We were lucky to catch up with Scott Fifer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Scott, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Reinventing one’s self and taking a completely new path in life is certainly full of risk, but for me, it’s proven to be the most rewarding way of living a fulfilling life. I’ve done it not just once, but twice. In the early 1990s, I left the practice of law in New York City and packed up a used car and drove all my possessions to L.A. in hopes of becoming a writer. A dozen years later, I left a successful TV and film writing career for a job of my own making – as founder and CEO of a new charity bringing opportunities to children around the world.
Both decisions were life-changing, and took me to new careers where I had no prior experience and not guarantee of success. In the first case, leaving the law and making an attempt at Hollywood screenwriting, it was a decision informed largely by wanting to be happier. I realized that, for me, writing was much more fun than the law, and I felt I might have a knack for it and I was young enough that I ultimately decided it was worth the risk of taking a leap. I felt I might regret it if I didn’t try it. And lucky for me, it worked out well, and I had a 10 year career earning a living as one of the many writers in Hollywood. In the second case, it wasn’t about finding something that made me happier, but rather it was about a discovery of something more rewarding, discovering a skill set I didn’t know I had, and following an instinct that despite the uncertainty of leaving a career in writing behind, that the risk of venturing into this new territory of philanthropy and charity was the right move for me. 17 years into it, I’m still learning and growing and still enjoying this job I created for myself.

Scott, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m the founder and CEO of GO Campaign, a nonprofit I founded in 2006. Initially created to help a group of 20 orphans in Tanzania, the organization has grown to help over 200.000 children across over 40 countries. What sets us apart from other charities, I’m told, is that we listen more than we talk.

We listen to the people on the ground – our remarkable Local Heroes. We let them tell us what they need to improve the lives of children and young adults in their communities. Our projects vary greatly, whether it’s a project in a big city like Chicago or a small village in Kenya, we always go in with an open mind and big ears.

Like an investment fund, we take your dollars through a diverse partner portfolio that has a common thread of local leadership and quantifiable results.

We carefully identify the best places for you to invest your charitable dollars, and connect you to the project that most resonates with you. Through our method, you can have a direct impact and make a difference in the most meaningful way.

We also work with our grantees to build up their capacity thereby decreasing their dependency on outside funding.

We provide small grants that have direct impact, cutting out the middle man. Unlike many large aid organizations, government agencies are not involved, therefore there is no red tape involved.

We are a community. We believe in our partners and the real change they make in their communities. We work alongside them on their journey, helping set clear objectives and attainable goals. Because of this, together we are able to learn and grow. In addition to ensuring that funds are used as intended, we work with our Local Heroes to develop their sustainability plan so that they can continue their work for years to come.

And just like we listen to the Local Heroes on the ground, we listen to our donors. Where do you want to make a difference? Do you care about girls projects? Do you care about the USA? Or Africa? Or Latin America or Asia? Do you care about climate-change informed projects for youth? Whatever your passion for the next generation, GO can help donors connect and make real change at the grassroots level, across the USA and across the world.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2020, the pandemic forced nearly everyone to pivot in some fashion, and I was no exception, and my company GO Campaign had to pivot too. Normally, we prided ourselves on not “giving fish” but rather “teaching someone to fish”. We didn’t fund needs such as annual school fees for children, and we didn’t give money for food or anything else that would always be a need. We didn’t want to create dependency, and our grantees don’t want to become dependent on us or anyone. So from 2006 through 2019, we funded sustainable projects that had the best chance of long-lasting impact for children and youth around the world.

But then the pandemic hit, and we quickly realized all rules had to be set aside. It was a new world, and we had to look at it with new eyes. People in lockdowns were going hungry. Children didn’t have food on their plates in homes from East Los Angeles to Mumbai, India. And children needed new tools to learn at home when schools were shut down. We quickly pivoted and became an emergency needs organization. We provided funds for groceries, meals, medical supplies, laptops, staff salaries, internet… Thanks to our already existing network of Local Heroes across the USA and across the world, we were in a unique position to be able to alleviate suffering during the pandemic, quickly and efficiently. But it required us to pivot, toss aside our old rules, and adapt to the rapidly changing needs of a society and world in crisis. And now that the pandemic is over, we once again are pivoting back to a more sustainable model.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There’s a new documentary (released at the end of 2023) called Uncharitable. I highly recommend it to anyone who is involved in philanthropy in any way. It’s a must if you work in the nonprofit sector, but it’s also highly valuable for anyone who gives money to charity (which I hope is everyone who is reading this). It’s based on Dan Pallotta’s highly successful TED talk, but the documentary is much richer and full of insight and examples that will make you think about charities in a whole new way. I saw it 3 months ago for the first time, and it has already significantly impacted my thinking and philosophy and my strategy to help more children than ever before through my nonprofit GO Campaign.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gocampaign.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gofifer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theGOCampaign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/5226178/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GOCampaign