The Heart of the GO Campaign:
A Conversation with Scott Fifer
In December 2018, The Eden Magazine proudly featured Scott Fifer, the visionary founder of GO Campaign. Seven years later, we are honored to welcome him back in our October issue.
Through GO Campaign, Scott has transformed compassion into action, championing local heroes across the globe who are creating real and lasting change for children and communities in need.
His journey from a Hollywood screenwriter to the leader of a globally recognized nonprofit continues to inspire, proving that one person’s determination can ignite movements and improve countless lives. In this interview, Scott shares the ongoing mission of GO Campaign, the stories that fuel his passion, and his vision for a future built on opportunity, equality, and hope.
Read Our Magazine…
Please share with us a little bit about your early life and what experiences shaped your passion for philanthropy.
My parents were big on volunteering. My mother was particularly active in political campaigns and at my brother’s school. Both she and my father used to help at centers for alcoholics and people experiencing homelessness. I think I just picked up their sense of volunteering and giving back by osmosis.
Before founding GO Campaign, you had a successful career in entertainment and law. What inspired your transition to nonprofit work?
In 2005, I took a month-long volunteer vacation to Africa, and when I came back, I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids I met. I founded the nonprofit to help them, and it became more interesting and rewarding to me than any of my other careers. Thankfully, my career in law and my career in screenwriting both help me in my daily management of GO Campaign, so perhaps it was all meant to be.
Who were your biggest influences or mentors in your journey toward founding GO Campaign?
I didn’t really have any mentors when founding GO, and it’s probably a good thing. If I had realized all the hard work ahead or how it would grow and change my life, it might have been too daunting. I might not have done it. Ignorance may have been working in my favor. I will say that I was inspired by people in the news who were also working in Africa—people like George Clooney, Don Cheadle, and Presidents Bush and Clinton. I followed their work, and they inspired me to learn more.
What was the pivotal moment that led to the creation of GO Campaign? And what was your first project?
The spark for GO Campaign began in 2005, when I took my first volunteer trip to Tanzania and met 20 orphaned children. There was no grand plan at that time—just a desire to help these kids who instantly felt like family to me. The focus was simply to help improve their lives.
When I came home to Los Angeles, some extraordinary women and their children were inspired by those first 20 kids’ stories and challenged me to think even bigger. In 2006, GO Campaign was officially born. Soon after, GO organically shifted from a small, one-off project in Africa to a global mission, helping children not only overseas but also right here in our own backyard of Los Angeles.
Our growth has transformed into something I never could have imagined when I boarded that plane to Tanzania 20 years ago. I just had a reunion with those kids whom I first met in 2005. Of course, they’re all adults now, and we felt amazed that it’s been twenty years—but also grateful that we are still a family.
How has the organization evolved since its inception?
It started with 20 kids in one village, and now—20 years later—we’ve helped over 450,000 children in 40 countries. That’s an increase of over two million percent.
But the real growth isn’t just in numbers—it’s in the model we’ve built. We call it the “Local Hero” model, and it’s the foundation of our work. We identify extraordinary grassroots leaders—visionaries who are changing the lives of children in their communities—and we give them the resources and solidarity they need to expand their impact.
Our role is to help them grow strong enough not to need us anymore. And when they outgrow us—like A Sense of Home and LA Room and Board here in Los Angeles, or Harlem Grown in New York—it’s the best possible outcome. It means they’re soaring.
What is the core mission of GO Campaign, and how do you ensure its impact is meaningful and sustainable?
Our mission is simple but profound: to give children and youth the opportunities they need not only to survive, but to thrive. We don’t do “charity.” We do solidarity. That’s what our partners need and deserve.
We stand beside Local Heroes—people on the ground, in their own communities—fighting poverty, injustice, and hopelessness. These are individuals dedicating their lives to helping children in pioneering and meaningful ways. We look for visionaries whose work is both impactful and sustainable—people who may just need a hand up or some extra resources to bring their visions to life.
We ensure meaningful, sustainable impact by applying the same transparency we have with our donors to our Local Heroes. Of course, our programming officers collect the quantitative data, but they also maintain a human-to-human connection with our partners. If you’ve ever applied for a grant, you know it can be a very mechanical, impersonal experience. We make sure that’s not the case with our grantees. We’re there for them every step of the way.
How do you find and select grassroots organizations or Local Heroes to support?
We excel at identifying and vetting organizations that, although often overlooked, still warrant attention. Our programming staff, board members, and community of trusted donors are all attuned to identifying potential Local Heroes. We take the time to meet with them, learn their history, and assess the sustainability and successes of their programs. We have strict guidelines in our vetting process, which have proven effective year after year. However, the selection process is becoming increasingly difficult as our world faces greater challenges. We don’t have the funds to say “yes” to all the heroes and every deserving project. This is the hardest part of my job—turning down requests from people who are doing wonderfully impactful work and who deserve our support.
Can you share a specific success story that embodies the impact of GO Campaign?
There are so many. This past year, one of the Tanzanian orphans supported by GO Campaign graduated from Whitman College in Washington State with a degree in Chinese and is now working for a media company in Taiwan. Another young person has just graduated from medical school and become a doctor. These are two kids who came from the poorest backgrounds you can imagine, but given the opportunities all kids deserve, they excelled and completely changed their lives.
When it comes to pioneering Local Heroes, in Uganda, there’s a man named David whose youth farming project now feeds refugee families who were once on the brink of starvation. In Tanzania, a woman named Brenda has transformed children with Autism and Down Syndrome—once rejected by society—into skilled entrepreneurs who can support themselves. These are not just success stories; they’re proof that opportunity is the most powerful tool for change.
What challenges did you face in the early days of GO Campaign, and how did you overcome them?
The most profound challenge was learning the importance of prioritizing sustainability in the projects and organizations we support.
Initially, some partners anticipated annual funding, which wasn’t beneficial for either of us. And we funded needs that would recur over and over, like food and school fees. We shifted to funding projects that would help organizations stand on their own—launching new programs, building infrastructure, or providing training.
Income-generating projects like soap-making, chicken farms, and beekeeping are not only turning youth into successful entrepreneurs but also sustaining programs and organizations as a whole.
Now, some of our earliest grantees are raising six-figure grants and influencing national policy. Watching them grow beyond us is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.
What are some of the biggest obstacles nonprofits like yours face today?
Today, there is so much need in the world and so many amazing charities competing for the same dollars. Everyone’s inboxes are flooded with emails asking for donations, and our social media feeds are teeming with posts doing the same. It’s easy for donors to become overwhelmed and tune out. Our challenge is to break through that noise and prove that $35—our average cost to change a child’s life—can create extraordinary, lasting change.
Please share how support from celebrities and ambassadors has helped elevate your mission.
Being based in Los Angeles, we’ve been fortunate to receive truly organic support from a number of celebrities who genuinely care about our work. Our Ambassadors Robert Pattinson and Ewan McGregor can talk about GO and our mission as well as I can, and Ambassadors Lily Collins and Evangeline Lilly have met our Local Heroes and spent time with some of the children whose lives we’ve helped change.
Others like Jodie Foster, Lupita Nyong’o, Gerard Butler, and Kaitlin Olson have also supported GO because they understand the impact we are having on children in need. When they share our mission, it amplifies our reach in ways we could never achieve alone—and it helps bring attention to heroes who deserve the world’s spotlight.
What are your future goals for GO Campaign? Any upcoming projects you’re excited about?
There’s a project on Chicago’s South Side called Future Ties that we’ve been working on with our Local Hero Jennifer Maddox for a couple of years. Since meeting them in 2019, GO has funded several projects, and with a generous donation from Bodi, we helped Jennifer purchase an abandoned Walgreens drugstore that is now a functioning youth center. However, fundraising for the building remodel is taking longer than we’d hoped.
The kids there really need a safe space and access to tools that can improve their lives. It’s a terribly under-resourced area, and they deserve better. We’ll finish the project one day, and it will be a shining star in the community. And we will be by Jennifer’s side until that day comes. It’s just one of many exciting initiatives on the horizon!
How can someone make a difference if they want to get involved with GO Campaign?
On average, we can change a child’s life with just $35. A donation of $35 to GO is the fastest (and easiest) way to make a difference. If someone can become a recurring donor—giving monthly or annually—it would be even better.
We also have volunteer opportunities around the world, including several in Los Angeles. You can reach out through our website at www.gocampaign.org, and we’d love to talk with you about how to get involved.
Your annual GO Campaign Gala is coming up in October. Can you share what attendees can expect this year?
The fun thing about the GO Gala is you never know who will show up! This year, we’re honoring the folks behind Hulu’s Welcome to Wrexham, Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds. They’re doing amazing work—bringing soccer (or football) to kids not only in Wales but also in parts of Africa, Mexico, and soon Los Angeles. Enrichment programs like sports and music can save young lives—we’ve seen it firsthand. I’m sure some of Rob and Ryan’s friends will come out to support them in a big way.
Plus, we often have several of our Local Heroes in attendance, sharing firsthand how GO supporters have impacted their communities. The Gala is always a fun and inspiring night, no matter who shows up. You can learn more and get tickets at gogala.org.
How does the Gala contribute to your mission, and how does it impact the projects you support?
It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year, and every paddle raised directly translates into more children helped. There’s no middleman—funds go straight to grassroots programs. The more successful the Gala, the more lives we can transform. It’s a direct correlation.
There are classrooms in the world that would not exist if not for a GO Gala. There are clinics and counseling centers whose doors would be closed if not for a GO Gala. So many children have gotten incredible opportunities in life thanks to what happens in the room at a GO Gala. It’s incredibly special.
Also, it’s a night to grow our community. There’s an electric energy in the room the night of the Gala, an energy that reminds us that change is possible. It’s why so many of the same people come back year after year. We hope that those joining us for the first time leave with the same feeling.
How can people get involved, whether by attending, donating, or supporting in other ways?
Come to the Gala, volunteer with our partners, invite us into your circles, or give in whatever way feels meaningful to you. We also welcome auction items for our online Gala auction. Big corporate sponsors do not back us—our strength is in the community of people who choose to stand with us. When you donate to GO, big or small, you really become part of the family.
Are there any special guests or performances planned for this year’s event?
Yes—but we like to keep that part a surprise. All we can say is that it will be a night to remember.
Special thanks to:
Photography:
Marco Policicchio
Doria Anselmo
Interview and editing:
Dina Morrne
Comments