New Trends in Philanthropy Win Comment from Jeff Papows

PHILADELPHIA, PA, June 26, 2013

Dr. Jeff Papows is known for many things--including his role as CEO with tech giant Lotus, his experience as an author, as well his success in the equestrian world. However, Papows is also active in the world of charity, namely through his board member position with Children's Wish Foundation International. He explains that this charity has made a significant impact on the lives of young patients and their families mainly through donations--a monetary resource that can easily be defined as a part of the growing "quantitative philanthropy" trend. While some may continue to attack the virtue of quantitative philanthropy, Papows defends the legitimacy of this approach and how it makes a serious impact.

A recent article from Reuters analyzes this growing trend of quantitative philanthropy, expressing a new culture in which people are becoming focused on actually earning more to give more. And while the author supports the growth of charitable actions, he also expresses concern over the idea that change cannot really be defined by money. While some argue that the more money an organization can give, the more good it is responsible for, Reuters notes that the quantification framework is more about assessing the results and placing that money in spots where it needs to be. Regardless, Dr. Jeff Papows notes that many people tend to vilify those who are "big earners" in the charity world, as the public can often interpret the heads of these charities--or donors--as individuals who are only donating to increase their self-importance.

Having witnessed firsthand what the power of business success can do for charity, Papows notes that it is important to look at the whole picture, rather than quantify how great of results stemmed from the overall resources expended. For example, Reuters notes that while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have made impressive strides, many criticize Gates for not giving more. For Jeff Papows, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is an excellent example of how the public tends to view charitable good in a negative light, when in fact, the overall impact of an organization is beyond the positive, in this case it's fantastic.

"It always amazes me when discussions are had on the subject of giving or taxonomies for affecting the most positive results for the resources expended. Bill Gates like most of what he has done in life, does [his philanthropy] in a very intelligent way, rather than spreading resources around to countless causes which he could clearly do. Instead, he picks a big problem and attacks it by providing vast and focused resources like clean drinking water worldwide, or childhood immunizations. It makes me crazy when the U.S. Government or others vilify his success or Microsoft's market position given that his enterprise changed the way we work and play and his philanthropy is changing the fortunes of people worldwide in focused and dramatic ways. There simply is no better example than the one Bill and his wife have set with the Gates Foundation," Jeff Papows concludes.

ABOUT:

Jeff Papows, PhD, is an exceptional business leader and noted figure in both the tech industry and equestrian community. Former CEO of tech giant Lotus Corporation, Papows is noted for the development, progression and widespread implementation of Lotus Notes--a popular web-based communication application. Today, Papows serves as the President and CEO of WebLayers, Inc., an industry leading company focused on providing solutions in automated governance, as well as in the development and reinforcement of governance policies with regard to IT infrastructures. Papows is also an acclaimed author whose titles include Unbridled Passion, Glitch and Enterprise.com. Engaged in his role as an IT thought leader, Papows remains dedicated to progressing the security and efficiency of today's software and technical solutions.