My favorite new quote on philanthropy

San Francisco Magazine's Jnauary 2004 issue features a story on The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. In attempting to make the shenanigans at this foundation interesting, the author points to the tight ties between the Board and Staff and big business (ooh...how unusual), makes claim of impressive (er...I mean excessive) spending on the foundation offices, and uncovers an illicit romance within the staff. Not very new stuff, but lots of fun when its all in one place. My favorite quote " If producers of TV reality shows really want to expose the face of human paranoia, they should take their cameras inside San Francisco's philanthropy community. Fear is definitely the factor that keeps people from admitting in public what they're saying in private. Enviros and consultants don't want to spoil their chances of tapping the Moore money well, abd other foundation executives don't want to jeapoardize working with Coleman and crew on a joint grant."

I've joked for years that "Philanthropy Consultant" should be the next new drama series on network TV - haven't we all had enough of emergency rooms and court rooms? and now we finally admit the real twist to making such a profession interesting enough for average TV viewers - fear, paranoia and jealousy. Better yet, sounds like a soap opera.