Then 84% of every dollar raised goes to programs and services… EXCELLENT. I also use charitynavigator and suggest clients do as well.

Hi Shawn,

Good question. I asked Charles of DonorsChoose to answer this, and here is his response. It seems that Guidestar has mixed up some numbers:

“Hey Tim,

Here are the numbers:

-Last fiscal year (July 1 ’06-June 30 ’07) we funded $6.3 million in student projects. Total operating expenses (including both overhead AND direct fulfillment labor) were less—not more—than the total dollars in student project funding.

-We scored the highest possible ranking on Charity Navigator, 4 out of 4 stars, because of our fiscal transparency and efficiency.

-We present both our independent audit and our IRS tax filing to the public, on our website:
http://www.donorschoose.org/help/org_faq.html#q75

-As our independent audit shows, General and Administrative costs constituted 8.8% of expenses, while Fundraising costs totaled 7.4%, for a total 16% of expenses going toward overhead.”

Hope that helps! Tim

Everybody’s a winner in the member’s project, but I agree that the solution to many of these challenges starts with education.

Well done.

So HOW should we train them to get along?

I urgently invite you to consider a cutting edge education model that’s perfect for meeting that challenge. It’s called the Sudbury Valley Model, and it’s essentially a system for a ZERO Hour Work Week.

The students are free to do whatever they want, all day long ——— BUT they have to learn to also respect the rights of the other kids to do what they want, all day long. The result is fiercely passionate, articulate, cooperative, dynamically evolving community of equals that are robustly prepared for the Information Age.

You can check-out the education model itself here:
http://www.SudVal.org
and/or you can also check out an independent fiction film
that I wrote & directed called “Schooled”
that was inspired by my skeptical research
of this seemingly Utopian education model:
http://www.SchooledTheFilm.com

The last thing I’ll say, is that if we want our future generations to be as prepared as possible to face to our global challenges, we’ve GOT to phase out our Industrial Era 40 Hour Work Week School System which preaches to kids from the top down. In it’s place, it’s time to create genuinely democratic, agile, problem-solving mini-communities where kids are fully involved in the REAL school issues that matter: creating the rules, the budget, voting on staff, etc.. THAT’S the best way I know of for kids to learn how to use power with purpose.

Sitting in a classrooms for their 40 Hour School Week, stuck behind a desk, being forced to memorize stuff the kids have no interest in, will not get this job done.

Very best, Brooks

I just finished your book and wanted to let you know that it was incredible! Thanks for sharing your formula for success. I haven’t been as fired up over a book in a long time and I really think it could start a revolution.

Take care man and keep living the dream! -Eric

on page 237 of the Book you write

“Enormous apartment in the trendy SoHo-like Prenzlauerberg district of Berlin, including phone and energy $300 U.S. per month.”

I am German and have been in Berlin some time. I have never seen a furnished apartment of average size for less than 750 Euro in Prenzlauer Berg. That is $1000 U.S. and without phone and energy.

For the mentioned 300 US$, which is about 220 Euros including energy, you might get a single room (120 sq ft.) in a shared flat in the worst suburbs.

This calculation really frustated me, because now I dont know, which party including money figures are real.

Can you tell me, where I can find an enormous apartment for $300 U.S in Berlin? Thanks in advance.

###

Hi Conrad,

The apartment I rented was on Schonhauser Allee, right above the Thai restaurant on the corner, about 3 blocks from Eberswalder (spelling?) Strasse station. It’s a great area.

The key? I negotiated well. It started off at around 750 Euros and then I got it down to 300 for the space and an additional 25 or so for energy. I used a separate unlocked cell phone for calling friends, etc. To find it, I used the Zitty and Bild weekly magazines in Berlin.

I hope that helps! Learning and practicing creative dealmaking is key for getting the most from the least. It’s not that hard — it just takes a few dress rehearsals on smaller things to then tackle homes, rentals, cars, flights… the whole lot.

Cheers! Tim