Giving 2.0™ Guide: Social Change Goal

Overview

A social change goal outlines both the value you hope to create with your assets, financial and/or nonfinancial, and how you intend to achieve your desired impact. You may have myriad social change goals across different issue areas or one specific goal within a singular issue that aligns with your philanthropic values. The scope of your assets, environmental context and the issues you seek to address will inform the structure and focus of your social change goals.

A social change goal will clearly articulate a desired outcome, target population and action.

  • Desired Outcomes: What are the results you hope to achieve?

  • Target Population: Who will you create value for and with?

  • Action: How will you create social change?

“Your social change goal outlines the value and impact you aspire to create with your resources and specifically how you intend to create that value—that is, how specifically you will translate your values into action.

Ideally you will start with your social change goal—that is, the impact you want to create—and then you’ll work backwards. This process isn’t necessarily linear—its creation will be organic. Likely you’ll know what the external conditions are and the resources you can deploy and have access to upfront. It’s critical that the scope of your social change goal is viable given the scope of your resources.”

-Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Stanford GSBGEN 581, 2020

The following examples of social change goals come from current and former Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Foundation (LAAF.org) staff and leadership.

Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, LAAF.org Founder

Philanthropic Purpose: To democratize access to high-quality philanthropic educational experiences, programs and resources.

Social Change Goal 1: A new generation of students are trained in strategic philanthropy and give in a way that matters more.

  • Desired Outcome: Philanthropy educators utilize the resources I created in their philanthropy classes, and new educators teach new philanthropy classes with those resources. 

  • Target Population: Educators at other institutions interested in teaching philanthropy and their students. 

  • Action: Creating the definitive body of academic case studies on strategic philanthropy in higher education by writing and publishing 50+ philanthropy cases and accompanying teaching notes, Giving Guides and expert videos—and doing so in a way that is free (including holding a philanthropy education summit, inviting everyone teaching the subject nationally and some international instructors and presenting/giving the resources to them); developing and sharing giving and social change curriculum for high school educators to inspire the future generation of social change leaders.

Social Change Goal 2: Provide online, accessible education on how to give in a higher-impact way.

  • Desired Outcome: Individuals make better giving decisions and thus create greater social value with whatever resources they have. 

  • Target Population: Individuals of all resource levels who want greater impact in their giving. 

  • Action: Taking Giving 2.0 book content and condensing it into an easily accessible online learning format; filming and marketing the Giving 2.0 MOOC on Coursera; developing and sharing expert videos with industry leaders.

Sarina Beges-Thysen, Former LAAF.org Executive Director

Philanthropic Purpose: To transform organizations so working mothers can be equally if not more successful than their male-identifying counterparts. 

Social Change Goal: Create online learning content with tools and tactics to train individuals and organizations on building workplace cultures and practices that better support the needs of the 21st-century family.

  • Desired Outcome: Working women learn how to be more strategic in navigating the complex balance of work and family so they can be more successful in the workplace; workplaces adjust their norms and values to fully embrace the realities of the 21st-century family.

  • Target Population: Organizations that want to attract and retain high-performing women; working mothers who want to have equally successful careers and families.

  • Action: Generating new leadership development content and repurposing existing content into new and innovative formats across multimedia platforms.

Candace Jones (GSB ‘18), Former Interim LAAF.org Executive Director

Philanthropic Purpose: To provide professional and financial stability to Black womxn through increased access to leadership and business ownership opportunities.

Social Change Goal: Use digital media and technology to empower Black womxn with three key resources for professional success: content, connection and capital.

  • Desired Outcome: Increase the number of Black womxn business owners in California. 

  • Target Population: Black womxn entrepreneurs and content creators in the Northern California East Bay.

  • Action: Creating digital spaces to access and exchange information, networks and capital required for career advancement, including blogs, podcasts and social media communities.

Keith Calix, Former LAAF.org Chief of Staff

Philanthropic Purpose: To create a future where all young people, especially the most vulnerable, are prepared to lead healthy, stable and productive lives.

Social Change Goal: Provide targeted mentorship to low-income and first-generation students to increase college success rates.

  • Desired Outcome: First-generation and low-income youth successfully complete postsecondary education with the confidence, skills and networks needed to thrive.

  • Target Population: First-generation and low-income youth from E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.,  who lack access to mentor networks.

  • Action: Mentoring low-income and first-generation youth from E.L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. to and through college.

Maeve Richards, Former LAAF.org Program Associate

Philanthropic Purpose: To galvanize civic engagement to create more effective governing bodies in the United States.

Social Change Goal: Empower voters in Texas to advocate and participate in creating a more representative government.

  • Desired Outcome: Higher voter turnout and better public understanding of state legislation.

  • Target Population: College-age unregistered voting population in South Austin, Texas. 

  • Action: Supporting voter registration efforts and public information campaigns.

Marly Carlisle, Former LAAF.org Program Associate

Philanthropic Purpose: To ensure people from all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal opportunity and access to housing.

Social Change Goal:  Spotlight and elevate the voices of unhoused individuals in the Bay Area through Housing First–inspired advocacy and policy change.

  • Desired Outcome: Everyone and anyone who seeks shelter in Redwood City can acquire it without unreasonable burden. 

  • Target Population: Chronically unhoused individuals in the Bay Area, specifically Redwood City, California.

  • Action: Supporting the creation and implementation of Housing First policies and regulations in the Bay Area by promoting research and engaging in local advocacy and community organizing.