Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Avoiding
inby Thomas
Philanthropy the Madonna Effect
J. Tierney and Joel Fleishman
April 05, 2011
The Fishers committed $15 million over three years to help KIPP
start to achieve its national ambitions. From their frequent
communication with the organization’s leaders, they ealized that
KIPP needed more than direct contributions to make a real
difference in kids’ lives. For starters, the schools had to have the
right teachers and principals to succeed. Where were they to be
found? When the Fishers learned that two-thirds of KIPP
principals were alumni of Teach for America, they began to make
big gifts to help that organization grow. Today, 28% of KIPP
teachers are teachers or alumni from Teach for America.
The Fishers also worked with KIPP to create a year-long program
to prepare individuals to open and lead high-performing KIPP
schools. Through such programs, KIPP has developed and
retained its outstanding faculty, and 73% of KIPP school leaders
began as KIPP teachers. The Fishers and KIPP also strove to learn
what was working and what wasn’t. When bad news came, they
wanted it unvarnished. KIPP’s public, annual report card, which
publishes the results of every KIPP school, was Don Fisher’s idea.
The results speak for themselves: Since 2000, KIPP has grown to
99 schools in 19 states plus Washington, D.C., teaching more than
26,000 students. A total of 95% of students that complete eighth
grade with KIPP graduate from high school, versus the national
average of less than 70%. Also, 88% of KIPP eighth-grade
graduates have gone on to college, far above the national average,
which is below 50%. KIPP is nationally recognized as the gold
standard in charter education.
Flashy failures make the headlines. But more than ever, engaged
donors like the Fishers are setting a high bar for themselves and
working to create powerful results. They recognize that while
generosity — giving big — is clearly valued, it is essential for
society that philanthropists also give smart. By doing so, they
bring themselves the deep joy that come from using one’s gifts to
the fullest.
TT
Thomas J. Tierney is chairman and co-founder
of The Bridgespan Group and former
worldwide managing director of Bain &
Company. Joel Fleishman is a professor of law
and public policy at Duke University. Their new
book, Give Smart: Philanthropy That Gets
Results, was released by PublicAffairs.