Design/Build Philanthropy: From Vision to Impact
- Marc Pollick
- Sep 25
- 5 min read
By Marc Pollick, President & Founder, The Giving Back Fund
As Aristotle once said, "To give away money is an easy matter, and in any man’s power (and woman's power---shame on you Aristotle--have you not heard of MacKenzie Scott!). But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s (and woman's) power-nor an easy matter. Hence it is that such excellence is rare, praiseworthy and noble."
Like any other worthwhile endeavor, philanthropy requires knowledge, foresight, vision and skills. To be really successful and have maximum impact, it also requires a well thought out strategy and a goals-aligned structure. At The Giving Back Fund (GBF), we call this process Design/Build Philanthropy. We take a donor's idea and help to actualize it through Best Practices in philanthropy into a tangible reality anywhere in the world. Below are some compelling real-world examples of this approach:
Building a Movement from Day One: The October 7th Coalition
Actress Patricia Heaton founded the October 7th Coalition after the Hamas attack on Israel to galvanize Christians to support the Jewish people by opposing rising antisemitism in the wake of the attack.
Patricia's idea was powerful, urgent and motivated by true passion. Within days of its founding, GBF partnered with her team to transform vision into reality through our Design Build Philanthropy approach.
GBF provided immediate 501(c)(3) status and the infrastructure for sustainable growth. Within a month, they were able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars, ensuring that their vital mission had the resources to launch effectively. Beyond the dollars, we created a comprehensive timeline and growth plan that mapped out immediate priorities and long-term milestones. That blueprint included creating operational systems, defining governance, and strategically planning the Coalition’s first major fundraiser. A plan was developed that supported early progress and ensured that the organization could meet the needs of its rapidly expanding community of supporters.
The October 7th Coalition’s launch shows how intentional design from day one can accelerate both fundraising and impact and demonstrates the essence of Design/Build Philanthropy: starting at the moment of inception, co-creating the architecture of an organization, and ensuring that passion is paired with practical, scalable structures.
An Incurable Childhood Disease
In 2015, a well-known Hollywood director and his wife came to GBF with a problem. Tragically, their two young daughters had an incurable and fatal neurodegenerative disease called Batten Disease---like ALS but in children. Less than 100 children in the world were known to have the disease making it an orphan disease. But if two of those children are yours, that is all that matters. A plan was quickly developed to create the Charlotte and Gwyneth Gray Foundation to Cure Batten Disease and set out to find a cure. First, we recruited some of the top neuroscientists in the world to help guide the effort. Then, using the Gray's powerful and generous Hollywood network of A-list stars and influencers, a national fundraising and awareness campaign was launched. More than 35,000 donations were received in the first year from throughout the country. Most importantly, an FDA approved clinical trial was initiated to search for a treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. There is still no cure, but the search goes on and the Grays have created their own 501(c)(3) and a school--The Gray Academy for Exceptional Children with Neurological Disorders for children with special needs in Santa Monica, California.
✨ People Advocating Sexual Safety (PASS)
There is a growing concern that sexual assaults on college campuses and elsewhere have become an epidemic. Both actual assaults and false accusations can have lasting effects on the lives of those involved. PASS (People Advocating for Sexual Safety) is the brainchild of a young entrepreneur who was impacted as a high school student and who created a revolutionary App to allow two individuals to both give or deny consent before having sexual relations. The mission of PASS is to prevent sexual violence by empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate intimacy safely and responsibly. Alex Ott, PASS Founder, has been at the forefront of developing systems that address sexual misconduct with empathy and precision. This work serves as a model for evolving our understanding of accountability, empowerment and prevention.
The Giving Back Fund created a foundation around this survivor-centered initiative to stand up its infrastructure and messaging, including a podcast and managing their first fundraiser. By taking on administrative and compliance responsibilities and offering strategic guidance, GBF enables PASS to focus on programs addressing rape prevention and consent education. PASS's vision is for a future where advocacy is no longer necessary--because respect, communication, and safety are the norm.
✨ Tribe of Nova Foundation
News of the October 7, 2023 attack at Israel’s Nova Music Festival—a celebration of music and peace and joy—drew widespread concern and shocked people worldwide. Hundreds of young festival attendees were brutally murdered and more than 250 hostages taken by Hamas. The stories of the survivors were harrowing as was the cell phone video footage taken of the massacre in real time. It needed to be seen to be believed. And the survivors, and their families, and the families of the hostages needed help.
The Festival organizers, some of whom survived, created an exhibit of the massacre that was put on display in Tel Aviv. But the story of that day, and of the hostages left behind, needed to be shared with the world. Exhibit organizers came to GBF to establish a US-based foundation to mount the exhibit in major cities in America and Canada. In less than 2 months the first exhibit opened in 250,000 sq. ft. on Wall Street in New York City. It then moved to Los Angeles, Miami and Toronto and will open in Boston and Chicago this fall. Almost a million people have viewed the exhibit--an exact recreation of the Festival grounds on the day of the attack with actual video footage from victims and survivors and from Hamas---filming as they tortured and murdered. The Exhibit has raised more than $25 Million to help survivors and their families with mental health support and other critical needs. We Will Dance Again is the indomitable theme of the Exhibit and visiting the exhibit provides a truly memorable experience. With support from The Giving Back Fund, the Exhibit’s founders were able to quickly organize large-scale events and develop international partnerships.
Sometimes Design/Build Philanthropy requires responding to a crisis immediately and effectively. During the COVID pandemic, 20 foundations were created to address a multitude of issues and needs that were pandemic related.
If space allowed, there are many more examples, all over the world, of the benefit of Design/Build Philanthropy in executing and amplifying a donor's philanthropic vision and goals. For the donor, philanthropy is deeply meaningful, and ideally, he or she should derive great satisfaction from their efforts and generosity. When done right, few things in life have the power to make a human being feel better.
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