The Challenge of Being a Donor

  I recently got an email from a reader frustrasted by how little he has learned after 30 years of being a donor to international developement causes. With his permission, … more Blood & Milk…

Giving on the Street

I have spent my adult life confronted by people asking me for money on the street. In college in Washington DC, as a young graduate in Cairo, a grad student … more Blood & Milk…

Tapping the Fanatical Surplus

I have a confession to make: I am a fan. I read fan fiction. I participate in Livejournal communities. I have actually written fan fiction on occasion. It’s been a … more Blood & Milk…

Humbling Hospitality Experiences

1) I once did a focus group with women in rural Tajikistan, talking about increasing hunger and food insecurity. The women told terrible, desperate stories, of burning fruit trees for … more Blood & Milk…

Keep your banana to yourself

I read a blog post tonight about giving to beggars in India. The writer said that if you give them food instead of money, they will sell it back to … more Blood & Milk…

Oprah’s Big Give, and what’s wrong with it

This is a remarkably good post about what’s wrong with Oprah’s Big Give. The comments, however, are some of the lamest I have ever seen. They run the gamut, from … more Blood & Milk…

Why NGOs need overhead

http://www.charitygovernance.com/charity_governance/2008/01/an-alternative.html – This is a really nice explanation of why NGOs and charities need their overhead costs and why donors should donate to cover them.