Social Responsibility Experiment

R. Buckminster Fuller pointed out that the best social programs are ones that nurture creative, balanced, peaceful children because then they grow up to participate in healthy societies.

My understanding is that children who learn to draw, read music, write creative fiction, and collaborate in inventing games are the ones who learn to become creative problem-solvers, leaders, and productive contributors.

I told myself I'd raise $50,000 this year for Arts Education in Public Grade Schools. Because I believe in it.
Then, I found (it found me actually) a Cause on Facebook: Keep the Arts In Public Schools.

A few days later, money I'd planned to give to Uncle Sam ended up being returned to me. Plus some.
So, what better to do with returned taxes? Create a credit for this year, AND, benefit my cause of choice for the year.

Win/win/win.

Cause has resources
I feel great supporting a cause and paying less taxes
Uncle Sam has less future financial liabilities to deny responsibility for

Love those win/win/win situations.

I was feeling great about donating a (for me) large sum all at once, not knowing what it would feel like when it was done. I posted my donation, followed the prompts and was taken to a page called 'Hall of Fame' where I learned I was the top contributor in the history of the cause (on Facebook).

Wow. I don't remember the last time I did something and found out it was number one by accident. But very quickly, what I'd chosen to do for personal reasons, and perhaps to inspire some action by others, I noticed wasn't inspiring the activity I'd hoped to see.

I knew I wanted to create a big impact, so I'd have to take a big step. I didn't know my big step would be the biggest in the history of the Cause. But I was happy.

Since my goal is so much bigger than I could reasonably do by myself, I figured I'd need to inspire help. I've only gotten people inspired by things I do, not things I'm going-to-do...

So I plopped down the biggest chunk I've ever dropped hoping to inspire other people to take a risk, support something, feel good for setting their own concerns aside for a moment.

But most people were too shocked.

Some supportive, "Way to go!" and, "Wow!"

Most responses were, "If I had extra money, I'd do the same."

There was nothing extra about the donation I made. There was a choice, a commitment, a sacrifice, a cost, and a greater reward knowing that I dictate the direction money goes, and not the other way around.

Since I didn't see a lot of response right away, and I didn't want to give up, I asked for some guidance about what to do next. I remembered seeing a Pledge Match option in the set-up.

-- Great feature -- could hold a few more details, but overall, really puts a little life into a cause.

It's the same as with my son. I help him see the big picture. He gets motivated.

"Son, you know if you finish baseball practice on time and do everything the coach says, you'll have time for an extra chapter in the book we're reading tonight." It's the, here's-what's-possible-when-you-stretch-in-completing-what-you-start perspective.

So, I set-up a pledge match... Essentially $3k in 5 days. Only I set the match up wrong and put in 4 days.

Still we got to 60% of our goal before the Pledge Match automatically shut down (durn, computers, er, doing what they're told).

Anyway, I decided to re-write the Pledge Match. This time, $7k in 15 Days. A little more doable, and now, just days after throwing up the original Pledge Match, and making sure to thank every person who joined or donated, we're seeing growth rates increase dramatically. (I'm not an administrator, just a passionate member like you).

So now, I have several ideas for pushing this Cause past my personal goal.

We've passed $10,000 today, and I've taken the opportunity to thank the primary Fundraisers, Contributors, and Recruiters in the Cause asking them to share news of the victory in their circles.

We'll see what kind of results that spawns.

Additionally, I'm considering coordinating a Day of Giving. I believe that if we pick a certain day and time, and remind people to participate, with over 750,000 members today, we could get everyone to donate $1 at the same time and have a serious impact on Facebook Causes, on Arts Education in Public Schools, and on digital donation as a whole.

Lastly, I'm curious to know if anyone out in InSocialMedia-land has other methods of communicating with or about Causes that really help galvanize people and create radical results that get people's attention.

This is a really fun way to learn about marketing communication for altruistic purposes. There's so much real-time discussion.

Thanks in advance to anyone who has guidance for me.

I'm enjoying playing in the fun(d)-raising world.

Feel free to play with me.


Gandhi once said, "If we are to reach real peace in this world, we shall have to begin with the children."