Gift Economy

A Tutorial for a Basic Understanding of Gift Economy

As our non-profit organization, Bread for the Journey, continues to work to

“Nurture the seed of generosity that exists in every human heart” we take
note of people and practices that help to support our vision and work in the
world. We’ve recently developed a relationship with Nipun and Guri Mehta,
founders of Charity Focus who have modeled and taught us about the heart
of “Gift Economy” and its practices. This paper is an attempt to introduce
Gift Economy to you or enhance what you may already know about it. We
welcome anything you may wish to add to the conversation.

This was presented at Bread for the Journey’s 2009 Gathering of the
Chapters retreat in Austin, Texas. Throughout the paper, there will be links
to short video clips. We encourage you to watch each 3-4 minute video at
the time it is introduced. This is how the paper was presented and there was
a lot of discussion throughout. It’s fun to watch the films with a group of
people and talk about them. Perhaps you can do it as a group at one of your
Board Meetings. Cathey Capers, chapter leader of our Austin BFJ chapter,
had an idea to present it to a large number of people at a local center in
Austin – perhaps a gathering of donors and grantees and friends. I offer it to
you to use as you wish. Have fun and good luck.

If you have ideas for improvement, please let me know and we can add
things to make this a collaborative tutorial.

Warmly,
Marianna Cacciatore
Executive Director
Bread for the Journey
 ~~~

Gift Economy from Wikipedia:

“In the social sciences, a gift economy (or gift culture) is a society where
valuable goods and services are regularly given without any explicit agreement
for immediate or future rewards (i.e. there is no formal quid pro quo)

Some elements of a gift economy continue to exist even within the context of the
contemporary world economy. For example, small-scale gift economies exist in
most families, with gifts of time, money, nourishment, shelter, and expertise being
given without any overt negotiation of reciprocal behavior. …

Aspects of gift economies also exist among religious groups. Amongst the Amish,
"Barn Raising" is a form of gift giving to others in the community. In Islamic
societies, the free gift of alms is a religious requirement, which has made social
"foundations" an important part of Muslim communities.

The blood bank system prevalent in several countries, including the United States,
gives no significant explicit reciprocation for donations of blood. Most organ
donation systems give no compensation of any sort to the donor or their family;
payment in this matter is often considered suspect, even criminal.

Regiving networks are becoming very common in on-line forums where people
offer items to anyone who wants them. These networks usually prohibit any form
of quid pro quo. They generally operate at a local level, using volunteers to act as
administrators to help run the forums. Freecycle is one popular example of such a
network.

Information gift economy

Information is particularly suited to gift economies, as information is a nonrival

good and can be gifted at practically no cost...

• The Wikipedia web-based collaborative encyclopedia is, in most of

its operations, a gift economy. Millions of articles are available on
Wikipedia, and none of their innumerable authors and editors receives any
material reward.

• Free schools are an example of educational opportunities in a gift

economy. Members of a community share skills, information, and
knowledge outside of institutional control.

• A gift economy is an important cornerstone of the give-away shop.

 • Couch Surfing and Hospitality Club communities offer to host
travelers for free.

• BookCrossing "the practice of leaving a book in a public place to

be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise."

Charity Focus is a Gift Economy organization which offers inspiring

information on the web through its many portals – Daily Good; Helping
Others; Karma Tube, with more to come in the near future. In my opinion,
adopting the practices of gift economy will enhance ones generous nature. It
turns up the volume and gently invites us out of our comfort zone where the
hands-on learning occurs.

In a society that is based on quid pro quo, giving with no strings attached
forces you to re-think how and why you give and serve. Trust moves to the
forefront of our thoughts and interactions. Traditional customs teach that if
we give something to someone, that person should reciprocate – from
holiday gifts to invitations to dinner. In gift economy, we give to someone
with no expectation of return to us. We are hoping they will be inspired to
perhaps give to someone else who gives with no strings attached, then they
give to another, which inspires more giving and, in the end, everyone is
lifted and inspired. This is called “paying it forward.” Silas Hagarty, whose
film company, Smooth Feather productions, is a gift economy business, said
“Inspiration is the currency of Gift Economy.”

Gift Economy is not new. In fact, in Mali, one of the most cash poor nations
in the world, Gift Economy has been thriving for thousands of years. I
believe Gift Economy and the concept of paying it forward is getting a lot of
airplay these days because as greed and power have gotten out of hand, its
counter-balance must come into high relief. The first set of short film clips
will show you 1) examples of gifting and how they have begun to show up
in advertising and 2) simple acts of kindness that have “caught on” with the
public, and are being done with regularity.

Show Liberty Mutual Commercial, Starbucks, Gas Station Pay It

Forward and Mali Gift Economy Film.

Pay It Forward – Liberty Mutual

 http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=20

Pay In Forward in Loveland, Colorado Starbucks

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1393

Gas Station Pay It Forward

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5qJ2lO2csg

Mali – Gift Economy

http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1569

Gift Economy turns the conventional practice of “I give to you; you give to
me” on its head and replaces it with the practice of “I give to you, you give
to someone else” or “Someone gave to me so I will give to someone else”.
Just as Pay It Forward is a phrase is being used a lot by the proponents of
Gift Economy, other phrases and words are springing up in films,
advertising, print, etc.

• Random Acts of Kindness

• Karma
• Trust
• Give Freely

Bread for the Journey has been doing a type of Gift Economy since its
inception in 1988 in northern New Mexico, and on a national scale since
1997:
• The National headquarters gives a group of volunteers in a city 501
(c) 3 status with the IRS, plus articles and by-laws as a gift. They are
able, then, to form a Bread for the Journey Chapter in their locale.
• Provides training to chapter members at no charge, including travel
expenses.
• Provides each board member a Manual for how to run a small
philanthropic organization in their town.
• Volunteer run chapters are now prepared to give micro-grants to
people and programs in their town in a Gift Economy manner - with
no strings attached.
• The National office provides and manages a central website at no
charge which includes links for anyone to donate to a chapter.
 • The National headquarters is available daily for support and guidance
in decision-making at no charge.
• An annual retreat is organized and hosted by the National
Headquarters, and the hard costs are split evenly among the
attendants. BFJ does not include the planning costs into the fee that is
charged. That significant portion is gifted.

Bread for the Journey gives to you, then you “Pay-It-Forward” to the people
in your community by offering grants and other types of support with no
strings attached.

• What are all the ways your BFJ chapter pays-it-forward?

View Aravind Hospital Film (Contact BFJ office for how you can
procure a copy of this film. 415-383-4600)

Time for a short break. Fresh air, snacks, conversation.

Return from break.

Show films from Smooth Feather Productions

– a Gift Economy Film Business founded by Silas Hagerty.

There is a flood of activity in young people today who are using the internet
to create significant impact in areas of interest – from wells that can provide
clean water to impoverished communities in Africa and Southeast Asia, to
schools in remote villages, to environmental stewardship of pristine land and
water. Their youthful enthusiasm combined with the power of reaching
many people from around the world via the internet has created a perfect
environment for explosive growth. Below are just two links to videos that
highlight this effort. I encourage you to add more as you become aware of
them.

Show The September Birthdays (Charity:Water)

Born In September (Charity:Water)
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1344

Show The Girl Effect

The Girl Effect
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1374