Culture of Philanthropy

We have all been here before: selling candy bars for a school trip, participating in weekend car washes to support a team, or doing other similar activities to support a cause in a brief and accessible way for community. As APANO’s Development Manager, a new role within the organization, my position can be misunderstood and construed as a “sales representative for a nonprofit.” While the responsibility of the Development team is to raise funds that allow our organization to make progress towards our mission and vision for a just and joyful Oregon for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, another aspect to my work is to build a culture of philanthropy for APANO.

You may be wondering what a “culture of philanthropy” means. Simply put, a culture of philanthropy refers to an organization’s attitude toward philanthropy and fund development. Here at APANO, I’m working diligently with program staff, executive leadership, and our board to create space for all of us to be thankful to our donors and funders in a way that builds long lasting relationships because YOU are a part of our organization. It is my honest opinion that nonprofits need more time to pause and honor supporters who give their time and talent to nonprofits. APANO will be making more strides to make that a reality.

As part of the relationship building in a culture of philanthropy, there will be more intention from us to create a dialogue about how you can support APANO in the ways that are meaningful to you. On our end, we have a vision of creating a rapid response engagement, knowing that moments like the separation of South Asian families being detained in the I.C.E. facility are just a glimpse of the rocky road ahead for our communities. Other possibilities may include scholarship funds for youth who participate in ALLY or ONYCS, and creating an endowment or planned giving program to ensure that APANO can continue to do its great work ahead.

What are your thoughts? Do you want to create and engage philanthropically with APANO in a way we have discovered or engaged before - like hosting a house party, connecting us through your donor-advised fund, or making sure we are on your corporate giving platform? I’m always excited to learn from you and my proverbial door is always open if you want to chat.



This programming message is brought to you by APANO Communities United Fund, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.