Meet a FLiP: Social Enterprise Fellow Annie Lam

Annie Lam on Social Enterprise and Microfinance 

By Jordan Walker

FLiP recently sat down with Annie Lam, who was selected as the first Social Enterprise Fellow of Changing Our World, an international philanthropy consulting firm.  Chosen out of over 40 qualified applicants, Annie is spending 12 weeks researching the challenges and opportunities in social enterprise.

In her interview with FLiP, Annie talks about her personal experiences with philanthropy and social enterprise and where she plans to go next.

Ok, first things first…what is social enterprise?  And why is it important?  

Social enterprise is an organization/venture that advances a social mission through market-based strategies. It also refers to any earned-income business or strategy undertaken by a nonprofit to generate revenue in support of its charitable mission. Its role is increasingly important, as it provides a sustainable way for nonprofits to run their organizations, and a medium for for-profits to do good through their social missions. 

You had an incredible opportunity to travel to Cambodia on behalf of Deutsche Bank’s Social Investment Funds. What does microfinance look like first-hand?

I was representing the Bank to conduct due diligence with a few microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Phnom Penh. Other than understanding their headquarters' operations, I was brought to remote rural villages to observe how micro-loans were distributed and collected. 

I remember in one of the villages, the loan officers gathered borrowers - mainly women - and educated them on how money should be spent and saved before distributing the funds. The procedures were very primitive, however. For instance, borrowers fingerprinted their loan agreements as compared to how we sign documents with pens.

In an interview with a woman who borrowed $100 for half a year, she reported to need the money to produce and sell pillows at the marketplace to make a living. She managed to repay her first loan with this mini-business (first phase of production: 200 pillows), and she anticipated to double her production scale with merely another $100. I was overwhelmed by the monetary power of $100 in Cambodia. In the US, that amount of money could probably only purchase a few pillows.

Now you’re pursuing a Master’s degree at Columbia University.  What makes the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) right for you? 

I have always been interested in meeting people of diverse cultural backgrounds, and SIPA's community displays that. On top of classes that are taught by a number of renowned professors, the most rewarding experience is to meet other students from all around the world. Each student has a unique story prior to attending SIPA, and oftentimes we learn from each other's experience. Even though I was on international rotations in my previous job, and I got to build friendships with people from other countries, I seldom came across natives from developing countries, especially those from Sub-Saharan Africa. Learning their cultures, gestures and hospitality fascinates me. 

My first year focused more on building the foundation so that in my second year I will have the opportunities to partner with external organizations and experience real world cases. I think this is another rewarding part of the education and I am looking forward to it. 

What’s the next step for you after you graduate next summer?

I am still exploring how to develop my career into the next stage, and I am grateful that I am learning a lot through this summer fellow opportunity - both on the subject of social enterprise itself as well as the approach towards conducting independent research. It definitely enhances skills I have acquired. Upon graduation, I am hoping to land in a job where my hard and soft skills can be utilized, as well as doing good for society. 

About Annie

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Annie first realized she wanted to study international relations when she attended the Future World Leaders Summit in Washington DC in 2001.  A double Quantitative Economics and International Relations major, Annie received her Bachelor’s degree at Tufts University before going on to work in the Credit Risk Management division at Deutsche Bank AG.

While at Deutsche Bank, Annie volunteered with its Global Social Investment Funds, primarily in Cambodia.  In her work with the Fund, Annie was tasked with interviewing recipients of microfinance loans to ensure responsible spending and repayment as well as achievement of measurable impacts.  

Annie is currently pursuing a Masters of International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University.  Her coursework includes a focus on economic and political development.

Annie can be reached at alam@changingourworld.com.

Meet-A-FLiP: Kat Walsh

Good morning FLiPs! A bunch of you have asked for more information on the background of our new favorite college internship program - DSIP! So, in keeping with FLiP-style, we went to the brains behind the project, Kat Walsh.

Before we start the interview, I wanted to congratulate Kat and DSIP for winning the CASE gold Circle of Excellence award for the Collaborating Programs category AND the CASE Grand gold award for overall Fundraising Programs!

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): So Kat, we know you run a very cool program for the University of Michigan…and we’ll get to that. First things first though, tell us a little more about yourself. Where did you grow up and go to school? What was your major in college? How did you come to work at Michigan?

Kat Walsh (KW): I graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2003 having majored in both Theatre and History. Upon graduation I moved back to my hometown of Brownsville, Texas to serve as the Director of Alumni, Coordinator of Admissions, and a part-time teacher at Saint Joseph Academy (Go Hounds!). This was my first introduction to development and the “real world” and what an introduction - it was both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Luckily I had wonderful work colleagues to guide me as I helped build these programs. After two years I decided that I wanted to further my education so I left the warm and humid south for the University of Michigan to pursue a Master of Public Policy through the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and an MA in Higher Education through the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. While I was a student I was hired (along with two of my fellow graduate students) through the Office of University Development to create an internship program that would introduce current U-M students to fundraising as a viable career option. This program is known today as the Development Summer Internship Program (D-SIP).

FLiP: Let’s talk a little more about Michigan. What is your job there exactly?

KW: I graduated this past December and came on board full time as the Assistant Director for Student Philanthropy. I dedicate half my time to coordinating D-SIP and I dedicate the other half to creating a culture of philanthropy for students at U-M alongside our partners in each of our schools, colleges, and units. This position is new to U-M and very exciting for me personally. U-M students are, for the most part, philanthropically-minded, but they do not necessarily view U-M as a philanthropic vehicle. More specifically, they are not necessarily aware of the impact philanthropy has at an institution of higher education (particularly at a public institution) and why it is important to give back to their university/college through time, talent, and financial resources.

FLiP: What’s it like working for a huge higher ed institution? Are you sick of football?

KW: Sick of football? I am from Texas, went to Notre Dame, and now work at Michigan. My uncle played for Odessa Permian (the team from Friday Night Lights). Football is a way of life for me. Working for a larger, decentralized institution of higher education is actually a lot like football…a lot of different players with various talents working together for a common goal. It’s all about that Michigan Difference.

FLiP: Okay, let’s get to the good stuff. What is D-SIP about? How did it come to be, and how is it funded now?

Young Founder Interview: Peter Deitz

I'm happy to present the latest in FLiP's series of young founder interviews. Peter Deitz created Social Actions, an organization which helps individuals and organizations use social media to plan, implement, and support peer-to-peer social change campaigns so that grassroots solutions to local and global problems can flourish. Peter also writes a blog, About Micro-Philanthropy, to highlight the leaders in the social sector. What's micro-philanthropy? How do you go about becoming a consultant in your 20's? FLiPs, I'm happy to introduce Peter Deitz: 

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Thanks for taking the time to speak with FLiP! Let’s start with some basics. Where did you go to school? How did you get involved with the social sector?

Peter Deitz (PD): First, thank you for this opportunity to talk about my work with the FLiP community.  I’m always looking for like-minded souls.  People who are interested in Social Actions can friend me on Facebook.  My profile is listed on the FLiP Facebook Group.

My path to the social sector is pretty direct.  I graduated from McGill University in 2001 with a B.A. in history and then went on to get a Masters in history from The University of Toronto in 2003.  When I graduated the second time, I was ready to leave academics behind and throw myself into the so-called real world. 

My time in Canada, my studies of history, my experiences with Quakers, and current events at the time had all led me to pursue a career in doing something good for the world.   Entering the private sector was never an option.

When I started applying for jobs in New York, Washington, Toronto, and Montreal, I found that I was not alone in the pursuit of meaningful work.  A Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in history are common currency in our field.  I needed something to distinguish myself.  As a closet nerd, I had developed a decent sense of interface design and could program my way through a basic website.  I started applying for web manager and IT jobs for nonprofits. 

Eventually, I found my way to a full-time job in New York City as a technical consultant on several human rights and global governance projects.  The work was great.  The people were great.  For the first time, I felt like I was making a difference.  But after two years, I wanted to move back to Canada and launch my own project.

FLiP: What is Social Actions? How old were you when you launched it?

PD: As I was leaving New York City, my colleagues asked me what I would do next.  I responded tongue-in-cheek by saying, “I’m going to devote myself to philanthropy.”  I wasn’t joking.  Within three months, I starting publishing articles on something called “micro-philanthropy” and had launched a project called “First-of-its-kind.”

In hindsight, the name First-of-its-kind was a placeholder as I clarified the way in which I wanted to shake up the world of philanthropy.  My goal was to do something totally original that would encourage more people of my generation to become philanthropic.

By August 2007, at 28 years old, I had developed a clearer vision of how First-of-its-kind could evolve into something truly useful.  I revamped the site and changed the name to Social Actions.  Today, Social Actions is a search engine of peer-to-peer social change campaigns and a training resource for individuals, organizations, and foundations that want to use social media to create social change.   

My project pulls the latest giving and do-gooder opportunities from 14 social action platforms, ranging from Kiva.org’s community of micro-finance lenders to GiveMeaning’s platform for group fundraising.  A social action platform is a website or online tool that allows individuals to use social media (i.e., email, video, images, social networks, and widgets) to raise money and support for specific projects.   

As the number of social action platforms grows, Social Actions is positioned to be the go-to place for finding opportunities to engage from across the sector and learning how to create peer-to-peer social change campaigns.

Through the blog on Social Actions, called About Micro-Philanthropy, I post articles for individuals on how to use social media and social action platforms to start fundraising and do-gooder projects of their own.  For nonprofits and foundations, I write articles and offer consulting on how to leverage the resources and passions of supporters.

FLiP: As a young founder, what kinds of challenges did you run into?

Meet-A-FLiP: Jessyca Dudley

As a continuation to our "young founder" series, I asked the Founder of The Building Fund, Jessyca Dudley, if she would talk to us about fundraising at her organization.  Not surprisingly, fundraising comprises the vast majority of her time. So, attention all FLiPs out there thinking of founding a non-profit:  You will spend the bulk of your time raising money, and not really enough time fulfilling your mission. It's a tough reality, but if you ever want to start a non-profit, you need to spend time learning the ins and outs of fundraising. We'll see you at our next event!

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell me about yourself. I know you grew up in Chicago…but where did you go to school? How did you wind up running a nonprofit in New York?

Jessyca Dudley (JD): I grew up in Chicago and went the Francis W. Parker School. It’s a pre-K through 12 school where I spent 14 years and have returned often in connection to The Building Fund.

In 2004, I spent two months as a volunteer teacher in Ghana, West Africa at the Tuskegee International School. On my first day at the school I was struck by the condition of the classrooms. The walls were bare, the floors were made of dirt, there were barely enough seats for the students, barely enough classrooms, no running water and the only books were the government-issued workbooks that all students in Ghana receive. There were no toys in the preschoolers’ rooms, no reading books or posters or any of the things that I had grown so used to seeing in every classroom that I have ever been in. My students were facing great adversity and, in spite of this, they are still some of the most interesting and brightest children I have ever met.

Upon returning home, I knew that there was more I could do than just volunteer at the school. After months of research and phone calls, I began work on founding what became, in 2004, The Building Fund. As a charitable foundation, The Building Fund works to create and sustain opportunities in education by ensuring that resources in the form of classes, schools, scholarships, volunteer opportunities and educational funding are available to as many children as the foundation is capable of reaching. 

Currently the Fund is working to complete construction of the Tuskegee International School and provide scholarships for its orphaned and needy students, fund additional teacher training and provide opportunities for volunteers to work with the students and teachers at the school. In a few weeks we will also be adopting a second school and working with them to build a library.

Although I founded the nonprofit in Chicago, I have a strong base of support here in New York and so we hold fundraisers and have a number of board members from the area.

FLiP: How much of your time do you spend working on Fundraising?

JD: The majority of the work that we do is fundraising as we are not currently supported by grants. I would estimate that as a board 70% of our work is fundraising and that personally 80 to 85% of my work is fundraising.

FLiP: Have you had fundraising success so far? What has worked well for you?

JD: We have had great success in fundraising in two areas. The first is individual giving where we have been able to cultivate personal relationships on behalf of the organization that have turned into annual giving and long-term fundraising opportunities. The second successful area has been our event based fundraisers. We have had great success with our events because we have been able to have very low overhead by having space, food, silent auction items, etc. donated to all of our events. We have also had events hosted by some of the partners that we made through individual giving that have allowed us to donate 100% of the proceeds from the event directly to the school that we work with.

FLiP: In the next 12 months, what are your plans for fundraising?

JD: It’s a five-part plan:

1. Raise funds for our new website through online solicitation letters;
2. Raise approximately $8,000 for the construction of a new library through partnership and individual giving;
3. Through our partnership with the 6 Friends organization, co-hosting a private fundraiser in Chicago that will help to build a computer lab;
4. Hosting our 2nd annual NYC fundraiser, and our 2nd annual Tuskegee Trot (a sponsored walk/run) in Chicago at the Parker School; and
5. Hosting a 10 day trip to Ghana to visit the two schools that we work with as well as bringing supplies to our schools.

Meet-A-FLiP: Craig Teal

Craig Teal, fresh from college, landed a job as a Development Administrative Assistant at one of my favorite foundations. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History - yes, I'm a dork, I like American History Foundations. A lot of Gilder Lehrman's work is done via the internet, and as such I think their online giving program has more potential than almost any comparable organization. Craig's got a big job ahead of him, I'm sure FLiP will check in again soon.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell us a little about your background. Where did you go to school, what did you major in, and how did you come to be involved in philanthropy?

Craig Teal (CT): This past spring, I graduated from Fordham University with a double major in History and International Political Economy. College was an enormous period of growth, exposing me to a lot of circumstances and opportunities that I became intimately involved with. Two programs in particular I invested my time with: an after-school/Saturday program for local school children and an international service program where I traveled to the Navajo Nation in Utah and to the country of Romania. With each program we had to raise funds in order to participate and I had the responsibility to achieve our goals financially. There is no doubt, one must be intimately connected with one’s fundraising aspirations for success.

During college I interned at two nonprofit organizations that got me interested in the field and provided me with some great experience. For over a year I worked at Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc., truly an amazing organization that because its small staff afforded me with some great hands-on experience. My second internship was in the development office at the EastWest Institute. It is here that I was introduced to fundraising software and the world of grantmaking.

FLiP: What is your job like? What are the day-to-day responsibilities?

CT: As Development Administrative Assistant for the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York City, I am surrounded by some very experienced people thus making everyday a tremendous opportunity to learn. Most of my time is spent between the computer screen and the file cabinet. Not only maintaining electronic and hard-copy files and tracking donors, I also research prospective donors and am beginning to work on grant proposals. Soon I will be compiling reports for our present donors charting our progress.

FLiP: What is one of the best aspects of working at The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History?

CT: I know that you are going to think this is a lie, but my boss. She probably would not even want me to call her that, but she has an amazing wealth of knowledge. She calls herself a seasoned worker. Moreover, she maintains a high work ethic that, although it is hard to keep up with, is rewarding over time. But I cannot just tell you one. The organization itself, The Gilder Lehrman Institute, is my main interest in this job. We aid schools, teachers and students nationally, improving the educational access that they receive while promoting a love of American History. Also the founders of the Institute inspire me as they care so much for students and teachers.

Meet-A-FLiP: Scott Overdyke

Our resident DC FLiP Julie Fagnani sat down with Scott Overdyke of Razoo.com, an online community of people changing the world one passion at a time.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell us a little about yourself - where  you went to school, what you majored in, and the interests that led you to a job in philanthropy.

Scott Overdyke (SO): I’m from Louisiana and grew up in Texas. For undergrad I attended Vanderbilt University, majored in Economics and Political Science, and graduated in 2003. After college, I worked in New Zealand for a few months for an oil service company.

I did the Peace Corps for 2 ½ years in Panama as an agriculture business volunteer. After that I came back to the States, moved to DC and started working for Razoo (where I have been working for a year).

FLiP: Describe your role at your current job.

SO: My job is to talk to nonprofits, spread the Razoo.com network and community, expand business and keep up on trends in philanthropy.

My current role here is to help grow and strengthen the Razoo community by identifying the people and organizations most relevant to the website, providing practical incentives for membership, and finally just serving the needs of our existing users. 

So part of the job is passive - you have to be intimately familiar with your audience and your environment, which entails loads of research.  And the other part is active - seeking out new members, organizations, student groups, companies, and schools with whom we might work or partner.

FLiP: What are some parts of the job you like? What do you dislike?

Meet-A-FLiP: Marisa Lee

(Editor’s Note: Just because Breast Cancer Awareness Month is over doesn’t mean the issue goes away.  We’re happy to present this Meet-A-FLiP about Saving Second Base in, yes, November!)

Marisa Lee is an inspiration – and not just to me.  When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, she was not content to sit idle and set about starting Saving Second Base, an organization dedicated to leveraging young professionals (and their funds) to raise money and awareness about breast cancer.  The organization hosts events and participates in other fundraising activities (ultra-marathon, anyone?), sending all funds raised to Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliated organizations. Below, read all about Marisa’s secret life as an i-banker, how Grey’s Anatomy shaped the organization, and perhaps you’ll be inspired too.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell us a bit about Saving Second Base.  How did you come up with the idea? And once you had the idea, how did you actually create an organization?

Marisa Lee (ML): My mother has been living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer since May of 2005, and unless someone finds a cure in the near future, the disease will surely claim her life.   Daily, I face her diagnosis and my life decisions are based, in many ways, on the disease.  After a particularly dramatic episode of Grey's Anatomy, and one too many cocktails, I decided that facing the diagnosis on a personal level was not enough; it was my responsibility to do something on a larger scale.

The initial idea was to simply host an event. Essentially, throw a really fun party for a good cause.  Then we got our first substantial donor and realized we had no name to put on the check.  With that (and the support of friends willing to contribute time, money and effort!), Saving Second Base was born. My roommate filed incorporating documents and 501(c)3 forms and we haven’t looked back since.

Our hope is that by spreading awareness about breast cancer at a young age, women and men will know where to go for support and resources if ever faced with a breast cancer diagnosis.

FLiP: Word on the street is that you’re a Banker. True? 

ML: Yes. I work for Brown Brothers Harriman, a small, privately held bank where I specialize in Commodities Finance.

FLiP: How do your two worlds connect with each other?

Meet-A-FLiP: Elizabeth R. Miller

We first met Elizabeth Miller after her great post on Richard Marker's Blog: Wise Philanthropy. Elizabeth is a Program Associate at The Overbrook Foundation, located in New York City. You'll see a lot of more of Elizabeth in the next few months, as we've asked her to tell us, through a series of posts, what it's like to work for a family foundation. The Overbrook Foundation is a family foundation established in 1948 by Frank and Helen Altschul. Its mission is to improve the lives of people by supporting projects that protect human and civil rights, advance the self-sufficiency and well being of individuals and their communities, and conserve the natural environment.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell me a little about your background. Where did you go to school, what did you major in, and how did you come to be involved in philanthropy?

Elizabeth Miller (EM): After a year at the University of Chicago, I transferred to New York University's College of Arts and Sciences, where I majored in Politics, with a minor in Journalism and Mass Communication. After moving to New York I realized that my main academic interests were how the consolidation of mainstream media was affecting the ability of social change organizations to get their messages heard. While I was in college, I interned at Fenton Communications, a large public interest communications firm, and MediaChannel.org, a website concerned with the political, cultural and social impacts of the media, large and small. These two experiences introduced me to the world of contemporary media (the good, the bad, and the ugly) and convinced me that it was a field to be further explored.

Landing at Overbrook happened by chance. I heard about an available internship here/there through Free Press, a partner organization of MediaChannel.org. Overbrook was interested in hiring someone with a background in media to help them prepare for a fall Board of Directors' retreat that would focus on media, both as a program area and as a tool that was useful across the range of its Environment and Human Rights Grantees. I applied and got the position. I came to Overbrook in June of 2004 to help them prepare for that retreat and stayed on through my senior year at NYU working 15 hours a week. When I graduated, I was offered a full-time position as a Program Assistant (now Program Associate) and I've been here ever since.

FLiP: What is your job like? What are the day-to-day responsibilities?

EM: Overbrook is a small family foundation with only five other staff members. This means that my day-to-day work can vary. On a daily basis, I provide ongoing support in the development of grants and program management, including conducting background research on prospective grantees, along with reviewing and assessing active proposals. My work focuses particularly on the identification, recommendation and administration of the Foundation's media-focused grants, although I often assist in other areas of the Foundation's grantmaking. I also produce a Semi-Annual Report on Grants and The Overbrook Foundation Quarterly Newsletter which we distribute to our grantees, friends of the Foundation, and post on our website. In the fall, I also work to coordinate and implement programs at the Foundation's Annual Fall Retreat. I assist the President in preparing docket materials and developing agendas for the Board of Directors and Committee meetings.

Meet-A-FLiP: Mysterious M

The author of one of my favorite philanthropy blogs, Mysterious M, devotes her blog to describing her life inside a major independent private foundation. For fundraisers, her blog is a rare opportunity to see how the other half lives. After you write that proposal, where does it go? Who's reading it, and what is there job like?  For the grantmakers, her blog gives you a chance to share some of your key experiences giving money away. M's mantra is, "giving away money ain't easy". You think it's easy? Here are some sample quotes from four different posts:

• Every Program Officer is haunted. By piles. Piles of their files. There are always more files assigned than there is time to read. Proposals, Letters of Intent, Compliance Reports, Final Reports, the works.
• Even though your proposal is 120 pages long, I still read it. The whole thing. Copying a paragraph from part of the proposal and then repeating it later on it not advisable.
• Is there a difference if the funder said "we found that your case for funding was not very strong" as opposed to "we found that your case for funding was weak?" How honest should funders be? What language should be used/avoided?
• Never ever insert clip art all throughout your proposal narrative. It is just annoying.

So, in what has become standard FLiP style, we made contact and begged her to submit to an interview. So, while attempting to avoid any conflicts with her secret identity, please enjoy our latest Meet-A-FLiP, and please check in often with Inside Foundations.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy: What kind of work do you do right now? Where in the country are you?

M: I am currently a Program Associate at a large independent private foundation.  My job tasks consist of all kinds of things, generally speaking I support our Program Teams and Program Officers.  I do get to have a small portfolio of a few grants each docket to make recommendations on, plus all the other PA functions.  “What I do” is very amorphous, basically based on what needs doing.

Geographically, I am not located on one of the coasts.

FLiP: Tell me as much about your background as you're willing to share. I'm especially curious about your education; what was your undergraduate major? Do you have a graduate degree?

Meet-A-FLiP: Elizabeth Goldberg

Meet Elizabeth Goldberg, a DC FLiP who practices philanthropy in both her career and her volunteer experiences.  As someone who sees both sides of the donation, Elizabeth talks about her experiences with the Master Chorale of Washington, the Epilepsy Foundation of America, and how life and education have prepared her for where she is today.

Future Leaders in Philanthropy (FLiP): Tell us a little about yourself: where you went to school, what you majored in, and the interests that led you to a job in philanthropy.

Elizabeth Goldberg (EG): I went to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts where I majored in American Studies and focused my research on race, ethnicity, and performative identity. I also completed coursework at Amherst College and Georgetown University. I have always been inspired by philanthropy and a value impressed upon me by my family growing up to take an active role as a donor in your community.

My career was largely informed, however, by my participation in a summer program that focused on the role of philanthropy and voluntary service in American life. Although my entire work background until that time had been in direct service, I was placed in a development internship at the Washington National Opera. At that point I realized that development really played to my strengths: working with all types of constituencies, focusing on writing and analytical thinking, networking with individuals, and even competition, too. Development is what allows nonprofits to complete the amazing work that they do through programs and services, or performances and education in the case of the arts—and that inspired me.