Sublime

Meanwhile, he forced a reassessment of the organization’s programs, which were both plentiful and ineffective. Mollenhauer asked: Which of our programs are delivering on our mission? And which are providing a financial contribution? Programs that did neither were discontinued, no matter how well-intentioned.

Tragedy without modern precedent was all around us, and yet it felt as if there was nothing big anyone could do about it except wear a red ribbon or go to an AIDS gala dinner. I didn’t feel like sitting in a hotel banquet room or dabbling in symbolism.

Rich people’s control of nonprofit funding keeps nonprofits from doing work that is threatening to the status quo, or from admitting the limits of their strategies.

Although targeted toward a single charity, the assertion exemplifies the illogical yet widely held view that money not spent directly on what is perceived as “the cause” is money not spent on the cause at all.