Derrick Feldmann of Millennial Impact Project on Cause Engagement

Twitter: @DerrickFeldmann 

Derrick Feldmann.jpg

Derrick Feldmann is a sought-after speaker, researcher, and advisor in cause engagement. He founded Achieve to help organizations address their most pressing issues through research and data-driven, strategically designed fundraising and awareness campaigns. Feldmann is the co-author of the book Cause for Change: The Why and How of Nonprofit Millennial Engagement from Wiley.

Derrick is the lead researcher and creator of the Millennial Impact Project, a multi-year study of how the next generation supports causes. This ongoing study has been cited in hundreds of publications, including Forbes, TIME, Fast Company, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Through this research, as well as in his role at Achieve, Derrick has worked with companies and organizations such as AT&T, Facebook, BMW, PBS and the Case Foundation to understand how the next generation of donors, activists and employees are redefining cause work.

He is the founder of MCON, the nation’s premier conference on Millennials and social good, which draws speakers from for- and non-profit organizations across the world. MCON explores the question of whether and how organizations are taking advantage of today’s heightened interest in causes to better serve their constituents.

Derrick is a co-author of the book Cause for Change: The Why and How of Nonprofit Millennial Engagement (2012) and is authoring the upcoming Social Movements for Good: How Companies and Causes Create Viral Change, which will be available in March 2016. He is also a regular contributor to Philanthropy News Digest and the Huffington Post IMPACT channel. He is on the Leadership Faculty of the Points of Light Corporate Institute, a guest lecturer for the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW:

In this interview, we discuss:

  1. The causes and effects of movements, and how it drives change.  (3:00)
  2. How companies are embracing social movements to connect with consumers. (13: 30)
  3. The Millennial Impact Project and how millennials engage in their decisions. (21:15)
  4. The power of valuing assets, and how we can strengthen the nonprofit sector. (26:30)
  5. Understanding the conversion of individuals in their formative years. (32:00)
  6. Why millennials have this notion of doing good embedded in their DNA, and how to act upon it. (34:00)

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:

"I believe that doing good will be embedded deeper and deeper into our society without the institutional barriers." -Derrick Feldmann

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:

  1. "How Millennials’ Perspectives Of Personal Impact And Activism Change In An Election Year" Huffington Post Article by Derrick. 
  2. The 2017 Millennial Impact Report, supported by The Case Foundation. 
  3. "Millennials Are Finding New Models for Driving Change" Fast Company Article
  4. Profile of Derrick in Indianapolis Business Journal
  5. Social Movements for Good: How Companies and Causes Create Viral Change. (Book)
  6. Cause for Change: The Why and How of Nonprofit Millennial Engagement. (Book)

THANKS SO MUCH FOR LISTENING!

If you enjoy The Philanthropy Hour, please leave a review or a rating on iTunes. I read every review and it helps to make the podcast better.