Portland Community College, Portland, OR
The Inspiring Philanthropy’s Future Project offers a rich cross-disciplinary and service-learning opportunity for students at Portland Community College (PCC). The analytical and applied teaching and learning available in this project will link both course and community-based knowledge, emphasizing the need for understanding social issues, the grant-making process, and the role played by philanthropists and non-profit organizations in our communities.
Educational Framework
While efforts will span several terms, the majority of the Project will be incorporated into two eleven-week survey courses during the winter term at PCC: Social Movements and Introduction to Accounting. These courses are an ideal fit as they offer foundations in sociological and business analysis, which allow students to apply theoretical and practical course-based knowledge to community problem-solving. This collaborative process will facilitate the delegation of tasks and strengthen the learning opportunities in both disciplines, such as conducting site visits together and sharing insights between classes.
Social Movements students will begin by examining social issues and non-profit organizations highlighted in earlier service-learning courses. They will identify organizations that have innovative and practical solutions to social issues and will work with Accounting students to develop criteria to evaluate the needs and effectiveness of the organizations. These criteria will build on a book titled, How to Change the World, which documents social entrepreneurs who receive grants from Ashoka to address issues in their communities.
Introduction to Accounting students will use this information to develop the grant-making process, analyze non-profit financial operations and manage the Giving Account, including identifying ways to sustain the program. Teams from both courses will then conduct site visits together and determine grant recipients. Grantees will be designated by the end of winter term with an award celebration planned for spring term. Spring term Accounting students will then implement the plan for the sustainability of the program, including fundraising efforts and Giving Account maintenance.
Educational Goals and Plans:
Social Movements Course:
| Goals | Methods |
|---|---|
| Identify social issues in the community. | Review and discuss findings from Fall classes. |
| Apply sociological theories to analyze the role played by non-profit organizations in our community. | Complete assignments to demonstrate understanding of learning objectives. |
| Help establish criteria for determining grant recipients. | Collaborate with Accounting students to develop grant guidelines. |
| Assess the resources and strategies used by non-profit organizations. | Participate in service projects in the community. Attend presentation by non-profit guest speaker. Conduct site visits of grant applicants. |
| Evaluate organizations’ needs for resources and the effectiveness of strategies. | Communicate with Accounting students. Provide analysis in reflection papers. |
| Develop sense of efficacy and value of philanthropy. | Help determine grant recipients. |
Introduction to Accounting Course:
| Goals | Methods |
|---|---|
| Develop an understanding of the role of grant-making in the support of non-profit entities. | Attend presentation by PCC Foundation director and Service-Learning coordinator. |
| Learn how to consider and make investment management decisions. | Work with investment specialist to learn about and make decisions regarding investment options for gift-fund account. Evaluate account performance throughout term. |
| Use analytical skills to evaluate non-profit organizations’ effectiveness and efficiency. | Review Social Movements students’ suggestions and assess non-profit missions Conduct site visits of grant applicants. Evaluate grant applications (including financial statements) using established criteria and select recipients with Social Movements students. |
| Learn how to evaluate impact of grants. | Design a follow-up grant report for recipients. Review follow-up reports in subsequent terms. |
| Evaluate student performance | Complete graded group assignments for specific elements of the project throughout the term. Completion of individual reflection papers and discussion at the end of the term. |
Support in the Grant-Making Process
In addition to the multi-tiered course model described above, instructors and students will receive support from a variety of sources, including college employees and community experts on how to develop, manage, and sustain grants. Portland Community College has a long history of philanthropic work, as evident by its strong Service-Learning Program and Foundation. The directors of these programs have offered to come to our classes and provide guidance on the importance of philanthropy and the logistics of managing and maintaining grants. Speakers will also include non-profit managers to identify current social issues and an investment specialist to discuss grant-making and investment management decisions. The Grants office itself also has skilled officers who can provide guidance, support, and oversight.
Ongoing Financial Support
Portland Community College has a private foundation that “(A)ids and promotes excellence at the college by providing scholarships, equipment for teaching and training, special academic opportunities for students and support for outstanding faculty. The PCC Foundation expands the college’s ability to seek private funds and keeps private dollars separate from tax dollars.” All college fundraising must be approved by the Foundation. The PCC Service-Learning coordinator and participating instructors are currently working with the Foundation director to determine ways to perpetuate the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund account through student support, fund-raising ideas, and matching opportunities. The possibility of using the project as a permanent component of future Introduction to Accounting sections will be investigated, along with the support provided by future sociology courses.
We believe these collaborative efforts between the classes, with college officials, and within the community offer an inspiring opportunity to promote philanthropy, educate our students across disciplines about important social issues, and encourage students to engage in and contribute to their communities now and in the future.
