"Corporate Social Investing" is a breakthrough guide for businesses planning their corporate giving strategies, as well as a valuable fundraising tool for nonprofit organizations seeking corporate support. It reflects the current groundswell of interest in the topic prompted by recent discussions in Congress and the Security and Exchange Commission, which indicated more future constraints on corporate philosophy.
I live in a crow's nest. I see miracles and misery virtually every day. It's the nature of what I do. You see, most of my professional life has been about using hundreds of millions of dollars of other people's money to try to make a dent in some our worst-case social problems. Some of what I've done has missed the mark but once and awhile, there's a home run. And that's what keeps me coming back to the philanthropy arena. While I'm there, I jot down notes that work their way into business books such as "Smart Giving Is Good Business." -- and even novels like "Book of Nathan" that stars a nonprofit manager and ends at a charity's testimonial dinner.
"Smart Giving Is Good Business" (Jossey-Bass/Wiley) culminates 30-plus years of working in the corporate philanthropy arena. I've been privy to some extraordinary corporate giving initiatives. At the same time, I've heard every reason on earth as to why too many businesses aren't doing more to help society. I've watched corporate philanthropy as a percentage of profits drop nearly in half over the past two decades. Time has come to turn the tide. "Smart Business" may rattle a few cages but it also should shake out another $7 billion to $8 billion a year in corporate grants. We'll see.
"Book of Nathan" is my first attempt at fiction made marketable by master editor Richard Marek. The novel is about a sleazy fundraiser (I've met more than a few), a down-and-out college professor (I keep in touch with one or two), an over-the-top lawyer (everyone knows one of those) and a hooker (I plead innocent). These are people who've come in and out of my life. So I've used them to tinker with the Bible and what it might say about when the soul enters the body -- the line in the sand for pro life and pro choice forces. A cast of zany characters fiddling with a social and religious hot button. All of which explains why Publishers Weekly calls the book "a wild ride."
When not writing or consulting, I climb back to my crow's nest and look around. There's a lot to see. I take time to admire my wife, nine grandchildren, five kids and two dogs (standard poodle and miniature Australian shepherd. I study the human condition with all its wonders and warts. And I take more notes. A lot more notes. Who knows -- maybe there's another book in there somewhere.
