By Chris Talbot, communications professional and educomics creator
Go back to the educomic via this link
Introduction
The header says “I would have done more, but…” an educomic by Chris Talbot. *Unfortunately, this educomic was inspired by a real public call for accountability with a real foundation representative.
First Section
A small child walks along a concrete walkway. Around them, the land is barren, the trees are without leaves, and the world is literally burning.
In the second cell, the child approaches a tall building where money is raining down.
In the third cell, there’s a man in a business suit standing on top of the building where money is raining down. The man shouts down, “Hey, down there!”
Second Section
In the next cell, the small child looks up and asks “Why didn’t you do more when there was time?” There are flames in the background.
In the next cell, the man answers “We did! We increased our payout…” Money rains down around him.
In the next cell, he’s gesturing with all five fingers splayed out with one hand. He finishes “From 5% to 6%!”
In the next cell, he says, “And I would have done more, but…”
Below this illustration is a text box which says, “In 1969, a law required private foundations to distribute 5% of their hoard based on a 13-month average of the foundation’s asset values. It technically includes the foundation’s eligible operating expenses and grants to donor-advised funds — so not a true 5%. This means that a foundation hoarding $1 million only has to pay out a max of $50k. Most foundations do this — the absolute minimum — regardless of the condition of the world and how much funding is actually needed.”
Third Section
In this cell, The man is on all fours, looking down from the building. There are flames behind the building and money raining down on it. He finishes, “…the word ‘perpetual’ is in our charter.”
In a final text box, it says, “In a separate episode of ‘what are foundations doing while the world is burning?’ an insider in a local foundation disclosed to a group of EDs they expected 73% of the organizations they funded to have to close their doors soon. They didn’t say what they were going to do about it. Immediate, emergency, unrestricted funding? Nah. Increasing their disbursements? Also no. Just tell the EDs who may have to stop necessary services, I guess. Foundations are a core problem.”
Chris Talbot
Chris Talbot (they/them) is a queer, trans nonbinary, mixed-race artist, activist, and nonprofit employee. When they aren’t working the day job, they spend their free time editing art and literature magazines, writing and illustrating educomics to help folks affirm their nonbinary pals, creating a graphic novel to describe what it’s like to be nonbinary in a gender binary world, cuddling their cat, and quad skating in the park. Purchase their debut book, Why Must the White Cis Nonprofit Workers Angry React to All My Posts? A compilation of essays, posts, and thoughts by a queer, trans, mixed-race professional surviving predominantly white cisgender heterosexual institutions.
You can find Chris at mxchristalbot.com, on LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and Twitter — and tip them on Venmo or PayPal or join as a patron on their Patreon.
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