Posted: 2 June 2008 by Kristi

Hi and welcome. Wow. It feels a bit strange to be participating in this whole thing now rather than just observing. But, I'm sure I'll find my feet. Any tips welcome. I'm new.

It is great to finally have something more than a landing page at greenstone.com.au. Many people are visiting us these days, but have been disappointed to find nothing much. I have been 'getting to it' for a while now and I'm really pleased to be here... finally. I hope this is a place that you come back to.

Apart from loads of client work, the big thing we're doing at the moment is focusing on getting the Social Investment Guide out in July. Felicity is doing some of the best work I've seen her do. We're very excited. We can't wait to showcase our non profit partners to the new donor community - these projects and social entrepreneurs are ... frankly, unbelieveable.

We are building our networks and finding some interesting ways to assist the emerging philanthropists in it. Can't say too much now, but the movement in Sydney is really swelling as it is in Melbourne and Perth. Right now is an exhilerating time.

We've also sponsored V-Day in Sydney. When I was in Washington DC earlier this month, I met Eve Ensler, the author of the Vagina Monologues and the convenor of V-Day. What an amazing lady, a creative inspiration. Come along and join us for the benefit performance at the Parade Theatre on June 29. V-Day is a global campaign to stop violence against women and girls.

I'm thinking about donating the equivalent cost of the tickets booked through out network to V-Day and the Women's Refuge Resource Centre www.wrrc.org.au.  Here's the interesting thing that I find strange as a woman philanthropist.  I'm not sure if I should tell my husband Jason about how much I'm going to give... perhaps I'll tell him I'm only giving away half of what we really will on the night... kind of like when you come home with shopping bags and your partner asks 'how much was that?' and you always either drop the amount by 25% or one third or half, depending on what you think you can get away with...?

This is something that really needs to change in our culture.  Women are so empowered today as the money earners, but not so as the money givers.  We make the money. We can give it away. I know so many girlfriends and colleagues that 'quietly' give pockets of money away here and there.  Instead of taking covert actions, we need to be 'coming out' about it.

My view is we need to budget it in, girls.  Be upfront about it.  There is much to do and much to support.  Starting with an openness about your giving is key to being a better, more effective giver.  Go ahead and tell your partners and boyfriends the full truth.  See how they react.

It's a small thing we can do. I'm continually horrified when I read about the stories of GBV around the world, especially in the Congo and in other places in Africa. But, then I remember it's almost as shocking here, at home. I know within me that we could be making a bigger change in our communities by supporting women and girls.

Like many things in our big world and in our little communities, this issue can feel like it's such an overwhelming problem that we are powerless to make change. But, truly, the only problem is the fact that we feel that way. In my world, I like to imagine the feeling of powerlessness is an illusion.

See you on the 29th... p.s. I'm really quite enjoying blogging.