enhance the fund and they will implement the plan. Last year students in Leadership 350 raised $12,500 on campus in one week to send to third world food programs. The students in the Bonner program have been selected based on their leadership potential. They too have the skills and ability to raise significant funds on campus. The goal will be to bring the fund back at a minimum to the original $15,000 level. In addition to the student fundraising efforts, Institutional Advancement will prepare a proposal to the Inland Northwest Community Foundation to seek operational funds that can help sustain the program with a goal of growing a new generation of philanthropists.

In order to ensure long-term sustainability of the philanthropic foundation, a new course will be developed and proposed through the course approval process. A course on philanthropy and fundraising has been identified for several years as an important aspect of a communication major that is lacking from many programs. Whitworth University will utilize $1,000 of the administrative funds for curriculum development for a proposed course on Philanthropy housed in the Communication Studies department. Students in this course studying philanthropy will have an excellent service-learning opportunity through serving as the board of directors of the philanthropy. They will have responsibilities for continuing the annual RFP process, investment management, and the fundraising aspect of their campus philanthropy. Through this on-going course, the students will develop real-world skills that can be applied in their own communities as adults and will develop a culture of philanthropic giving.

The learning outcomes for the new course will be similar to Introduction to Community Engagement which will serve as the pilot for Engaging Communities, Inspiring Philanthropy they are:

• Increase awareness and understanding of philanthropy through academic integration and scholarly exploration of philanthropic connections to civic life and vocation.
• Explore the distinction between premises of service versus community building.
• Identify and analyze socially significant needs and assets within the local community
• Develop basic knowledge and skills in philanthropic strategies, tactics and techniques
• Understand the nature and magnitude of community problems
• Understand the basic strategies and tactics utilized by philanthropic groups or organizations to maintain or improve the quality of life in communities
• Formulate and examine the student’s own commitment to community building and philanthropy
• Determine elements that define a model organization

The Assessment for Course Outcomes will include:

• Pre- and post assessment given to students measuring levels of awareness and understanding of, and commitment to philanthropy and its connection to civic life and vocation.
• Reflection paper which discusses the rationale for funding recommendations, perceptions at the beginning of the course, perceptions at the end and , ways to mobilize community support to deal with the issue.
• Weekly journals

Ongoing reflection includes discussions of the root causes of community issues and the global implications, the connection of philanthropy and civic life.

Support for the grant making process developed by the Bonner Leaders will be provided by the Director of Service-Learning and Community Engagement. Additional expertise will be provided by the Director of Sponsored Programs, by Institutional Advancement staff, and by the Chase Youth Foundation in terms of the philanthropic process, investment management, and development of a fundraising plan. Faculty will provide training through the two courses regarding the community needs assessment, development of the RFP process, grantee selection, organizational audit and impact assessment. The new course will be developed by Faculty in the Communications Studies department and proposed for approval by the faculty using established college policy.