“Coincidence” is in the eye of the beholder.

And coincidentally both my digital inbox and my television set conspired to deliver three visions of different– three distinctly different– channels and approaches to fundraising.  Some lofty.  Some noble.  Some self-serving.

Inspired by Inspiration4

Beyond flogging the future of “space tourism” the main goal of SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission which launched a week ago and splashed down on Saturday was to raise $200 million for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The mission’s commander, Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who purchased the flight from SpaceX, donated $100 million personally to St. Jude.

By the time the mission splashed down it had raised another $60.2 million from the public and Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, pledged another $50 million bringing the total raised just after he splashdown to $210 million.

Regardless of what you think about space travel and the spending preferences of billionaires this mega-event is worth studying for the sheer brilliance of the way fundraising was integrated into a series of channels (on-air, broadcasts from space, on websites, and in social media.

• First there’s a five-part Netflix series COUNTDOWN: Inspiration4 Mission to Space. It’s well worth your time not only for inspiration, but to see how well and thoroughly the St. Jude and the $200 million fundraising goal is skillfully woven into the series. (The final episode of the series will air September 30.)
• Next there’s the live-from-space call between members of the Inspiration4 crew and children at St. Jude undergoing treatment. Again, the involvement of the St. Jude patients and staff is front and center. A member of the mission crew is a former patient and now a physician’s assistant at St. Jude and the moderator of the live broadcast is also a former patient and now a member of the hospital’s staff.
• And, while you’re at it, check out the St. Jude website for both skillful treatment of this mega-event.
• Finally, social media platforms were a virtual milky way of adoration and information about St Jude and the mission including a Tweet from Elon Musk announcing his $50 million pledge

Meanwhile, Down on Earth

While Inspiration4 was circling 360 miles (580km) above the earth travelling 17,500 miles (28,200 km) an hour, Ken Burnett, SOFII’s founder, was plodding along the  Camino de Santiago de Compostella in northern Spain at about 1.3 miles an hour on a 500-mile fundraising trek to benefit SOFII.

Loyal Agitator readers will recall our August 18 post Fundraisers Giving Back reporting on Ken’s answer to Chip Grizzard’s matching gift challenge to walk 500 miles and collect £10,000 for SOFII (The Showcase of Fundraising Innovation and Inspiration) that treasure trove of great fundraising examples available in multiple languages to fundraisers the world over.

As pilgrims since the 9^th Century have discovered this journey along the Camino de Santiago will  take five weeks ( at least) , plus all the grit, fortitude and positive thinking Ken can muster.  So far, according to an update he sent us on Sunday, he’s doing lots of mustering.  Plus, as you’ll see from the photo accompanying his update, he’s also discovered ice cream along the way.

Accompanying that photo taken in front of the Burgos Cathedral was his report: “My feet are like raw mince.  But, each day, I think, I’m a bit stronger.  Someone asked the other day what do I think of the Camino?  I said I love everything about it except just one thing –the walking!”

Ken’s halfway on his 500-mile journey.  And so far, (as of 9/21 at p.m. EST) he’s raised £9, 694 toward the £10,000 goal.  96% of the way toward collecting on Chip’s matching challenge.

So, let’s put him over the top.  You can give and get an update right here on Ken’s Just Giving Page.

And Speaking of Earth and Our Future

The final coincidence involved climate change and political fundraising.

My attention landed on a piece in the New York Times headlined “This Powerful Democrat Linked to Fossil Fuels Will Craft the U.S. Climate Plan” the article focused on Senator Joe Manchin, “the powerful West Virginia Democrat who chairs the Senate energy panel and earned half a million dollars last year from coal production, is preparing to remake President  Biden’s climate legislation in a way that tosses a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry—despite urgent calls from scientists that countries need to quickly pivot away from coal, gas and oil to avoid a climate catastrophe.”

The Times goes on to report that:

• “Last year Mr. Manchin made $491,949 in dividends from a coal brokerage firm he owns.”
• President Biden’s aggressive climate policy would compel utilities to stop burning fossil fuels like coal and switch to wind, solar or nuclear energy sources that do not emit the greenhouse gases heating the planet.
• Senator Manchin, closely tied to the fossil fuel industry, has received more campaign donations from the oil, coal, and gas industries than any other senator.
• You can see the fundraising/contribution data compiled by Open Secrets here.

Although, as the Times points out, Senator Manchin supports some fossil fuel reforms it also notes that “Among the industry

executives to whom Mr. Manchin is listening closely is Nick Akins, head of American Electric Power, an Ohio-based electric utility that serves 11 states, including West Virginia, and relies on West Virginia coal for many of its power plants.”

And so, the world of fundraising coincidences turns.

Roger