Voter Education: 6 Keys to Understanding the Nuances of Voting
Voting is a cornerstone of a civically engaged life, offering every person a voice in the collective direction of their community and nation. In an era where information – and misinformation – is at our fingertips, it’s both a privilege and a responsibility to be informed, especially when it comes to our democratic processes.
Casting an informed
vote
isn’t just about choosing a preferred candidate; it’s about understanding how that choice will affect our daily lives for the years to come. Voter education is the avenue that leads to such an informed decision. It is the responsibility of both the individual and the larger societal systems to ensure voters understand the candidates and ballot. Here are some tips on how to become more informed and some resources to help you do so.
The Power of Local Elections
While presidential elections often command a lot of attention, it’s local elections that have the most immediate and tangible impact on our daily lives. In most major cities, fewer than
15% of voters
turn out to vote in their mayoral election. And because there are fewer voters in
local elections
, your vote carries tremendous power.
Elected officials at the local level, from school board members to mayors and city council members, shape policies on everything from public transportation to local taxes to educational reforms and more.
Given the smaller voter pool in local elections, each ballot cast carries more significant weight, making it an invaluable opportunity for individuals to influence their immediate surroundings and advocate for the issues that matter most to them.
Where to Find Resources
To be an informed voter, a little homework is in order. Start by finding out if your state offers an app for voting. Apps can offer access to the upcoming ballot, tell you where to vote, help you update your registration, vote by absentee ballot and more.
To learn more about who and what is on the ballot, check local newspapers and community websites, which frequently offer insightful profiles of candidates and provide breakdowns of local issues. Nonpartisan websites such as
Vote411
offer a comprehensive look at your ballot, from the top offices to the local issues, and provide insights on measures and candidate stances. This resource was launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and tailors election information to your specific location, ensuring you have all the details you need to cast your vote confidently. Similarly,
Ballotpedia
serves as an objective online encyclopedia of neutral, detailed information about elections at all levels.
Interpreting the Ballot
Ballots can sometimes present a challenge to voters, especially when measures are described in dense legal language. To truly grasp the meaning and implications of these measures, voters should turn to nonpartisan resources like the websites listed above or attend local community forums that offer clear and concise explanations.
When researching candidates, it’s beneficial to peruse candidates’ official websites and social media pages. These platforms often provide a candid view of the candidate’s priorities and standpoints on various issues. But what if a candidate doesn’t necessarily have a robust website that answers your questions?
Engage with Local Officials
The beauty of local governance lies in its accessibility. Local officials, unlike their national counterparts, tend to be more reachable and responsive to their constituents. If there’s ever uncertainty about a candidate’s stance on an issue, or if there’s a desire to voice a concern, you shouldn’t hesitate to
send an email
or make a phone call.
This kind of direct engagement not only provides valuable insights but also informs officials about the issues that matter to their community. Additionally, attending town hall meetings or public forums hosted in local community centers, schools or libraries offers a direct channel to engage with and learn from candidates.
Make Sure You’re Registered to Vote
It may sound like an unnecessary step if you’ve
registered to vote
in the past, but it’s not uncommon for voter registrations to be purged. At least
17 million voters
were purged nationwide between 2016 and 2018.
Purging voter rolls is a necessary and important process. Registered voters can be purged for a number of reasons, including death, moving and committing a felony among others. The reason can
vary by state
, but once your record is purged, you become ineligible to cast your ballot. Before the next election,
check
to see if your registration is active.
Now It’s Time to Vote
A thriving democracy relies on the active and informed participation of its citizens. By dedicating time to understanding the local landscape—both the candidates and the issues—you become an integral part of shaping your community’s future direction.
In the realm of local elections, your vote isn’t just a voice; it’s a call to action. As election day approaches, be prepared to wield that power, knowing fully the impact and influence of your choice.
Amplify Your Social Impact: Combine Elements of Points of Light’s Civic Circle®
If you’re looking to amplify your impact as you contribute to social good, start by considering which activities you’re engaging in. The truth is that civic engagement comes in many forms, and by combining various types of efforts, you can make your impact exponential rather than linear.
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
®
is a framework that helps guide individuals to live full civic lives by demonstrating nine different ways to get involved in causes they care about. Today, we’ll cover three of these avenues so you can consider how you might combine them to magnify your efforts and make your impact stretch that much further.
Volunteering
Of course, when many people think of civic engagement, they think of lending their time and talent through
volunteerism
. And for good reason – nonprofit organizations and NGO’s thrive on the collective power of their volunteers. Volunteers enable these organizations to do the best work they can with the resources they’ve been allotted.
It’s a good idea to think through your volunteer activities to ensure they align with your passions, capabilities and schedule. Whether you volunteer once a month for a few hours, a few times a year with a corporate team or every weekend, you are making a difference in the world!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Dallas Smith lends his time and talents as a volunteer pharmacist in his community.
Donating
When you
donate
to a cause or organization you care about, you allow for your dollars or goods to be put to the best use possible to benefit others. Donating allows organizations to continue their mission and spread awareness about a cause area. Donations can also directly benefit recipients – as in the case of a natural disaster.
Be aware that donating is only helpful if the donations – monetary or in-kind – are truly what the organization needs. Unwanted or unneeded donations are often trashed, contributing to waste. So be sure to do your research and ask for what donations are most helpful before you donate!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Sofia Petito collects and makes use of donations in her community.
Using Your Voice
Everyone has the ability to use their
voice
to elevate the causes they care about. Whether you’re sharing information via social media, talking to friends or family members about a specific issue, or marching in a peaceful protest, you can use your voice – which includes your own opinions, perspectives and concerns – as well as contributing to a collective voice rallying around a cause area.
Combining your voice with other types of civic engagement can be a powerful way to make your mission and message louder, clearer or more accessible to others. That said, be mindful that you don’t use the element of voice for performative activism, but rather that you “walk the walk” along with “talking the talk”!
See how Daily Point of Light Award honoree Tristan Espinoza is amplifying the voices of indigenous peoples.
Reclaiming the Public Square: Bringing Communities to the Table
Unlocking the Power of Voice through Community Engagement
The Fourth of July should be a time of reflection about the state of our nation and what we hope for its future, but how do we keep the momentum going year round? Civic engagement requires a renewed commitment to drive real and sustained change in communities worldwide. The work demands an inclusive public square where everyone’s perspectives are heard, valued and leveraged.
Daniel O. Ash
, president of The Field Foundation of Illinois, has a long history of bringing together disparate voices as a strategy for tackling systemic racism. In a recent presentation at the
2023 Points of Light Conference in Chicago
, he highlighted the importance of reactivating the public square as a space for civic discourse, idea exchange and community celebration. Ash emphasized the need to reclaim this space and rebuild the civic relationships that underpin our society.
“I have spent all my career dealing with the various facets of segregation fueled by systemic racism that has plagued our beloved city [of Chicago], while recognizing its brilliant architecture, public art, diverse cultures and civic generosity,” said Ash.
To truly harness the power of voice, it’s essential to ensure that all community members have a seat at the table. The
Points of Light Civic Circle
®
is a framework that helps people connect to opportunities and understand that doing good comes in many forms.
Voice
is one of its most powerful elements, because true change occurs only when everyone’s voices are included and respected.
So, how can we bring communities to the table and activate their voices within the public square?
1. Value Differing Voices
Creating an inclusive public square requires actively seeking diverse perspectives and ensuring a platform for underrepresented voices. This means asking community leaders who have historically been marginalized to lead the conversations. A more comprehensive understanding of the issues that affect communities will, in turn, demand inclusive solutions.
2. Promote Dialogue and Active Listening
Engaging in open and meaningful dialogue is essential for fostering civic engagement across different groups and generations. Encouraging active
listening
builds for empathy for and promotes the sharing of others’ experiences and perspectives. Actively seek opportunities for community members to come together, exchange ideas and engage in constructive conversations.
3. Facilitate Collaborative Decision Making
To activate the power of
voice
, communities need to lead decision-making processes. Ensure that established inclusive and collaborative decision-making mechanisms exist, such as community forums, town halls or advisory committees. Decisions made by a community result in a more active and participatory democracy.
4. Cultivate Community Leadership
Invest in community leadership who share the understanding that inclusivity is crucial for sustaining long-term change. Identify and support emerging leaders, providing resources, training and platforms necessary to amplify their voices and drive positive transformation. By nurturing community leadership, a ripple effect is created, inspiring others to step forward, take action and become advocates for change.
Bringing communities to the table is a fundamental step in activating the power of voice within the Civic Circle framework. By promoting dialogue, facilitating collaborative decision-making, and cultivating community leadership, we can create an inclusive public square that reflects our national communities.
The journey toward a more equitable and just society requires collective action, and by combining elements of the Civic Circle, you can amplify your impact. Each one of us has the power to contribute and make a difference. So, invite others to the table, and reclaim the public square as a space where all voices are valued, heard and respected.
What are your thoughts on activating the power of voice through community engagement? How can we bring communities to the table? Follow us on social media to share your ideas and experiences.
Find Your Nonprofit Voice: Build a Bridge Between Donors and Trust
Using your voice to advocate for the causes you care about is a critical part of civic engagement. At the individual level, people use their voices through the conversations they have with friends and family members or what they post on social media. But what does an organizational voice look like – specifically for nonprofits looking to build a bridge between donors and trust? Below are four tips for finding your nonprofit voice.
Learn More About Advocacy
A critical step to unleashing your voice is to be clear that advocacy and lobbying are two different things. Broadly speaking,
advocacy
is defined as “public support for or a recommendation of a particular cause or policy,” whereas
lobbying
is urging “…the public to contact members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of accepting, rejecting, proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation,” according to the United States Internal Revenue Service. Most nonprofits heavily lean into advocacy to advance their missions and individuals impacted by their work. In fact, advocacy is the backbone of many nonprofit efforts. As an organization, you can add your voice to the public square and join the chorus of individuals seeking to effect positive change.
One useful resource is
Bolder Advocacy
, an organization consisting of lawyers, coaches and nonprofit experts who provide educational resources for nonprofit and foundation leaders on advocacy. They offer a wide range of information, tools and training to help organizations navigate advocacy rules and regulations.
Find Your Voice
When you represent a nonprofit organization, you may feel hesitant to engage your voice in some of these movements or policies that might drive or impact them. You might avoid using your platform in new or bolder ways out of fear of putting off volunteers, funders or other stakeholders. You may be concerned about appearing “too political” or “too controversial” by speaking up about current social or political issues. But in doing so you miss opportunities. You miss advancing your mission, as well as building deeper connections with donors and the very people we serve.
Your staff and Board of Directors should decide on your advocacy strategy. Identify the issue(s) that are connected to your mission and your organizational values. Where it makes sense, engage other constituents such as volunteers or members of your community. Use
this checklist
from the Council of Nonprofits to help you plan effectively.
Listen and Learn
Educate yourself more deeply on current social movements that relate to the issue(s) your organization has identified. From Black Lives Matter to #MeToo to the LGBTQIA+ rights movement to campaigns like the Ice Bucket Challenge, there has been a range of social movements that inspired, motivated and empowered our society in recent history alone.
Evaluate which tools, resources and strategies already exist and which organizations might already be engaged in advocacy related to those issues. Take note of how nonprofits use social media to engage with their communities on these topics, then mimic these strategies on your own social media channels.
Inform Your Network
Finally, spread awareness and share resources, like the “Civic Life Today” issue about
Voice
, offering educational resources help to deepen everyone’s understanding of the issue(s).
Distribute information and answer questions about your new strategies. Help to inform your network about your nonprofit’s current or planned advocacy efforts and why they matter to your organization and the people you serve. Leveraging learning and advocating together strengthens your organization’s connection with your constituencies as you work toward systemic change.
5 Tips on How to be Transparent With Donors
Making sure you know how to be transparent with donors is essential to building trust. While every organization is different, many nonprofits rely heavily — sometimes exclusively — on donor support. In 2021, overall
charitable giving
in the United States increased 8.5% compared to the previous year. While you may be used to considering factors such as
donor churn
and
donor retention
, there’s another area to consider: donors and trust.
As a nonprofit organization, you thrive when your donors trust that their gifts are being spent wisely and effectively. But how do you communicate the impact that donations have in order to meet that gap between donors and trust? The answer is simple — transparency.
Donors and Trust, by the Numbers
The Independent Sector’s
Trust in Civil Society
report explores factors that drive trust in American nonprofits and philanthropy. As part of their key findings, they share that there appears to be a two-way street between trust and civic action.
Donors and volunteers both indicate they have higher trust for nonprofit organizations, while also identifying trust as a necessary factor for them to support the organization.
From the survey:
- 63% agreed that “many factors, including how much I trust a nonprofit to do what is right, determine whether or not I support it financially, or through volunteering.”
- 83% agreed that “nonprofits must earn my trust before I support them.”
According to the report, there are four primary dimensions that comprise trust capital: ability, dependability, integrity and purpose. For nonprofits, statistical modeling indicates that the latter two dimensions, integrity and purpose, contribute the most to building or reducing trust.
Transparency demonstrates both of these facets, even when it means admitting failure. In the article, “
Why Failing Transparently Is a Good Thing
,” author Wayne Elsey, founder and CEO of Funds2Orgs, explains that discussing failure, and the learnings from it, can be a pathway to earning trust.
Here are Elsey’s quick tips for being more transparent with your donors and supporters.
Publish your nonprofit financials.
Even if you have a small organization, place your audited financials on your website. This action alone can significantly help bridge the gap between donors and trust.
Consider getting a Guidestar Seal of Transparency.
With a
Seal of Transparency
from Guidestar, you may be able to increase your donations by 53%. Guidestar is an independent organization, and having their approval can showcase the dependability and credibility of your nonprofit.
Publish your outcomes and impact.
Donors want to know what your organization does and your metrics for success. Be clear and transparent. For all of your programs, give regular updates via a newsletter or email blast. Always publish an annual report of achievements from the past year.
Make sure to have whistleblower and conflict-of-interest policies.
Have policies in place to discourage illegal or corrupt activities and promote speaking up. Not only is this tenet vital to maintaining your organization’s integrity, but it also demonstrates to donors that you understand best practices in these arenas and take corruption seriously.
Experiment and create pilot programs or initiatives.
Finally, nonprofit leaders must develop their organizations. Thinking outside the box with vision and transparency shows you want to be a better nonprofit leader and expand your outcomes and impact.
Want to learn more? Donate is one of the nine elements in the
Points of Light Civic Circle
Ⓡ
, your system for changing systems. Our Civic Life Today issue on
Donate
explores the act of donating, thoughtfully encourages individuals to understand the power of their donations and shows people how to approach donating through a thoughtful lens in order to have the greatest impact.
How Nonprofits Can Leverage People’s Purchase Power
As a nonprofit, you already know the passion your volunteers have for your mission. They volunteer,
share your social media posts
,
donate
to your campaigns, and advocate for your shared cause. But purchase power can also be a dynamic tool, and we’ll show you how to help your community leverage it to drive change.
Purchase Power: A Key Piece of the Civic Engagement Puzzle
One of the most powerful, and often untapped, resources that a nonprofit has is the collective
purchase power
of its volunteers. Purchase power represents an individual’s ability to make decisions around spending or consumption of goods or services. Each of your
volunteers
has the ability to make decisions around how they consume or purchase goods and services.
These purchasing decisions may reflect their values or advance a social cause or issue. Buyers may deliberately purchase or avoid purchasing a product or service based on a company’s policies, social causes, size and scale, environmental footprint and more. In the same way your volunteers choose to share their talents with your organization, they may also choose where their purchase power goes.
When considering purchase power, it’s essential to recognize that, for many people, there is limited choice in where or how to shop. This circumstance can be for a variety of reasons, from lack of access to financial limitations, but there is still great value in being more informed and being able to share that knowledge with their own networks.
Even when choices are limited, there is decision-making power in these choices. And in those instances, when the only step we can take is to be more informed and share that information with others, this action is still meaningful and has value. Here are three ways you can help activate the purchasing power of your volunteers.
Curate a List of Businesses to Support
Maintain a list of businesses or brands that support causes that are aligned with your mission and share it on your website. A great example is
The Good Shopping Guide
, which generates and compares ethical rankings of the world’s leading brands across various issue areas.
Share Points of Light’s “Civic Life Today” Issue on Purchase Power
Points of Light partnered with The Starbucks Foundation to bring the
Civic Circle
to life through nine issues of “Civic Life Today”, a free digital magazine series, each issue highlighting an area of the Civic Circle and taking a deep dive into how people can activate this in their own life. Share the link to the
Purchase Power
issue with your staff, volunteers and network.
Encourage Volunteers to Shop Local
Highlight businesses in the community you serve to help increase awareness among your volunteers and their networks. Consider engaging local businesses to volunteer with your organization and cross-promote both of your organizations through social media.
Add These 9 Reads to Your Civic Engagement Book List
Calling all bookworms! Have you been following our series on ways you can activate around the
Points of Light Civic Circle
? If you’ve checked out our other articles with resources like
apps
,
documentaries
and podcasts you prefer the written word, we’ve got the civic engagement book list you’ve been waiting for.
These books take a deeper dive into the various elements of the Civic Circle, a framework designed to help individuals connect to opportunities and understand that doing good comes in many forms. Written by authoritative voices in their spaces of expertise, these reads are a must for any budding volunteer, donor, social entrepreneur or engaged citizen.
Looking for an easy-to-understand guide on donating responsibly? Advocate Dan Pollotta delivers in this book exploring topics from researching nonprofits to understanding overhead ratios to the actual impact you’re making with your donations. Written for people from all walks of life and of all ages, Dan will demystify donating so you can make better decisions about where and how to give.
American poet, essayist and playwright Claudia Rankine is perhaps best known for her award-winning collection of essays,
Citizen
, but
Just Us
is a powerful confrontation of racism. She demonstrates what racism looks like in the United States – from restaurants to theaters to airports – in this moving arrangement of essays, poems and images.
Using your wallet to make a statement? Influence your clients and customers to do the same? Become a conscious consumer and master marketer for good with this comprehensive guide to marketing based on shared values and a unique brand purpose. Even if you aren’t in marketing, this book can help you more fully understand how the companies you support with your dollar are marketing to you. A must read!
It’s not often we get to peek into the personal lives of military personnel, and even less common for us to hear detailed narratives from women in combat. Journalist Helen Thorpe follows the lives of three women deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq and the effect of their military service on their personal lives and families – over the course of twelve years. It’s a compelling illustration of just what it takes for military personnel to serve their countries.
If only social entrepreneurs had some kind of manual for exactly how to launch their enterprise… psst – they do! This playbook is the authoritative guide on the three phases of the start-up to scale-up process. Written by two Wharton professors, this tough-love approach will help social entrepreneurs avoid common pitfalls and navigate the landscape of solving the world’s toughest issues in innovative ways.
Penned by journalist Erin Geiger Smith, this book looks at the past, present, and future of voting, including the ongoing fight for voting rights. It covers the voting process, actionable steps for voters to take to become more civically engaged, and an examination of why, in the 2016 presidential election, about 40 percent of Americans didn’t vote. Even the most well-versed voter will walk away having learned something new about democracy from this read.
Your voice matters, but using it to better the world is not always clear-cut. Get a leg up with insights about the ways you choose to live your life. Jonah Berger takes us deep into the concept of social influence and how others’ behavior shapes our own. Once we fully understand why we do the things we do, we can decide what we want to to resist and what we want to embrace.
Poverty remains one of the leading issues our world has yet to solve, and it can feel so big and overwhelming that you may not know where to start. Join Peter Singer on this journey of exploration into the current state of global poverty and how you can be part of the solution. You may be surprised at some of the ways you can start working to end poverty right now, in your very own community.
VeraWorks President Bea Boccalandro teaches readers how to transform “meaningless” jobs into purpose-driven ventures in her book about making work more fulfilling. Through real-life stories and plenty of tools, tips and techniques, she offers employees in any industry a way to draw civic engagement into the workforce.
Intrigued? Time to get reading!
Tag us on social media
to share your favorite book from the list, and let us know how it impacted you and your journey of advocating for the causes you care about.
This piece is part of a series that highlights the many ways you can activate the
Points of Light Civic Circle
using various tools.
Check out all the ways you can live your best civic life
.
Listen to These 9 Podcasts About Civic Engagement
There are many ways to live a full civic life. Today’s post is part of a series that has already covered
apps
and
documentaries
that can help you reach your civic engagement goals. As we continue exploring ways you can activate around the
Points of Light Civic Circle
, we’re looking at nine podcasts about civic engagement that highlight timely and relevant ways for you to champion social good.
Points of Light’s Civic Circle is a framework designed to demonstrate the various ways that individuals and organizations can lead, lend support and take action for causes they care about. After all, volunteering and donating are important facets of civic life, but doing good comes in many other forms, too. The following list of podcasts* about civic engagement will help you bring all nine elements to life.
*Note: These podcasts may contain mature language or content. Parents and caregivers, we recommend being mindful to listen first, before sharing them with children.
This podcast, brought to you by BBB Wise Giving Alliance Give.org, exists to educate and empower people who are interested in donating responsibly. By showcasing stories of philanthropic leaders, government figures and active donors who have a passion for giving, episodes discuss strategies and tools to help listeners make impactful gifts that stretch far and benefit many.
This episode of the podcast Hidden Brain tackles the idea of “listening and learning” head-on. When we believe we are experts in something, we imagine that we know more than we do. Psychologist Adam Grant discusses what actually happens in the brain when we choose to challenge our own deeply held beliefs.
Green Dreamer is a beautifully produced podcast for those pursuing more environmentally conscious lifestyles. It takes on the concept of capital as a means of expressing deep values
and building a more responsible economy. The podcast features themes of creative transformation as it discusses the deconstruction of harmful economic systems, healing from materialism, addressing global waste and how people can repair their relationship to consumerism.
Each week this podcast interviews a different person with a career in public service to gain insights on why they do what they do. You can hear from U.S. Senators, think tank employees and leaders of advocacy groups on their journeys to public service. If you’re interested in serving in any capacity – whether on your local school board or in national government – this podcast is for you.
This multi-award-winning podcast is sure to move you to action (and possibly tears) with incredible stories of courage and purpose. Finding Humanity takes listeners into the heart of the most complex social and political issues facing our world, featuring global leaders, human rights experts and more. Each season of the podcast zeroes in on a specific realm of advocacy, and the “B Lab Special Series” focuses on people in the business sector who are addressing today’s biggest challenges.
As a United States citizen, one of the most powerful ways to ensure your values are represented in government is to participate in democracy. This nonpartisan podcast examines a different aspect of democratic life each week — from voting to criminal justice to the free press. You might be surprised at what you learn about the origins and issues of these facets of democratic life, as well as what you can do to help build and sustain a healthy democracy.
This riveting podcast highlights impactful people working for social change, including educators, activists, social workers and more. Each guest shares a bit about their personal journey as well as real-life stories from the field. Discussions are honest and bold, with guests leaving listeners tangible tips for getting involved in addressing issues like racism in education, equity in mental health, immigrant rights and responsible crisis intervention.
The Pro Bono Perspectives podcast from nationally-recognized nonprofit Common Impact covers a wide variety of topics, including social impact, CSR, philanthropy, partnerships, climate justice, how companies can take action for racial equity, where pro bono can be a solution for some of society’s biggest challenges and much more. You’ll finish each episode feeling inspired by social impact thought leaders who are creative transformative change in their spheres of influence.
The Fairer Cents podcast is a cheeky, often comedic podcast taking on some serious issues, like the wage and wealth gap, the economics of motherhood and the roots of economic inequality. Whether you’re a woman in the
workplace
or simply curious about the role of your money and career on your personal relationships, this is a fantastic podcast to start exploring big themes.
Now you’re equipped with these nine podcasts about civic engagement you can listen to on your next walk around the neighborhood, daily commute or unwind time before bed. If you find one you really love, tag us on social media to let us know! Remember, educating yourself on the issues is just one piece of the puzzle, so be sure to find ways you can
take action
on the issues once you’ve been more informed through these podcasts. Check out all nine issues of our free digital magazine series
Civic Life Today
for inspiring stories of civic engagement and actionable steps you can take to live your best civic life.
This piece is part of a series that highlights the many ways you can activate the
Points of Light Civic Circle
using various tools.
Check out all the ways you can live your best civic life
.
Watch the Points of Light Civic Circle Come Alive in These 9 Documentaries
We’ve been exploring ways you can activate around the
Points of Light Civic Circle
, a framework designed to help individuals connect to opportunities and understand that doing good comes in many forms. The Civic Circle represents your unique power as an individual or organization to lead, lend support and take action for causes you care about.
Since a big part of being civically engaged is being informed, we’re offering nine interesting, must-see documentaries that will educate, inspire and stay with you as you continue on your own journey to make the world a better place.
*Note: As these documentaries are capturing real situations and circumstances from across the globe, viewers may find some scenes to be graphic or disturbing. Parents and caregivers, we recommend being mindful to screen these films first before showing them to children.
This incredible documentary has won more than 60 international film festival honors. It challenges each of us to consider whether what we’re contributing could actually be part of a big problem that has developed in the world of philanthropy. With over 200 interviews filmed in 20 countries, the film will empower you to donate your dollars, goods and time more consciously.
When this film was released on Netflix, it became one of the most-viewed documentaries the streaming network had seen. In a world where many people are receiving the bulk of their information via social media, which, unlike credible news media or peer-reviewed publications, isn’t vetted by experts. This film gives some great insight into how this phenomenon is shaping public opinion.
Fashion can be a fun and unique way to express oneself, but “fast fashion” has devastated many critical cause areas, including the environment and workers’ rights. This film documents the lives of real people around the world living in poverty and war-torn areas, who make clothes for the world’s fashion. It will have you thinking twice about doing your research on clothing brands you support and how to spend your dollar in a way that supports sustainable fashion.
This film, narrated by Annette Bening, has garnered accolades too numerous to count. It dives into the nearly six decades of the trials and transformations of this agency through stories from its incredible host country nationals, Peace Corps Volunteers and staff, as well as scholars and journalists.
This fascinating documentary will not only help you understand the concept of social entrepreneurship but also follows the journeys of three Millennial changemakers who are prioritizing meaning and purpose above financial considerations. You’ll finish this film feeling inspired by how entrepreneurial-minded people are using their skills to find creative ways to solve some of the world’s toughest issues.
Tune into this intimate account of legendary U.S. Representative John Lewis, following his life, legacy and more than 60 years of extraordinary activism, from the bold teenager on the front lines of the Civil Rights movement to the legislative powerhouse he was throughout his career.
It will leave you feeling empowered in your right to vote in every eligible election and championing the right for all people to vote.
When it comes to the power of one voice to make an impact on an issue or cause area, perhaps few modern people come to mind as vividly as Greta Thunberg. This compelling documentary follows the teenage climate activist from Sweden on her international crusade to get people to listen to scientists about the world’s environmental problems.
Volunteers share their time and talent with organizations working to advance the causes they care about. Volunteering is one of the best ways you can directly support the solutions to any issues that you’re passionate about, but volunteering comes with responsibility too. This documentary illuminates the impact of international volunteering on local communities. If you’re interested in volunteering overseas, you’ll want to watch this first so that you can plan to do so consciously.
Who says that businesses and their employees can’t use their for-profit work as a way to change the world for the better? Real Value is an award-winning economics documentary that interviews top leaders in the world of agriculture, apparel, insurance and biofuel. This inspiring look at what happens when businesses value the planet and its people in the same way as its profit will leave you both informed and inspired to make change in your own workplace and want to support socially-minded businesses too.
With nine documentaries highlighting nine different ways to lead a civically engaged life, we know you’ll find one that speaks to your specific passions and interests. Once you’ve watched,
tag us on social media
to share your favorite, and use your new education as empowerment to get moving on the issues you care about.
This piece is part of a series that highlights the many ways you can activate the Points of Light Civic Circle using various tools. Check out all the ways you can live your best civic life.
3 Themes From the 2022 Points Of Light Conference to Support Your Nonprofit’s Impact
The annual
Points of Light Conference
yields a wealth of unique opportunities, and a big one is hearing from experts in the nonprofit sector on current issues, innovative ideas and best practices. The 2022 conference hosted a variety of inspiring speakers from nonprofit organizations from around the world offering insightful and educational messages. Here are a few key takeaways for nonprofit leaders that emerged from this year’s stage:
People will engage with what they’re most passionate about.
Work in the nonprofit sector can be uplifting
, but it isn’t always easy. Knowing how to keep the flame alight among your team, your volunteers and your stakeholders is crucial to avoiding fatigue and burnout. This year’s conference theme was “Revitalize. Reimagine. Recommit.” and we featured speakers and sessions that spoke directly to this mission… like Jennifer Taylor, who shared on the topic of “rage giving.” With increasing polarization on the political and social landscapes, now is the time for nonprofits to develop specific strategies that allow people to act on the very causes they feel most strongly about. How can you leverage what you and your stakeholders are most excited, hopeful, frustrated or angry about to sustain your impact?
Listen to the communities you serve to learn what they need.
Intentional listening and learning in the communities you serve allows you to find solutions to the
true
unmet needs of that community, rather than the issues you might
assume
to be the most pressing. In the Opening Plenary, Points of Light CEO Natalye Paquin shared a story about
Daily Point of Light Honoree Briana Daniel
, an Orlando native. When she chose to voluntarily live alongside the people she was working with who were unhoused, she found that food insecurity was not their greatest unmet need, but hygiene was. This knowledge led her to create Street Team Movement, a nonprofit providing laundry services, haircuts and hygiene products to people experiencing homelessness, offering solutions to the exact needs the community expressed were most urgent.
PEOPLE FEEL significant positive impact from VOLUNTEERING.
Several conference sessions discussed the immense benefits that come from volunteer work – not just to communities, but also to the volunteers themselves. Points of Light
civic engagement research
shows that
one in four people said a reason they took action was, “I believe it supports my own personal well-being.”
As you engage volunteers in your efforts, keep in mind that they are likely benefitting from this work as much as the communities they serve. Volunteering can
boost memory, cognition
and
mental health
as well as provide job skills One
study
even asserts that:
- Volunteers are as healthy as non-volunteers who are five years younger.
- Volunteering activities on a resume can yield higher employment opportunities.
You can begin to see that this benefit goes beyond the altruistic feelings of spending worthy time in support of social impact. Often, volunteers walk away with new skill sets, relationships and perspectives they may not have the opportunity to gain anywhere else. Framing volunteer work in this way can help organizations to promote greater equity and remember that they are providing mutually-beneficial resources rather than just rescue.
One thing we know from working with our
Global Network
of affiliates from around the world is that the nonprofit sector is teeming with innovative thinkers and creative problem solvers. Nonprofit leaders, what are some insights you’d add to this list?
We’re already gearing up for the 2023 Points of Light Conference in Chicago on June 14-16, 2023, with a special pre-conference day for nonprofit professionals. Sign up to receive updates, and join us next year for another powerful conference.
