As one of the founders of the annual GivingTuesday charity contribution campaign, Henry Timms is viewed as one of the nonprofit sector’s big thinkers.  He has teamed up with Jeremy Heimans to write New Power - How Movements Build, Thrive, and Ideas Catch Fire in Our Hyper Connected World. New Power lays out the one of the most important skills of the 21^st century: the ability to harness the power of the connected world.  It lays out  essential tools for organizations to be successful in the future – from how to spread a charity’s ideas to making change in an organization, and how to lead.  It will help organizations and its leaders get ahead of change.  

I am especially fascinated by this book because my career evolved under the old power structure, where central authorities with massive amounts of capital, talent and knowledge controlled the world, in the form of governments, businesses and large scale social service entities that acted as intermediaries.  Small entities and individuals had great difficulty competing for a share of the power.  While these large centrally controlled entities still have great advantage, they are pressed in the new world to collaborate in asymmetrical ways to stay on top. New power is enabled by the hyper connected world, the ability of us to work, play and learn with people everywhere without intermediaries. Connectivity in combination with ubiquitous information makes possible lower entry points for collaboration, innovation and the production of power. Smaller entities and people can do what only larger organizations could years ago.  

This should be music to the more nimble and under resourced charities.  By exercising new power organizations can reduce the risk of experimentation, transaction costs for working together and maybe solve some pressing societal problems.  This book explains why some groups are falling behind and others are leaping ahead. 

Video of the Week 

As part of our Building Trust Video Series, we are pleased to provide a video featuring Kim Callinan, CEO, Compassion & Choices (a BBB Accredited Charity) that seeks to provide education, advocacy, media outreach and litigation to expand end-of-life options and improve medical care. The organization reports it works nationwide in state legislatures, Congress, courts, medical settings and communities to empower people with information and tools, including its free consultation program, to receive healthcare that is consistent with their values and priorities as they approach the end of life.  

Recent Reports 

We are always working with charities to publish or update reports for donors. Visit Give.org or local BBBs to check out any charity before giving. Our recently evaluated charities include:

• Episcopal Relief and Development
• Preeclampsia Foundation
• Trees, Water and People 

Finally, remember to let us know by going to https://give.org/ask-us-about-a-charity1/ if you are  interested in seeing a report on a charity not on the list and we will do our best to produce one.   

H. Art Taylor, President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance