Teaching the art, science, and business of philanthropy to the next generation of community leaders & providing the knowledge, resources, and empowerment for them to lead positive community impact.
3 Pillars | 2 Years | 1 Goal
With the help of our unique, innovative, and robust licensed curriculum, TPI Affiliate Programs teach and empower youth in the Three Pillars of Philanthropy:
Grantmaking
In the first year, youth participants learn about the nonprofit sector, they conduct a root cause analysis of their community, and they take the lead on a grantmaking process—researching local organizations, conducting site visits, and ultimately deciding how to allocate funds.
Fundraising
In the second year, youth participants learn about fundraising and the importance of building and maintaining relationships. They run their own fundraising campaign through written appeals, events, personal asks, and grant writing, with the intent to create a self-sustaining program.
Strategic Volunteerism
Across the two years, youth participants engage in different strategic volunteering opportunities depending on the needs and opportunities within their community in order to affect positive change beyond the dollar.
Pedagogical Model and the Philanthropic Mindset
The Three Pillars Initiative (TPI) program paradigm is based on the Gold Standard Project Based Learning (PBL) model. It is a teaching model in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period to investigate and respond to an authentic and complex question, problem or challenge. PBL engages students in learning that is deep and long lasting to inspire in them a love of learning and provide a personal connection to their attainment of skills and knowledge.
While money is the coin of the philanthropic realm, the broader notion of authentic philanthropy is defined more by one’s personal values and less by one’s personal wealth. Our program model nurtures a philanthropic mindset consisting of social responsibility, problem solving, relationship building, and resourcefulness in students which is both a major goal and a significant outcome of the program. Instilling this mindset in students can lead them to a life-long commitment to philanthropy.
Long-term Vision
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The program is initiated with the selection of up to 25 high school juniors who submit a formal application, respond to an essay question and complete an in-person interview. The cohort selected is committed to fully participate in the program during their junior and senior years of high school. Adult community volunteer mentors who are trained in the program curriculum deliver the learning content and also provide an important intergenerational learning aspect to the experience. Student fund raising activities utilize proven methods of gift solicitation and the student charitable giving experience which includes an RFP-designed process, site visits and consensus-driven decision making. Service projects are planned, organized and carried out by students to address local unmet needs and service gaps. An annual capstone ceremony in which the work of these teens is recognized by the community also encourages their continuing participation in community philanthropy.
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Students continue their philanthropic education while they pursue their college degree, building on the knowledge and skills they gained through the high school program. Students select and engage in both on-campus and off-campus community philanthropy activities including the creation of new initiatives. Such activities are chronicled in a quarterly online publication which not only recognizes their work but also provides continuing education about current philanthropic trends, issues and practices. During winter and summer college breaks. these students gather in a conference-like setting to share their leadership experiences, develop their philanthropic skills and continue to bond with each other. These college students also serve as resources for high school juniors and seniors by sharing their student experiences on campus as well as academic life.
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Upon college graduation, each student automatically becomes a member of a program career network whose organizing principles are focused on building mutual support as leaders in community philanthropy. As they begin the journey along their early career paths and settle into their communities, these young adults continue to be afforded opportunities to learn and to take on leadership roles. By the time they reach their 25th birthday, they will have had 10 years of hands-on experience in community philanthropy. Over time this will result in a virtual pipeline of next generation leaders in the community who hold key volunteer positions, sit on nonprofit boards, raise money for worthy causes, and participate in important civic activities. Annual career networking events continue to bring them together around philanthropic and community engagement initiatives.
