Comments on: Social Entrepreneur API http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christine Egger http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api/comment-page-1#comment-7778 Christine Egger Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:55:16 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api#comment-7778 Maryann, I love your response and hope you're right -- that the Social Entrepreneur API will bring more people "into the field" of philanthropy. Finding the right fit with a philanthropist will always be a human-centered endeavor. Not surprisingly, I agree with Sean that providing as much information about a social entrepreneur as possible -- including the groups that have supported them in the past, as well as details about the work they're doing and the impact they're having -- can be really beneficial. Sean, your description of a web interface that draws from the Social Entrepreneur API is exactly what the organizations participating in this project want to see – that, and hundreds more, all filtering and distributing whatever data is most relevant for a particular audience. In its current form, the Social Entrepreneur API can already help a philanthropist find someone on the basis of their geographic location, the issues they address, the demographics of those whose lives they impact, and a range of other factors. We've heard from a range of individuals and organizations interested in using the API to find a particular subset of entrepreneurs. The API will also continue to develop both in terms of the award and fellowship programs that participate as well as the information provided about each social entrepreneur. As it does, it will become increasingly helpful to those who want to find a particular kind of social entrepreneur AND better understand the field as a whole – activity, funding, impact, the whole gamut. Maryann, I love your response and hope you’re right — that the Social Entrepreneur API will bring more people “into the field” of philanthropy. Finding the right fit with a philanthropist will always be a human-centered endeavor. Not surprisingly, I agree with Sean that providing as much information about a social entrepreneur as possible — including the groups that have supported them in the past, as well as details about the work they’re doing and the impact they’re having — can be really beneficial. Sean, your description of a web interface that draws from the Social Entrepreneur API is exactly what the organizations participating in this project want to see – that, and hundreds more, all filtering and distributing whatever data is most relevant for a particular audience.

In its current form, the Social Entrepreneur API can already help a philanthropist find someone on the basis of their geographic location, the issues they address, the demographics of those whose lives they impact, and a range of other factors. We’ve heard from a range of individuals and organizations interested in using the API to find a particular subset of entrepreneurs.

The API will also continue to develop both in terms of the award and fellowship programs that participate as well as the information provided about each social entrepreneur. As it does, it will become increasingly helpful to those who want to find a particular kind of social entrepreneur AND better understand the field as a whole – activity, funding, impact, the whole gamut.

]]> By: Maryann Fernandez http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api/comment-page-1#comment-7777 Maryann Fernandez Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:33:34 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api#comment-7777 Absolutely. Hopefully this would be a precursor to people getting out of the boardroom and into the field to experience the amazing adventure philanthropy can be. Look forward to continuing the conversation; now I step into a conference call with a contact in the Maasai Mara. Old fashioned technology still works too. Absolutely. Hopefully this would be a precursor to people getting out of the boardroom and into the field to experience the amazing adventure philanthropy can be. Look forward to continuing the conversation; now I step into a conference call with a contact in the Maasai Mara. Old fashioned technology still works too.

]]> By: Sean Stannard-Stockton http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api/comment-page-1#comment-7776 Sean Stannard-Stockton Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:08:16 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api#comment-7776 I think that's right Maryann. Technology offers great tools, but human connections are still critical. That's why we're building the <ahref ="http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/services/tactical-philanthropy-knowledge-network">Tactical Philanthropy Knowledge Network as a human-centered project and why we think philanthropy advice is best delivered in the context of a relationship with a trusted advisor. But tech tools, are incredibly useful way to shrink the universe into manageable pieces!</ahref> I think that’s right Maryann. Technology offers great tools, but human connections are still critical. That’s why we’re building the Tactical Philanthropy Knowledge Network as a human-centered project and why we think philanthropy advice is best delivered in the context of a relationship with a trusted advisor.

But tech tools, are incredibly useful way to shrink the universe into manageable pieces!

]]> By: Maryann Fernandez http://www.tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api/comment-page-1#comment-7775 Maryann Fernandez Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:48:44 +0000 http://tacticalphilanthropy.com/2009/09/social-entrepreneurship-api#comment-7775 I think tools like this are great and can be used by a variety of philanthropists and advisors in narrowing down a large universe of opportunity. Many of these will be great projects, but fit with a philanthropist is my question. And maybe that's where the advisor comes in with a deeper knowledge of their client and their philosophy and values. For many philanthropists that are looking to make big commitments, their advisor can be their guide. I think there's nothing better than to be able to match a client with a project they can (as a philanthropist friend put it) "walk through life with ...." I think tools like this are great and can be used by a variety of philanthropists and advisors in narrowing down a large universe of opportunity. Many of these will be great projects, but fit with a philanthropist is my question. And maybe that’s where the advisor comes in with a deeper knowledge of their client and their philosophy and values. For many philanthropists that are looking to make big commitments, their advisor can be their guide. I think there’s nothing better than to be able to match a client with a project they can (as a philanthropist friend put it) “walk through life with ….”

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