BookPastor >> "People Raising" (William P. Dillon)

Raising funds is less about money but more about the people we are investing in. This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on May 7th, 2014. 

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TITLE: People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Funds
AUTHOR: William P. Dillon
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2012, (240 pages).

Fund raising again? If you are familiar with non-profits, you will be familiar with the constant request for money and donations by various organizations who call themselves non-profits. From educational institutions to ecological interest groups; school functions to various altruistic purposes, fund-raising is a necessary evil to some but a critical source of survival for many. For all the great plans and powerful visions, the mission will fail if there is no fuel to sustain its activities. For many Christian organizations, just the word "fund-raising" would lead to a 50% decline in interest both ways. For the one raising funds, it seems more like a chore. For the prospect being approached, it appears to be another of those money-seeking requests in the name of charity.

That is why this book is such an important contribution to change our mindsets, our motivational skills, and our master strategies to help fulfill the bigger picture of any non-profit organization or group. William Dillon is a founder and president of an organization called "People Raising." This group provides guidance and training to help non-profits, especially Christian organizations to raise support for their work. In an aptly named book, raising funds is secondary. Raising people is primary. This book is now into its second edition aims to show us that money should not be the key focus. The key focus must be to build people up for the kingdom of God.

A Simple Financial Diagnosis - Victoria Grant

This 12-year old girl created an Internet sensation when she first made this speech at a Rotary club. CBC reported this as "12 year old girl blasts Canada's banks." Her speech has also gone viral on Youtube, currently nearing a million hits. In the video, Victoria Grant first raises a few promising questions to generate some excitement among the audience. She then dissects the current problem of the financial system in Canada, even bringing up some of the past financial facts to back up her claim. Toward the end, she offers a simple solution that leaves the audience split but amazed at how a young girl can know so much and is able to present the problem cum solution in a clear and thoughtful manner. Hey! She even quotes Jesus and the money changers according to the gospels.

Some people question the source of her speech, with many pointing out that it was her dad who helps craft the speech. Others say that her diagnosis and theory is a re-hashed version of a similar idea broached a hundred years ago. Still, others consider her a child prodigy destined for a bright financial future. Whatever the stand, I think she deserves a lot of credit not just for understanding the financial debt market, but to be able to clearly articulate her understanding for a public audience. Whether she is right or wrong, whether the financial solutions she present is idealistic or realistic, we never really know. Come to think of it, modern financial systems are way too complicated now. There is no silver bullet solution. However, that does not mean we stop trying to find one.



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